What Air Filter is The Best?

What Air Filter is The Best? In this meeting we look at how to choose the right air filter by considering size, depth, MERV, measured and system static pressure.
Read all the tech tips, take the quizzes
and find our handy calculators at www.hvacrschool.com/

[@noarrivalsguitar2524]

The REAL question is which bear is best? Beats, bears, battle star galactica

[@ignaciofrancis8806]

You all prolly dont care at all but does anybody know of a trick to get back into an instagram account?? I somehow forgot the password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!

[@kharibrooks7511]

@Ignacio Francis Instablaster ;)

[@claytonweeks8846]

Michael!

[@shannonhill3356]

I want to work for Kalos so bad, I just wish I didn't live 3 hours away in Central Florida. I would kill to have comprehensive meetings and very in-depth proper training like this, especially being in my first year still

[@sailordave1000]

1300 sq/ft home built in 73. Closet AC with filter grill in closet door. Originally it was 14x20x1. In the 70s using those cheap poly fiber fill filters was OK for air flow. Previous owners went to cheap pleated but developed problems. Tech suggested larger filter. No room in door to make opening for larger filter grill. Another 14x20x1 filter grill was added on another wall of the return plenum. We now have the equivalent of 20x28x1 filter. We use a MERV 10 filter. In summer we change them more often than once every 3 months, in winter we can go 3 minutes.

[@dennisgiles958]

Good information for a home owner here. Got me learning a lot about static air pressure on the system. Going to buy a nanometer to measure my system. Just had a new furnace and ac put in two years ago. Had a comfort level problem and come to discover with a call to the installer the filter was the problem. Dirty filter causing the high limit switch shutting the system down to wher it would rum on short spurts i guess. Replaced the filter with a Merv8 16x25x4 and watching videos after not sure that was right but comfort level is back. Having a service on the system and will be there with a lot of questions anticipating answers per a knowlegeable tech.

[@Ketogenicinfo]

What a great video. This is by far the best explanation of HVAC filters that I’ve ever seen. So to upgrade your system to be able to accept a 4 inch filter IS a good idea! Good to know indeed.

[@AvgDan]

When a customer asks this question, I doubt many techs are going to test anything before giving answer.

[@tairdudeusa7981]

Goodman Corporation will tell you to use a standard fiberglass filter for correct static pressure in in their systems.

[@Pennconst101]

Huge fan of aprilaire. Merv 13, VERY LOW pressure drop. Annual Replacement filters about $50.

[@alanedwards6382]

Love it! Great information as always. The right answer always considers several variables. I like how you broke those down and explained the overall objective.

[@joewonsettler6439]

Thank you, this was the exact pressure drop info I needed to make filter improvements to my hvac system at home.

[@rlg222]

Great Video. I'm a home owner for many years and I didn't realize that I should know what's the best air filter to use in my HVAC system.

[@DavidRodriguez-qb6dd]

I found out the best filter just recently is made by K&N filters not only do they make filters for automotive use but now they are making them for household use I have used these in my customers filters I customers are very happy it is a reusable filter that requires just low water pressure to clean in a cleaner to go with it sold by K&N my customers loved it because they don't have to buy another filter after this it has a lifetime warranty for the money it is great for me as a technician and for my customers the only drawback is that the only come in one inch thick

[@pratiknaikedu]

Wow thank you! I learned that I needed the bigger 4 inch filter vs the 1 inch and it would be better for airflow! I always assumed it would drag it down by default.

[@acrepairnearme]

Great class! Great topic!

[@carlosdominquez1456]

Best Air Filter is a Clean one

[@dylanmerck4893]

I have a question about putting the manometer in the return. Does it matter which way it is facing? for example the wireless fieldpiece ones? Also how would you position your manometer probes if it was a front draw or on a stand?

[@coldfinger459sub0]

How can anybody give this video he thumbs down ??? Maybe it is the shady filter salesman who is over selling over promising what the product and do . High commission hard sales tactics. Excellent training videos that every HVAC college course instructors should be promoting to their students as secondary education.

[@j303ti]

Also consider the drop across the coil when checking the current tesp. If the coil is dirty, wet, or dry can effect tesp. Something I'm just thinking of now... does the install manual typically indicate if the fan curve numbers are wet or dry? I've always just assumed it was wet. Also if the charge is off could that have an effect on tesp? I know this video is about filters, but if we're using the tesp to guage what kind of filter to pick I would want to know if the coil is throwing that number off in either direction.

[@fundip43]

Air quality has seasonality compared to inside air; there is an old adage some practice called “the solution to pollution is dilution”. The method would also allow for better efficiencies heating / cooling specially in the winter months. Basically if the outside air is excellent and the inside air is poor the need for the filter might be limited and therefore it should not be in place. However in the spring time or other situational events you might actually want the air filter and therefore you should implement it.Do you known of automated systems that can do this in a whole house format?

[@marcilk7534]

I just went through this with replacing my furnace and looking at putting in an AprilAire filter with Merv 16 for allergy issues. I was concerned about if the Merv 16 would be a problem with the furnace based on general things I heard. I was also wondering if it would make a big difference than what I already have since the filters are the same size, but I was using Merv 11 or 13, depending on what’s available. AprilAire also had many options, so I wanted to make sure my heating and air were recommending the best option. I was able to get a detailed chart of pressure drop with different filter options. My filter I was looking at getting had higher pressure drop than some of the other options. I didn’t understand the numbers, so my heating and air place was able to make sense of the numbers based on the furnace I’m getting. I was reassured based on real numbers that the static pressure drop can be accommodated with my new system. They thought I was thinking way too much about it rather than just trusting them, but I’m a numbers and analytical person, so I needed that.

[@joeruder]

HVAC people don't generally like a 'normi' asking questions or doubting them in anyway. I recently went through this when getting a new system installed. "Well, we have charts back at the office that we use" OK...what did they say? "that this is the right size" Based on what? "the sqft of your house" What about the number of rooms, air outlets and type of filter I would be using? "Maybe I should go double check my numbers...." I went with somebody else.

[@glocktown21]

Is the K&N washable furnace filter good?? Any industry news on the pressure drop with the new K&N HVAC filters???

[@DanO181919]

Is there a such thing as to big of a return air grill? Also, can to small of a return cause the air handler to sweat?

[@qeesher]

I think you should at least tell about the worst filters :) Several of my customers had their ecm motors failed within a year by using Costco Kirkland 1” filters (2200 filtration level). Those filters pressure drop 0.6-0.8” (for a new filter)

[@Ketogenicinfo]

That’s the filter I’ve been using.

[@Houseofarrows]

@@Ketogenicinfo😱

[@Ketogenicinfo]

@@Houseofarrows I don’t use it anymore I use the Filtrete 1900 now. It’s one of the highest flowing 1 inch filter.

[@RobertLanghorn]

7:40 I have 2 fieldpiece Job Link Manometers and this doesn't work. The JL3MN measures the difference between the external port and an internal port. It reads 0.0inWC even if zeroed with another JL3MN.

[@bernardaflores1720]

As a home owner and problems w/ asthma and dust, I find that very few techs are knowledge able to provide a good answer to this question??

[@Huskerj1000]

The air filter is for the betterment of the hvac system, not for humans. Breathing issues might be better handeled by room air cleaners or vacuuming and dusting more.

[@REALBanannaman]

Anyone on a 1 inch filter should strongly considering upgrading their setup to take a 2 inch filter - minimum.

[@kevinsaint20]

How can this be achieved if there is only space for a 1” filter in the AH? Also, my return and supply plenums are all duckboard. It would be a lot easier to retrofit if they were sheet metal

[@mannys9130]

​@@kevinsaint20Look at the Aprilaire retrofit filter grills. They are a direct replacement and they contain a massive filter. You can mount them in any orientation.

[@kevinsaint20]

Is it truly surface area that equals better filtration and lower resistance or is it the deeper pleats? I ask because I have high static pressure issues with a single 1” filter at my AH. I installed high velocity return filter grilles at each of my returns (I have 5 in total). If I put a 1” filter in each of these return filter grilles, would it contribute to lower resistance or would that be 4 times as bad since they are all 1”?

[@mannys9130]

Deeper pleats = more surface area. :) Pleats are nothing more than taking an A x B sheet of 2 dimensional material and folding it up accordion-style in 3 dimensions to turn it into perhaps ⅔A x ⅔B instead. If you have both a 4" filter and a 1" filter which have identical 2D dimensions, and then unfold the material inside each of them, the sheet of material in that 4" filter will be substantially larger when laid out flat compared to the 1". Each brand will have a differing number of pleats too, and the CFM effect plots like a bell curve. Adding pleats to a flat sheet of filter material greatly improves airflow. As you keep adding more pleats, you get more surface area for that air to get through. Eventually, you run into the issue of no space between pleats to flow air and you end up with something that acts like a flat sheet of material that's 4" thick instead of 1/8" thick. 😅

[@kevinsaint20]

@@mannys9130 I see what you’re saying but my example provides the reason I’m asking the question. Obviously deeper pleats = more surface area on a single filter but my question revolves around exchanging a single filter for multiple filters of the same thickness. Air could flow differently depending on how deep the pleats are because the angle of the filter media is different. Not sure if that has any effect but that’s what I was thinking about when I was asking. If it’s purely surface area, then 4 1” filters should have a lower resistance to flow than just 1 of them. Essentially equal to a single 4” filter, which has been demonstrated to have a much lower resistance to flow. But if there is more at play, that might not work

[@huntereberle9609]

You said that velocity moving through the return (14:10 in the video) should be 300 to 500 ft/min. I would assume you did not mean cfm but could you clarify?

[@trevorjones559]

CFM = cubic feet per minute

[@Balticblue93]

350-400 CFM is the most common depending on system and where you live and if your duct design can support it. 500 CFM is cooking! You better have big ducts, low static pressure and a big area to be pushing that kind of air.

[@MrsChip]

Fpm, not cfm

[@caroquintero617]

Keep em cool.

[@bernardaflores1720]

Can you compared a MERV filter to an electronic air cleaner in a presentation.

[@Icytits]

MERV is a rating, not a type.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

@@Icytits so explain MERV, then........uuhhhhhh

[@Icytits]

@@-MrRichBiker1967 The bigger the number, the smaller the particulate it can filter out of the air stream.

[@mzdriss]

@@-MrRichBiker1967 It is MERV = Minimum Efficiency Reported Value where efficiency is for the particle removal. MERV is the work of ASHRAE 52.2 sub-committee. 52.2 is a standard that sets the method to test particulate air filters under scientific conditions.

[@glocktown21]

What do you think of the K and N washable filter that is Merv 11? I don't know what the pressure drop is?

[@Balticblue93]

Anything washable pretty much sucks based on anything I have ever found in the field.

[@glocktown21]

@@Balticblue93 Yep, this KN restricted so much airflow my my AC system blower got really LOUD... I went back to Merv 8 filters right away and system runs better.

[@proverbs2life]

Any allergies? You smoke in the home? Current Airflow?

[@earthianfriendly5708]

👍

[@Bowhunters6go8xz6x]

A filter that is installed

[@mitchdenner9743]

Maam, have you had a diesel truck running in here?😄

[@jameschristy9966]

The cheaper the better no air flow problems

[@benjamintimmins1656]

10:05 if you increase airflow static goes down NOT up! Am I missing something? The higher the static the worse off airflow is gonna be. So .01 is better airflow than .09

[@HVACS]

Yes you are missing something - if you increase airflow static goes up.... if you increase static airflow goes down

[@harshsharma4425]

Hello sir

[@MoeKav]

we need some pictures or drawing???

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

ADD

[@flyfliker]

anything less than $2, with a FPR of 1

[@Ted_E_Bear]

Your lungs !

[@MrElemonator]

No filter change 👹

[@78tag]

No wonder we have no qualified tradespeople. If all instructors approach training like this guy how does anyone learn the trade? 5 minutes in and the guy still hasn't gone anywhere. People's minds work much faster than this. He needs to keep moving before his guys start thinking about what they are doing today. He's putting them to sleep.

[@HVACS]

Save us all... become an hvac educator and show us how to do it the right way

[@doom4uall]

@@HVACS LOL, man you know there will always be socially unacceptable anomalies escaping once in a while. I’m a home inspector and guess who teaches everyone in my firm about hvac beyond the basics… me.. because of you! So please keep on!

[@jameshoben2950]

You talk alot and perform no testing, why. Show us dont give us words and numbers on a whiteboard.