These days, many air filter buyers are transfixed on the sticker price of an air filter. Typically, people come up with an order with a list of filters based on size, MERV rating, and filter type, and then ask the seller for a quote. The property or facility manager will most often make a decision based on price alone. But this can be a wrongheaded approach because there is so much more to an air filter than price. For example, a more expensive, high-quality filter could significantly outperform a cheap filter and can actually save you money after just one year of use. In this article, we explain why being too thrifty on the initial unit cost of an air filter may lead to poor air quality, higher equipment costs, higher labour costs, and higher energy bills.
Understanding the True Cost of Air Filters: Beyond Sticker Price
You might see a sign in an automotive repair shop with a sign that states, “We offer three kinds of service: good, cheap, and fast. You can only pick two.” You can have excellent service, and it will be cheap, but it won’t be fast. Or you can have excellent service, and it’ll be fast, but it won’t be cheap. The last option, of course, is to have fast service, and it will be cheap, but it’s not going to be very good. It’s best to avoid driving a car where corners were cut in service to get a lower repair bill. This also holds true in air filter purchases. Keep in mind 3 things about air filter performance: 1. proper research and development greatly affects performance, 2. high-quality filter media makes a big difference, and 3. an air filter with a low sticker price most often means you will get poorer performance.
Air Filter Quality, Longevity, and Cost
In that same way of thinking as the iron triangle in project management, putting a spin on it as it relates to air filter purchases, there are three options when it comes to picking a filter from any air filter company: you can have the lowest sticker price, the longest life, or sustained air quality and efficiency.This is due to the higher costs of R&D and high-quality media in the highest-quality air filters.High-quality air filters that deliver longer life while saving energy and sustained air quality do not have a low initial sticker price.
Air filter expert Jon Holmes says, “I, too, want to get the best bang for my buck when I’m making purchases. I totally understand why people want to get the best price they possibly can. But if they only knew the other 80% that goes into the total cost of running an air filter, they would reconsider that focus on only price. Let’s say you want the lowest unit price as your number one goal, but you also want the longest life. In that case, you’re not going to get sustained air quality.” He illustrates further by saying, “If you use a screen door instead of an air filter, you get a very low price and very long life, but you wouldn’t get any protection from contaminants aside from protection from mosquitos.” Cheap air filters provide very little protection for people and HVAC equipment.
The Long-Term Benefits of Investing in High-Quality Air Filters
When buying the cheapest filter, you may feel good about getting an “outstanding deal” on the initial cost, but you will need to change it more often. With cheaper filters, labour costs are high because of the need for frequent changeouts, and costs for transportation are higher, along with other hidden costs such as higher energy bills.
The real reason you can’t get a low unit price is because it takes a lot of research and development and sophisticated manufacturing to come up with the longest filter life with good air quality. The good news is that if you look at all of these metrics over time, by spending more on the initial cost for high-quality filters, you will have the lowest total cost, but you won’t have the lowest sticker price.
A typical pleated filter used in condos, hotels, and schools with rooftop units is usually changed every three months. However, replacing a cheaper option with a high-quality filter that lasts four times longer, even at four times the cost of a cheaper filter, may cost you no more money throughout the year. You may actually save money. You will benefit from better air quality, better health for building occupants, and better protection of equipment, along with a 75% labour cost reduction, 75% less landfill waste, and 75% fewer purchase orders needing to be cut because you only have to buy one filter per installation instead of four.
The Importance of MERV Ratings: How MERV A Can Transform Your Air Quality
For example, Camfil’s Dual 9 is a MERV 9-A. Think of MERV as best case; MERV A as worst case filtration level ratings. The stated efficiency may be MERV 8 or 13, but unless there is an “A” next to the spec, there’s no guarantee that the filter will maintain its efficiency, which in turn means air quality may not be sustained. If you are concerned with sustained air quality from any brand, look for the MERV A rating; it’s crucial.
Most people are surprised to learn that their MERV 13 could be no better than a MERV 8 unless it has that MERV-A rating, regardless of which company you buy it from. At the same time, others may not be too concerned with protection levels because they feel that it’s not necessary as a heavy industrial facility or a manufacturer of large equipment. They simply want to meet a spec and put a filter in there. For example, a property or facility manager of a residential building, school, or healthcare facility may have higher standards when purchasing filters, while a facility manager of a large equipment manager may not have such high standards.
Rethinking Air Filters: From Commodities to Essential Components for Health
The buying public should reconsider the importance of air filters. Often, air filters are treated as a commodity, except during events like forest fires or pandemics. It’s only during these times that people realize that air filters are crucial for the well-being of their living or working spaces. It’s essential to reassess the significance of air filters and consider them as vital components. This doesn’t necessarily mean everyone needs to install HEPA filters, but it’s essential to reevaluate the importance of air filters.
In Canada, we don’t have control over the air we breathe outside, but indoors, where we spend 90% of our time, we have the ability to greatly improve the air quality of our residential or commercial buildings.
Enhancing Indoor Air Quality: The Role of High-Quality Filtration Systems
With a high-quality air filtration system, adequate air exchanges per hour, and proper ventilation, high-quality indoor air quality is achievable. With a cheap filter rated at MERV 13, the only box you are ticking is the lowest sticker price. You may not be getting good air quality or long filter life. A budget MERV 13 inevitably provides a lower level of protection. Upgrading to a longer-lasting, true MERV 13 (MERV 13-A) or a MERV 14-A costs more upfront but achieves better air quality and longer filter life. It’s designed to maintain its air quality at a very low air resistance to airflow, which means it’s going to last a lot longer.
Using a high-quality air filter also better protects your HVAC system equipment because it filters air at a lower resistance and prevents dust and debris buildup in the air handling unit.
MERV 13-A: Setting the Standard for Air Quality in Healthcare and Beyond
To evaluate any clean air solutions from any provider, it is important to reevaluate your priorities. Know that air filters are not necessarily a commodity. They are the most important protector of indoor air quality when it comes to separating us from polluted outdoor air.
Balancing Energy Efficiency and Air Quality: A Crucial Decision for Building Managers
It is crucial to find the right balance between the total cost of ownership of your filters and filter performance. In the air filtration industry, there has been a longstanding debate since the 1970s about saving energy versus ensuring that a building is tightly sealed to minimize the heating and cooling of outdoor air. While saving energy is important, there is a trade-off when it comes to air quality. Conversely, if you aim to bring in as much outdoor air as possible during a pandemic, your energy bills will likely increase significantly.
In conclusion, while the initial sticker price of air filters may tempt buyers to opt for cheaper options, this approach can lead to greater long-term costs and compromised air quality. High-quality filters, though more expensive upfront, deliver superior performance, longer lifespan, and significant savings on maintenance and energy bills. Investing in filters with reliable MERV ratings, particularly MERV-A, ensures sustained air quality and better protection for both occupants and HVAC systems. Ultimately, rethinking air filters as essential components for health and air filtration equipment rather than mere commodities is crucial for enhancing indoor air quality and safeguarding well-being, especially in spaces where we spend the majority of our time.
To find out more about how to choose the right air filter, or get a complimentary IAQ and air filtration site survey, please use this contact form.
About Camfil Canada Clean Air Solutions
For more than 60 years, Camfil has been helping people breathe cleaner air. As a leading manufacturer of premium clean air solutions, we provide commercial and industrial systems for air filtration and air pollution control that improve worker and equipment productivity, minimize energy use, and benefit human health and the environment. Read more about Camfil Canada
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Media Contact:
Phillip Ilijevski
Camfil Canada Inc.
T: 437-929-1161