Are Washable Air Filters the Right Choice for Your Home?

Washable air filters are an affordable option for homeowners looking to save money on their HVAC system maintenance costs. Learn more about how these reusable filters work and if they're right for your home.

Are Washable Air Filters the Right Choice for Your Home?

When it comes to improving the air quality in your home, there are a few options available. While some HVAC systems have been modified to use electrostatic filters, most use mechanical filters that are available in both washable and disposable versions. If you're looking to save money, a washable air filter might be the right choice for you. However, this type of filter is only capable of removing large particles from the air in your home, and it has a maximum MERV rating of 4, so it cannot remove pet dander or smoke from the air.

Indoor air quality has a significant effect on the physical health of occupants of a home. HVAC filters can help improve your IAQ if you have the right one and are installed and used correctly. Disposable HVAC filters need to be replaced monthly or quarterly, depending on several factors. On the other hand, washable HVAC air filters can be cleaned and reused several times.

Like their disposable counterparts, washable air filters fill with dust, dirt, pet hair, and other contaminants. If you don't wash them regularly, they will become clogged, which could lead to poor indoor air quality or damage your HVAC system. You have to wash them thoroughly, which means separating the individual layers to clean them between them, then allowing the filters to dry before reinstalling them. Reusable air filters provide a simple and affordable tool for HVAC system protection.

When you have cleanable filters installed, the efficiency of the HVAC filter increases after washing them. Air filters will require maintenance, and if you are not replacing the filter, you will need to wash it constantly. When air filters aren't kept clean, the load affects both your home's indoor air quality and your budget. This type of washable air filter can also be sprayed with a mild household cleaner to remove any grease or smoke residue. Washable air filters are a convenient option because they only need to be cleaned a couple of times a year. Also, while reusable filters are good at protecting your home from large particles, such as dust, they are sometimes not as effective at filtering bacteria, viruses, smoke, and pet dander.

You'll save on additional filters and waste by not using a filter that needs to be replaced every few months. Most washable filters last at least ten years. Permanent home air filters are best maintained in the 4-12 MERV range, where protection and affordability are balanced. Washable air and oven filters consist of a mesh fabric, the tightness of which determines the MERV rating. When you decide what type of air filters to buy, there are several options to choose from.

Filter King does offer a subscription service that eliminates the need to wash simply by replacing HVAC filters. If someone in your household suffers from asthma, you may want to opt for a HEPA air filter or another high-quality disposable model. The higher the MERV rating of the air filter, the smaller the particles it can capture, but the greater the effect it will have on the airflow. With electrostatic filters, air passing through the filter passes through multiple layers of filter media that have an electrostatic charge. Households in areas with high levels of allergens, pollutants, dust mites, mold spores and debris have a washable air filter that constantly captures particles in the air. On the other hand, hospitals and emergency centers should invest in air filters that have a MERV rating of 16 or lower.

This type of filter is mainly used to protect your heating and air conditioning system from harmful dirt and dust.

Leanne Legorreta
Leanne Legorreta

Professional bacon aficionado. Passionate tv practitioner. Proud internet guru. Twitter evangelist. Devoted music guru.