Which air conditioner filter is best for my home?
For most homes, Rosie recommends a $4 to $5 pleated air filter, which should be replaced every month.
From worst to best:
Standard air filter. Made from spun fiberglass and mounted in a cardboard frame, the standard air filter costs less than $1 and is the most popular. Yet it’s the most inefficient, as it captures just 10 percent of the pollutants in your home’s air. Change them once a month.
Reusable filters. Washable plastic-framed electrostatic filters and “monofilament” cloth filters trap up to 90 percent of the tiniest bits of dust and dander. An electrostatic filter electronically charges the dirt, dust, lint and pet dander in your air so they stick to it. Instead of replacing it once a month, though, you’ll have to clean it every week. If you don’t have the discipline to do that, do not purchase this filter, which costs from $30 to around $100. These durable filters are so thick that they don’t allow the air to flow through them freely, especially if you don’t clean them every week. That makes your air conditioner work harder, and can shorten its life.
Pleated filter. Also mounted in a cardboard frame, the pleats in this filter increases its surface area, which is a good thing. The larger the filter area, the more filtering that occurs. They cost $4 - $5 and can catch up to 60 percent of the polluted particles in your indoor air. Change them once a month, even if they don’t look dirty, and even if the manufacturer’s instructions say it’s OK to go two or three months between changes. Arizona’s air is so dusty that it’s critical to replace air conditioning filters monthly.
Electronic air filter: This filter is an attachment to your existing air conditioning unit, and must be installed by a professional. It electronically zaps the dust particles as they pass through, much like those electric bug zappers that many homeowners use on their patios back East. This filter requires regular cleaning and periodic maintenance by an authorized air conditioning technician. This high-tech filter can cost anywhere from $1,000 if you’re installing it with a new air conditioning system, to up to $2,500 if you’re adding it to an existing system. Families with allergies often opt for this kind of filter because it can trap up to 95 percent of indoor pollutants.
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