Furnace filters

[Truitt Bottsford III]

Are the expensive fancy ones really worth it over the cheapo paper filters?

[DaveG]

Dunno. What are you looking for in a filter? The cheapo ones protect the motor of your furnace by blocking chunks of stuff. The more expensive you go, the greater the amount of stuff the filter removes, generally speaking. Some people think that tight filters (the not cheapo ones) are not good because they supposedly block free movement of air thru the system. Others like the idea of having pollen, allergans, and the like filtered out. Pick a side. Buy your filters accordingly. Dave

[Tony Hwang]

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

the good type filters are better at cleaning the air in the home but it's a matter of money as how clean you want the air. Judgement call here.

TURTLE

[mark Ransley]

They last longer , they clean better

[CBHvac]

Cheapo paper pleated over fiberglass or hogs hair..

Now...if you have an older system, or one that is not set up for the added resistance of say..a 3M, you can create some issues with it.

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

You had me going there for a minute but you must be talking about Pleated filters.

TURTLE

[Phisherman]

I have two expensive ones. I noticed a need to dust less frequently, although the tradeoff is having to wash the filters every month. I hose them off in the backyard and dry them in the sun. I have heard of some folks washing them (alone of course) in the dishwasher.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Yes, it washes well in dishwasher. I wash filter and electronic air cleaner modules in dishwasher. Tony

[mark Ransley]

Phish , yours are electrostatic , yes .

[Truitt Bottsford III]

Thanks for all the replies. Think I'll consider electrostatic. Now that summers over & the furnace is running we're waking up with stuffy noses.

[Greg]

Continuing on this thread...

What do you guys think of the supposed "lifetime" filters that simply need to be cleaned & replaced. I'm a little leary of anything that claims to last a lifetime. The cost seems to be 5x-10x the cost of the better filters. Anyine using one of these "lifetime" filters? If so, care to comment?

--Greg

[Phisherman]

I've used the same washable filters for 10 years (over 120 washings) and there are no signs of deterioration. I added some self-stick rubber insulation to the opening perimeter so the filter makes a tight seal. The cost is certainly more than the throw-away type, but there is water usage cost for the cleanings. Bottom line is that there is less dust in my house, so I don't care about the cost differences. I've read about the washable filters that require electricity, but mine are "passive" electrostatic. Works great.

[CBHvac]

Consider a humidifier.

[Jim K]

[Jimmy]

Do you have a humidifier ? That's sometimes an issue. Also, a hot air system will tend to get the dust moving in the house, that can bother some people too.