Air filters are often forgotten about, but make a huge difference in the quality of the air inside your home. You spend the majority of your day indoors, and you want to make sure the air you are breathing is as clean as it can be. Not only should you change the air filter in your home system every few months, but you should make sure you are choosing the right one as well. 

Air filters are used in homes that have a ducted ventilation system. In these systems, air is put through a conditioning system to make the air warmer or cooler. Then it is pushed through vents to all the different spaces throughout the home. If the air filter isn't the right one, and it isn't being changed regularly, your home could be full of airborne allergens, dirt, bacteria, and so on. With the proper filter, a lot of this can be prevented from ever making it through your vents. 

Here are a few types of filters you will see... 

Fiberglass - This is your standard filter. It has a woven fiberglass material that is designed to catch particles of dust, debris, etc. It is an inefficient type of filter, but still better than nothing.

Pleated - A pleated filter has a thicker design and will capture a decent amount of airborne irritants. This is a step up from a fiberglass filter, and still not very expensive. 

HEPA - High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance - These filters are used to filter air to a VERY fine level. These are an even further step up, and are often used in medical facilities, labs, and places that need to be particularly clean. 

Make sure you get the right size, and one that will do what your family and home needs. Do you have any small children, elderly or someone with breathing problems living in your home? Go for the higher rated filters if that's the case. You can learn more about a few specific filter types and ratings here. 

You know a little more about the types of filters there are, but what exactly are they going to do for your home? Here are some of the benefits of having your air filter changed regularly:

Keep Your Home Healthier - Cleaner air to breath means a healthier home and healthier people who live in it. During the winter when cold and flu season rolls around it's easy to catch an illness and tough to kick it. Making sure that bacteria in the air doesn't circulate helps the prevent these illnesses from spreading. The same applies to allergies when it's warm out. If you have a clean air filter keeping the allergens and bacteria to a minimum, it will equate to healthier living and easier breathing. This is especially true if you live with small children, the elderly, or anyone with a breathing problem. These people are more susceptible to illnesses and breathing complications. If this is the case for your household, you may even want to think about investing in an air purification system, and you'll 100% need to be changing your filters regularly. 

Keep Your HVAC System Lasting Longer - If your system doesn't have a clean filter it's going to be pushing dirtier air, dust, and debris through your air conditioning and heating system. If this persists, your system is likely going to incur a little damage or begin running less efficiently. It will also likely not last as long as it should. Heating and air conditioning systems should last for 10+ years. If a simple filter change can be the difference in keeping your system for a few more seasons, you're killing 2 birds with 1 stone here. 

Reduce Dust and Odors - Filters catch dirt and odor before they can circulate throughout the air. This is going to keep our home from building up dust quickly, and from retaining bad odors. A home with pets usually benefits a lot from a good filter, because pets can come along with certain odors and smells that aren't always the most pleasant. 

Want to take a look at a few particular air purification products? Here is an informative article that features 3 air purifiers that can certainly help your Rochester, NY home stay clean. 

If you have any questions about the air filtration system in your home or any aspect of your home comfort, give us a call at (585) 641-3080, and we'd be glad to help you out with any home comfort issues you might have!