Three Furnace Filter Facts for Your Ten-Minute Checkup

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1MERV is a real, standardized measurement

MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, measures how well a filter removes small particles; the higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles it can catch. ASHRAE Standard 62.2 and ENERGY STAR's program both require a minimum MERV rating of 8 for residential filtration.

2The filter box itself can be the limiting factor

Upgrading to a bigger, thicker, higher-MERV filter only works if the surrounding filter box and ductwork were sized for it; a box sized for a standard thin 1-inch spun-fiberglass filter can choke airflow when a much denser high-MERV filter is dropped into the same slot, degrading HVAC performance instead of improving it.

3A water softener is a real tradeoff, not a free upgrade

Water softening extends appliance life, prevents scale on fixtures, reduces water heater energy use and cuts the amount of cleaning product needed, but it also increases water use and discharges chloride from the regeneration salt into surface water, where it harms aquatic plants and animals.

4Newer softeners waste less than older ones

Older water softeners regenerate on a fixed timer regardless of whether the resin actually needs it, wasting salt and water on unnecessary cycles; most new units use demand-initiated regeneration, which recharges only when the softener has actually used up its capacity.

5The vent side isn't a small risk, it's a common one

US fire departments respond to an estimated average of about 15,970 home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines a year, causing roughly 13 civilian deaths and $238 million in property damage annually; the vast majority, 92 percent, involve the dryer specifically, and dust, fiber or lint is the single most common thing first ignited.

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