Media air filters are an option in for furnace filtration, but most consumers do not know about them. The majority of purchasers of the media air filter are commercial HVAC businesses, who get a great deal of use out of their media filters.
Harder to find than other types of furnace filters, the media air filters are often sold exclusively to licensed professionals in the HVAC business. However, consumers can purchase them online, from some suppliers.
The standard single-layer pleated furnace filter uses a material that cannot hold as much dust as the media air filter. Also, the pleated filter is easily clogged, with just the one layer, while the media filter has more than one layer to finely filter out passing particles.
In pleated furnace filters, the drag caused by blockage slows down the air flow, decreasing the capacity of the heater, while the media filters last longer, due to their increased capacity to filter and store dust.
Precut media filter pads are available, as are giant rolls of the material, which can be cut to size. These filters are less pricey and are easier to use than electrostatic filters, the ever popular choice. This is because electrostatic filters require rinsing every few months. Media air filters can just be pulled out and replaced with a new pad, when the first gets too dirty.
Media filters may be the most effective option for the smallest prices available in furnace filters. Only 10-15% of consumers purchase this type of pad, most likely because most people are not aware they exist. But, as awareness increases, so will sales of this effective and affordable furnace filter.
