Can a 5-inch Filter Improve Your Home Air Quality?

When it comes to air filtration, there is no difference between a 1-inch and 5-inch filter with the same MERV rating when it comes to the size of the particles they filter. However, there is a difference in static pressure between the two. The 5-inch filter has more physical holes for air to pass through, making it easier for air to flow through. This means that larger filters will make the system less restrictive and will put less strain on the fan motor, thus extending the life of the equipment. Virtually any HVAC professional will tell you that thicker filters work better than common 1-inch oven filters.

Thicker filters, known as multimedia filters, are usually 4 to 5 inches thick compared to the ubiquitous 1-inch filters that can even be purchased at grocery stores. The longest measurement of the five-inch filter is one inch. It's hard to be sure about the photo, but you can get him to agree. Replacing the standard one-inch air filter with a 5-inch pleated filter can improve the air quality inside your home. This is because larger air filters have higher MERV ratings, leading to better filtration of contaminants and allergens.

Thicker oven filters, known as media filters, almost always work better than cheaper one-inch filters. This is where having the guidance of a professional can really help ensure that your filter fits your oven properly. When installing an oven, it is important to call the oven installer and ask what size, type and specifications of filter fits the grill you installed. The first thing I always check is the oven filter, because a clogged one-inch filter gets dirty very easily. But have you ever thought about switching to a larger air filter, such as a thicker 5-inch oven filter? After all, most homes have central HVAC systems that can accommodate oversized air filters.

I would prefer a reusable filter, but I'm not sure where to find one with the same MERV rating, plus I'm not entirely sure that washing it would properly clean the filter. The nominal size of an oven filter is a rounded number that is best suited for commercializing standard filters. If you put several 1-inch filters together, it's similar to putting together 5 coffee filters and trying to make a cup of coffee - it just doesn't work. Now that you know the real answer to the question: “Does the size of the oven filter matter?” , it is important to talk about the standard sizes of oven filters in terms of nominal and actual size. In addition to improved air quality, switching from a 1-inch filter to a 5-inch oven filter may also extend the life of your HVAC system. The purpose of a good filter cabinet like that is to have a perfect fit so that very little air bypasses the filter; otherwise you could also put a cheap filter in there.

These media filters have much stiffer cardboard frames, and some media filters even have plastic “rails” on the top and bottom so you can slide them inside the oven with a very tight seal. I repaired a fan whose owners thought if one filter was good, two would be better and bought some very expensive HEPA filters, which caused the fan motor to run very hot and burned out the grease on its bearings in just a few years. My house had a Lennox G60UH (X) natural gas and forced air oven and had a filter box with capacity for 5 filters, specifically this type of filter - type X6670.

Ben Depauw
Ben Depauw

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