Most people are scared of their furnace. The only reason is due to lack of knowledge. I will cover everything from basic maintenance to complete repairs. In this segment I will cover filter maintenance. Furnace filters are very important as they not only help your family breathe easier but also increase the longevity of your furnace and air conditioning system. There are many different types but let see if I can simplify the explanation. Cheap filters are a waste of money and stop next to no dirt. That’s not a good deal for the home owner as the dirt will make as many as 100 passes through the filter before being trapped and there for allowing your home to have more airborne dust and allergens. There is several manufactures such as 3M and Dust Stop that make several types of filters that will be adequate.

The filters such in this pictures to the left and right, looks like woven cotton and can create more problems than they are worth. Yes they do not have to be replaced as often because most of the dirt goes through them rather than being stopped. Some can be washed but wear out to an even low filtering capacity. Remember you get what you pay for. For those who have central air conditioning may end up with a costly repair bill in the end.

I find that pleated paper filters should be a bare minimum you require. The more pleats in the filter, the better the filtering capacity it has. There is a point when an air filter can get too restrictive and cause problems as well. 

The filter in the image to the right would be considered as a bare minimum requirement.  It creates a reasonable barrier between the incoming contaminated air and the outgoing air for both your heating equipment and your family to breathe.

The filter in the image to the left would be considered a high performance type of filter.  It creates an excellent barrier between the incoming contaminated air and the outgoing air for both your heating equipment and your family. The high performance filters can be identified by the amount of pleats and the material used. These do work very well especially for those who have a family member with allergies and pets. Most airborne dust gets stopped on the first time the air passes through the filter and therefore giving excellent protection for your equipment.

Filters are rated on a MERV scale and can be identified in different catergories. Please se the upcoming article to rate your filter.