We all know that air filters keep our heating and air conditioning units in our homes working efficiently. The purpose of furnace filters are to catch and trap particles like dust, pollen, and pet dander that can circulate throughout your home. Choosing the best air filter for your home is important, but can also be confusing because of the different varieties that are on the market. If we want to keep the air in our homes clean and healthy as possible, we have to be diligent in keeping a clean air filter. Keep in mind, not all air filters offer the same performance.
Wondering which furnace filter you should use? Let’s take a moment and compare a washable air filter and a disposable air filter.
Performance
Washable air filters can effectively catch larger particles like dust and soot. If you have a pet, the pet dander is too small to be caught in this type of filter. Even bacteria, viruses and smoke are not effectively filtered out by a washable air filter. Washable or electrostatic air filters are usually only available in lower MERV ratings.
Disposable air filters are more effective in capturing small particles like dust, allergens, pet dander, smoke, bacteria, and viruses. Disposable air filters are also available in MERV ratings as high as MERV 16.
Maintenance
Washable air filters require you to maintain them monthly. Once you have washed off all of the dust, you must make sure that it thoroughly dries before placing back in your unit. If installed when it’s damp or wet, you are inviting bacteria and fungus to form, and then circulating it throughout your home.
Disposable air filters simply require you removing the old one, tossing it in the garbage, and replacing with a new one every 1-3 months. Disposable air filters take less time and less effort when it comes to maintenance.
Cost
Washable air filters are costly and most are designed to last several years.
Disposable air filters are reasonably inexpensive.
If you would like to learn more about these two types of air filters, or need help determining if you are using the right AC filter, please visit www.filtersfast.com.
Katie says
Candis,
You are very welcome. Thank you for supporting those in need by making face masks! That’s so great!
Candis says
Katie, Thank you for your educational tutorial. I make many face masks for those in need, special requests well as designer custom made hand made. I research for the safest, high quality and economical
material I can get. Thank you, Candis
Katie says
Gail,
Thank you for reaching out to us. You may be able to use a disposable filter. Please remove the collector cell, and measure the space available for a disposable filter. As an alternative, you may reach out to the system manufacturer for a recommendation.
Gail says
I am buying a home with Hvac air and heat system(Phoenix, AZ) and has an electrostatic filter. Can I use a disposable filter instead?
Katie says
Hi Thomas,
Thank you for reaching out to us. We would advise against using both at the same time. We believe that may cause too much airflow restriction.
Thomas Keeley says
Hi The previous owner installed a bracket for a washable filter below the housing of the disposal filter. My question is: Can I use BOTH?
Jeremy says
Hi John , how do you clean them?
Bruce Troxell says
I cannot use the dispposable air/furnace filter. The air flow is so strong the filter collapses and I have to dig it out in pieces. It literalls falls apart therefore I MUST use a washable air filter.
Kory says
Hello,
Yes, you can switch to disposable filters – that shouldn’t be a problem!
Brian says
My furnace currently uses the cleanable filters, is it possile to switch to disposable?
Kory says
Hello John,
Those filters are not recommended to be cleaned. We offer our own brand of Filters Fast filters that are replaceable and are cost efficient! Please check out our website, type in the dimensions that you need into our search bar and all of your options will be shown!
John Hale says
I have a HVAC system in my shop in which I do a lot grinding of metal parts. What type of air filter should I be using for this situation?
John says
I have a non washable replacable Merv 11 filter for my furnace which I clean a couple times before replacing. Call me cheap! but I save money and it works for me, at 35 bucks a filter its pretty expensive filter.I just wonder if anyoen tried cleaning these filters?
Adam says
I love my washable filter. Merv 8 and less restrictive than than pleated ones. Can feel the difference in air flow coming out of the registers. I have a yellow lab that sheds like crazy so disposable filters don’t last long. Will pay for itself quickly.
Dan S. says
Have used dispossible air filters merve 8 & 11 for years and the 8 work fine but more dust but the merve 11 are better but the cost is a little high when you have multiple filters to replace every 3 mo.
kenneth kouba says
right know I have a air filter on my furnace that I plug in a cord. it is supposed to collect more dirt. I replace it every 4 months.
J Conrad says
Replaced my permanent washable filter with made to order (because of odd size) filters from Fast Filters. I’m so glad I did! I now have a lot less dust in my house! I order 6 at a time plus my fridge water filter and don’t have to pay shipping!! Wished I had done it a long time ago. I called and talked to someone before ordering and got all the help I needed.
Kory says
Hi Shelley, in most cases the highest you would want to go with MERV Ratings is 13 (most households can’t support a MERV Rating higher than this. A MERV 11 is generally recommended for most uses. To know for sure which MERV Rating is best for you, it is best to contact the manufacturer of the AC unit for the most accurate answer. Here is a blog that can be of great help to you: http://www.filtersfast.com/blog/index.php/2013/07/difference-between-merv-ratings/
shelley says
How can you find out what the MERV rating should be for your AC unit?
Leland Somers says
I bought high priced washable filters. What a waste of money that was. Filter nearly nothing. How can you tell? When you wash them, nothing comes off in the water. They only thing these things caught was my dollars. Might as well have flushed them down the drain – the dollars that is.
Linda says
I used MERV 8 disposable filters for years and was happy with the air quality of my home but I was lured by advertising to spend big bucks for a washable filter. I assumed the high price tag meant better filtering. It is much heavier and was a pain to try to take out, clean and reinstall. But the real eye opener for me was the hugely increased need to dust and vacuum. I could see dust in just two days after each cleaning. If I could see dust, what was I breathing?? I am back to disposable filters and breathing easier again. Lesson learned.
Drew says
I wasn’t even aware that washable filters existed. I find that replacing my filter once a month works best for me. Thanks for sharing!
brian oconnor says
I have gotten to the point of shooting my refrigerator just about to get that damn little filter light to go off !I just happen to see you page and followed the direction and it worked you saved my frigs life thanks VERY much..