When it comes to your home, are you using the right AC furnace air filter? Different particles in the air, such as pet dander, can reduce your indoor air quality, or IAQ. Something as simple as changing to a different air filter can greatly increase your air quality and help reduce allergies in the home.
First, what is the difference between a furnace filter and an air conditioner filter?
The terms are actually interchangeable, and generally each term is used based on the part of the country in which you live. Northerners, who may not have an air conditioner (or use it minimally), usually know them as “furnace filters.” Southerners are more familiar with the term “AC filter” or simply “air filter.” You will often see companies refer to them as both for clarity, and to ensure contact with all customers.
Why get an air filter built for filtering out pet dander?
We love our dogs and cats, indeed, but what about our friends with allergies — we want to be able to welcome them into our homes! Pet dander floats all through the air, so the right kind of air filter can help reduce the amount of pet dander throughout your home.
MERV rating for pet dander:
When considering an air filter to help control pet dander, look at something called a MERV rating. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. MERV ratings measure the quality of an air filter. The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the air filter is at capturing small particles. Determining the right amount of filtration for your unique environment is key. An air filter that has a low MERV rating may not filter out as much debris, dust, or pet dander that you need. Conversely, an air filter with too high of a MERV rating will not allow enough airflow through your unit. This not only puts undue pressure on the unit, you may notice you are running up your electricity bill!
The best kind of filter for pet owners:
To better control pet dander, use an air filter with a MERV rating on the higher end. Because pet dander particles can be so small, we recommend an air filter with a MERV rating of 12, which will properly capture pet dander as well as hair and fur particles. At Nordic Pure, we offer a variety of different air filter sizes, including those good for pet dander.
To maximize your odor issues, consider a carbon air filter rather than just a standard pleated filter. While a pleated filter does catch pet dander and hair particles, carbon air filters help neutralize and eliminate odor, and are popular with pet owners for this reason. At Nordic Pure, we offer MERV 12 pleated + Carbon air filters perfect for your pet friendly home.
Finding the right air filter for your home can be tricky. Understanding your family’s specific needs when it comes to air filtration is the best way to figure out which air filter to use in your unique home environment. MERV ratings make it a little easier to determine what kind of air filter you need, especially if you have allergy sufferers or pets in the home. Don’t wait, let us help you find the right air filters for your home at Nordic Pure.
