Filtrete filters are designed to capture tiny particles without significantly restricting airflow. While all air filters will restrict airflow to some extent, it is important to find the right filter for your unit and overall system to ensure that you reduce the amount of contaminants in the air as much as possible. Unfortunately, air filters in your home can negatively affect airflow. This is usually due to the filter being dirty, inefficient, or too efficient.
To maintain a constant airflow, it is important to find the right air filter to remove contaminants from your home. Pleated air filters are known to restrict airflow to your HVAC system. This is because they capture a lot of contaminants, but also reduce air movement to the blower or oven. As a result, the fan has to work harder to heat and cool your home, which reduces efficiency.
These filters can also cause liquid to return to the compressor, leading to premature equipment failure. However, if you change your pleated air filter at the proper interval, you can avoid these airflow problems. Different pleated air filters are designed with different properties and results in mind, so it is important to select the one that best suits your needs. It is recommended that you clean or replace your air filter every 30-90 days depending on the type of filter and how well your system works.
All filters will restrict airflow to some extent because air must move through the filter for the unit to remove particles from the atmosphere. A MERV 13 pleated filter has a pressure drop of approximately 2.5 times that of a fiberglass filter, meaning that the system would need to operate approximately 3.5% more to reach the desired temperature. If you leave a pleated air filter in your air return for two years, it will become clogged with contaminants and ultimately reduce airflow to zero. It is important to remember that while pleated air filters will restrict airflow, details about what impact this will have and how significant it is are generally omitted.
Many HVAC technicians who are veterans of the trade learned their trade before these innovations, when a pleated filter could significantly reduce the life of their unit.