5 Ways That Dirty Air Filters Can Ruin Your Life

Posted on May 11, 2021 by - Blog, Filters

As you read about the ways dirty air filters can ruin your life, you’ll begin to understand:

  • Dirty air filters are a problem for both your health and your financial situation.
  • Regularly changing your air filters is easy and something you can do for a low cost.

If you’ve ever seen a dirty air filter, you know how gross they can get. The look alone is enough to make you want to change the filter, but there are some other key facts that should make you want to change them as well. Did you know your clogged air filter could be ruining your life? Check it out!

1. Reducing Air Flow and Increasing Utility Bills

Air is supposed to be pushed through your filters to collect the dirt, dust, and dander circulating through your home. When your air filters are clogged, it’s going to be harder for the air to push its way through. With reduced airflow, your blower fan is going to work overtime trying to get the air to comply. This is only going to increase your utility bills as the system works harder than it needs to.

2. Decreasing Efficiency

To really get the most out of your HVAC system, you want it to run as efficiently as possible. With clogged air filters, that is not going to happen. While struggling to push air through your home, the system is going to work too hard. As the system works hard to get your home the air you demand, you’re not going to get that strong airflow you’re used to. Energy bills will continue to rise as this happens, so you’re going to get a lot less comfortable air for the amount of money you pay each month.

3. Worsening Air Quality

A full filter will not get rid of all the allergens in your air. Instead, anything that has been collected in the filter is going to be recirculated into your home. The air quality will then become worsened, often becoming more polluted than the air outside. If anyone in your family already has a health condition affected by air quality, those conditions could become worse. Those who do not have current conditions could end up suffering from asthma and other similar diseases. Your pets can be affected as well, and they’ll have no way to tell you they’re experiencing symptoms.

4. Growing Mold and Mildew

When the air filter is clogged or blocked, the evaporator coil could end up covered in dirt. This often results in the area growing mold, mildew, and other types of bacteria. Microorganisms are then able to multiply, causing your home to become a petri dish for dangerous mold and disease-causing bacteria.

5. Failing an Entire System

Whether as a result of all the dirty air filter symptoms previously mentioned, or even just one or two, your entire HVAC system could fail when something as simple as changing the filter is ignored. Air filters cost mere dollars, but replacing an entire system is going to cost you up into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Regular filter replacement could prevent this issue in its entirety.

Contact Us to Order Air Filters Today

You can see the damage that dirty air filters can cause. Although you’re no HVAC repairman, you can still change the filters regularly to ensure your system is in as good of shape as possible. Contact Crockett Filter Club today at 844-401-4604, and let’s discuss the type of system you have and how often you should change the filters for optimum results.

Featured Image: Noel V. Baebler/Shutterstock

What Type of Air Filter Do I Need to Order?

Posted on January 4, 2021 by - Blog, Filters

What Type of Air Filter Do I Need to Order?

When you set out to purchase air filters for your home HVAC system, you’ll realize there are a lot of air filter types out there. With different levels of quality and filtration, it could get confusing knowing which to choose. At Crockett Filter Club, we’ve done all the research for you, making it easy to get the high-quality filters you need, right when you need them.

Understanding a MERV Rating As you consider different types of air filters, you’ll notice they have something called a MERV rating. “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value” is the technical term, but it basically refers to how effective the air filter is. These ratings begin at one and go through 16. The higher the rating, the better it is at preventing contaminants from passing through it. Most of the filters made for homes will rate between 7 and 12, while hospitals and other sanitary settings will have filters with a 13 to 16 MERV rating.

Considering Three Grades

Crockett Filter Club only offers the best types of air filters for your home. All homes are full of dust, bacteria, pollen, mold, and other allergens. Even if you clean on a regular basis, there are contaminants floating around that come in on your pets, your food, visitors’ feet, and just through the air. Depending on the severity of health issues and allergies the people of your household have, there’s a filter that can help. Our three grades are:

  • Good – Our good filters have a MERV 8 rating. They filter out dust, pollen, mold, dust mites, and pet dander. If you have a rental, our good filters are of perfect quality. They’re also effective for families with common allergies and one or two non-shedding pets.
  • Better – Our better filters have a MERV 11 rating. They filter everything the good filters do, in addition to more severe allergens. If you have multiple pets or more serious allergies, these filters will work just fine.
  • Best – Our best filters have a MERV 13 rating. They filter everything our better filters do, with the addition of smoke, smog, and cooking oil smoke. Some of the microscopic filters that unknowingly affect allergy sufferers or those with respiratory problems are also filtered out. If someone who lives in your home has asthma or severe allergies or smokes in the home, these filters would be most effective.

Keep in mind, the better the grade, the denser the filter, and the less airflow it will allow. Because of this, the best grade will need to be changed more frequently than the better, and the better more frequently than the good.

Choosing a Delivery Frequency

After you know the grade you’re going with, you’ll need to determine the frequency at which to have your filters delivered. Crockett Filter Club delivers once per month, once every other month, or once every three months. Your schedule will depend on a few things:

  • How many people are living in your home? The more people, the more dust and debris that will be created and sent through the filters. You might need more frequent delivery.
  • How good are you at remembering to change the filters? If you have three filters delivered every three months, you can change them each month if you remember. If you don’t have a good memory or haven’t put changing filters at the top of your maintenance list, it might be a good reminder to have the filters delivered each month.
  • What additional contaminants are in your home? If you have multiple pets and someone who smokes lives in the home, you’d probably go with the best filters, but you should also have them delivered more frequently because of their dense makeup. Any additional contaminants you add mean added frequency.

Getting Your Order Placed

Once you know which air filter types you want and how often you want them delivered, it’ll be time to place your order. Contact Crockett Filter Club today to start giving your home the love it needs with our convenient air filter subscription service.

Image Credit: Serenethos/Shutterstock

What MERV Filter Should I Use?

Posted on September 14, 2020 by - Filters

What MERV Filter Should I Use?

Using the right filter could be the difference between a healthy family and one that experiences health issues. While there are a lot of filters on the market, and a lot of factors to take into consideration, one thing you need to look at is the MERV rating. These ratings range from good to better to best, but how do you know which is right for your home and family? The following are some things to consider.

The 3 Common MERV Filters

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. There are ratings ranging from 1 to 20, but the most commonly used filters in residences are 8, 11, and 13. By the MERV rating, you can understand how well each particular filter does at keeping contaminants out of your home. The greater the number, the better job it does, and need varies from home to home. For one family, an 8 might do the job just fine, while another might require a 13 because of their specific circumstances.

How Pressure Drop Relates to Filters

Anything that gets between your vents and your HVAC system is going to cause air resistance. While you need those filters, they are one of the causes of air resistance. This is called pressure drop. As you look at different filters, you want one with a lower pressure drop, but not so low that it won’t work efficiently. A good filter with a higher MERV rating is going to cause pressure drop, so don’t shy away just because it’s slightly higher.

A MERV 8 Rating is Basic

If you live in an area that has relatively low air pollution, you keep your home clean, and you don’t have any pets or allergies, a MERV 8 rating might be just right for your air filter. This rating will keep bacteria, dust, dust mites, mold, and pollen out of your air. Because the filter isn’t as tight, the pressure drop will generally be pretty low. MERV 8 filters would be classified as a “good” option for your home.

A MERV 11 Rating is More Significant

Going up a level to a MERV 11 rating, you’re going to filter out everything the 8 filters, in addition to the pet dander floating around your home. If you’ve got pets or mild allergies, this could be the right filter for you. The pressure drop is slightly higher, but that’s to be expected considering it filters more, and it’s still not high enough to be a concern. MERV 11 filters would be considered a “better” option when it comes to complete filtration for your home.

A MERV 13 Rating is Top Quality

A MERV 13 filter will rid your home of everything the 11 filters, but also gets rid of smoke, smog, cooking oils, and virus carriers, making this a top-quality filter. If you live in an area with a high level of air pollution, you’d want to use a filter with a MERV 13 rating. It’s also an acceptable option for families with multiple pets or individuals who have severe allergies. You’ll see a higher pressure drop with a MERV 13 filter, but again, it’s nothing to be concerned about. You might consider a filter with a MERV 13 rating your “best” option.

What Will You Choose?

As you can see, there are many factors at play when you’re choosing a filter for your HVAC system. Take some time to consider your specific circumstances and call Crockett Filter Club at 844-401-4604 with any questions.

Image Credit: Serenethos/Shutterstock