Homeowners don&#;t always know where to start when it&#;s time to choose an air filter. Because there are several types available at most stores, it&#;s easy to base your buying decision just on price alone. However, while the cheaper fiberglass air filter might seem like a smart idea for your budget, it may not always be the best choice for your home, your HVAC system, or your family&#;s health.
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Will it trap all the particles you need to be filtered in your home or business to improve the
To determine which is the best air filter for your home furnace or air conditioning unit, you'll need to consider a few key factors:
Not recyclable: Fiberglass is not a recyclable material, and because you must replace fiberglass filters more often, you'll be sending more trash to the landfill.
Less filtering capability: Because they don't have a lot of surface area, they don't filter out smaller items like pollen, bacteria, and viruses. This makes them a poor choice for people who suffer from allergies, asthma, and other sensitivities.
Quality: An especially flimsy fiberglass filter can come apart in your system, causing serious damage, as well as putting any filtered debris back into the air.
Airflow: New fiberglass filters will not impede airflow. However, if you don't change your fiberglass air filter monthly, it may become clogged and impede airflow, which will create issues for your unit.
Frequency: Pleated filters can last up to 90 days before they need to be replaced, depending on the time of year and the environment in your home or business.
Catch more debris: Pleated air filters have more surface area, so they capture more &#; and smaller &#; debris. Depending on the MERV rating, they may filter out pollen, pet dander, bacteria, and some viruses. This makes a pleated air filter a much better choice for anyone with allergies, asthma, or similar sensitivities.
Yes, for the most part, fiberglass filters are safe. But they fall short compared to pleated filters when it comes to filtering out the smaller contaminants in your air such as pollen, pet dander, and bacteria. You should also be aware that, because they don't have a lot of surface area and don't filter smaller particles out, they eventually can cause build-up and weaken your HVAC system and decrease its efficiency, which may lead to higher energy costs.
A pleated filter is an air filter that is made from a pliable material &#; polyester, cotton, or paper &#; that is folded to look like an accordion and housed in a cardboard frame. The folds &#; or pleats &#; give the filter more surface area, which allows it to capture more particles.
Pleated filters can be made of paper, cotton, polyester, or other pliable materials. For example, the filter media in our MERV 13 pleated filters is made of polypropylene/acrylic fibers. This high-quality, synthetic, plastic-based material allows the filters to trap particles as small as lint, dust mites, mold spores, pollen, pet dander, fine dust, smoke, viruses, and bacteria.
While fiberglass air filters will do the job in the most basic way, in most cases, pleated air filters are much better. They can filter out smaller particles &#; important for people with airborne sensitivities. They are less likely to clog in a short amount of time, and they can last up to 90 days. They're also recyclable in most communities, which makes them a good choice for the environmentally conscious.
While we don't know the exact reason that your property manager would make that claim, our guess is that he's concerned about airflow through the building's ventilation system. Fiberglass filters, when changed regularly, do allow for more airflow because they have less surface area than pleated filters and allow the smaller particles to get through. However, if you don't change them every 30 days, you'll find they have the opposite effect by getting clogged and potentially harming your system.
With so many air filter options, it can be confusing to figure out which air filter to choose. Many people have their favorites, but we are here to &#;clear&#; the air on whether a fiberglass &#;throw-away&#; air filter or pleated air filter is best for you. When determining which filter is right for you and your needs you might consider price, changeout frequency, air flow/restriction, construction quality, and MERV rating/efficiency.
Fiberglass Panel Filter
Pleated Synthetic Filter
Cost
Approx. $3-$5
Approx. $5-$15
Replacement Frequency
Up to 30 days
Up to 90 days
Air Flow
Non-Restrictive
Slightly Restrictive
Quality
Flimsy and Porous
Sturdy and Durable
Dust Loading Capacity
Flat Porous Media: Low dust holding capacity
Pleated Media: High dust holding capacity
MERV Rating and Efficiency
For more information, please visit Fiberglass Filtration System.
MERV 4-5 (less filtering ability)
MERV 8-13 (effectively stops and traps air containments from recirculating)
Let&#;s begin with fiberglass panel filters. Fiberglass filters are often referred to as &#;throwaway&#; or &#;disposable&#; filters because they typically last no longer than 30 days. These panel filters use either a spun glass media or a non-woven fiberglass media, with a flimsy cardboard frame and can be found in most hardware stores for a few dollars. The main argument with users of the fiberglass filters is that it will save you money, but keep in mind that you&#;ll have to replace these filters monthly (if not more frequently depending on how highly trafficked your environment is) and you&#;ll get what you pay for. Another reason many people opt for these filters is because they provide the least amount of airflow resistance for an HVAC system.
However, with this ease of airflow comes lower quality air filtration. Fiberglass filters have a very low MERV rating between 2-3 efficiency. A MERV rating (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) is the standard rating system for measuring an air filter&#;s overall effectiveness at trapping air pollutants. The higher the MERV rating, the finer the particles the filter can trap and block from recirculating back into the air. A MERV rating between 6-13 is recommended for residential use and 5-16 MERV for commercial environments. Fiberglass air filters have media that is loosely woven with a low MERV rating, which means many air pollutants pass through the filter sending the allergens and particulates back into the circulating air.
Fiberglass Panel Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Price: Inexpensive, most fiberglass throwaway filters range from $3-$5.
Air Flow: Non-Restrictive, fiberglass filters&#; media is very porous and will not restrict air flow. However, most fiberglass filters must be replaced every 30 days to ensure the filter isn&#;t being fully loaded with debris and pollutants so that air can still pass through with ease.
Catches Large Debris: Large lint and dust particles are easily captured by the fiberglass media.
Cons:
Dust Holding Capacity: Because fiberglass filter uses a panel style media it has a smaller surface area that can trap and hold debris; giving it a low dust holding capacity.
Filter Changeouts: frequent filter replacements, every 30 days.
Quality: Fiberglass panel filters use a porous fiberglass media and a flimsy cardboard frame. Fiberglass filters are prone to damage when in use and can damage your HVAC system while letting debris recirculate.
Filtration Rating: Fiberglass filters have a low MERV rating (MERV 4-5). Fiberglass filters do not filter out fine air pollutants like pollen, dust, dust mites, bacteria, or viruses and are not recommended for environments where there are allergy or asthma suffers, pets, or lots of foot traffic. Fiberglass filters capture less than 25% of particles that range from 3 to 10 micron in size, this includes small pollutants like pollen, dander, and bacteria.
While not the cheapest option, pleated air filters provide superior air filtration to fiberglass panel filters. Manufactured using a premium pleated synthetic fiber media, these filters allow for an increased surface area to capture more airborne pollutants. Additionally, these filters are reinforced with an expanded metal backing and heavy-duty frame. Pleated AC/furnace filters are available in an 8-13 MERV rating and can last up to 90 days without requiring a filter changeout. Although some older HVAC systems may be strained and experience less airflow with pleated filters, most HVAC systems today have had advancements so that the performance is unaffected by pleated filters. The synthetic media used in these filters effectively traps and blocks smaller sized air particles better than fiberglass filters, keeping your environment&#;s air free of pollutants and allergens longer.
Pros:
Dust Holding Capacity: Pleated filters use a pleated accordion style media that increases the filter&#;s surface area and dust holding and load capacity.
Filter Changeouts: Pleated filters have a service life of up to 90 days, depending on the environment and foot traffic.
Quality: Pleated filters are manufactured with a high-quality synthetic media and a sturdy die-cut frame that is durable even in high humidity environments.
Filter Rating: Pleated filters are available in a MERV 8, 10, 11, or 13 rated media. The pleated synthetic media captures fine dust, pollen, dirt, pet dander, bacteria, and some viruses. Pleated filters are a great option for environments where there are infants, allergy sufferers or people with asthma.
Cons:
Price: Pleated air filters can range anywhere from $5-$15 dollars depending on the size and filter rating.
What is a pleated filter?
A pleated filter is an air filter that is manufactured using a synthetic fiber media that is pleated into an accordion or pleat style pattern to create more surface area to hold dust and debris that is filtered. The synthetic media is reinforced with an expanded metal backing and is housed in a heavy-duty die-cut beverage board frame.
What are pleated filters made of?
Pleated filters are made using a premium synthetic fiber media that effectively traps fine dust, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, bacteria and more. The media is adhered to expanded metal backing for additional structure and support during use. The frame is made of heavy-duty beverage board that ensures the filter&#;s integrity even in high humidity environments.
Are fiberglass filters safe?
Yes, fiberglass filters are safe. However, they are not as durable as pleated filters and if they are not replaced frequently, they run the risk of falling apart and damaging your HVAC unit. Because fiberglass filters are panel filters, they have a low dust holding capacity and are not able to filter fine air pollutants like dust, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, bacteria, and viruses.
Are pleated air filters better?
While fiberglass filters work, pleated filters do an overall better job at filtering and trapping common small airborne pollutants and contaminates. Pleated filters also have a longer service life (up to 90 days) and have a higher dust holding capacity.
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