Facility managers and building operators know the frustration of “filter flips” — the frequent and costly task of changing out underperforming air filters. “Bargain filters” not only consume maintenance staff time but also can drive up energy costs and hasten the deterioration of HVAC hardware.
High-performance air filters address this challenge by going beyond simply capturing more contaminants to improving energy efficiency and lowering overall expenditures. Their unique engineering helps facilities cut operating costs by extending filter life and reducing energy consumption when used with variable frequency drive-controlled fans. The burden of high maintenance is reduced while achieving much better indoor air quality.
In this article, we will have real-world insights from Camfil air quality specialist Richard Merinsky, situated in the Greater Vancouver Area, explaining how advanced filter design translates directly into time, money, and energy savings.
Run-of-the-Mill vs. Premium Air Filters: How to Reduce Filter Flips
One of the most common questions facility managers ask is: “How can I reduce the amount of filter flips?”
Merinsky explains the problem with standard filters:
“The problem is that run-of-the-mill pleated prefilters have a V-style design and, as a result, can cause the media to touch at the bottom of the pleat, thereby blinding or bunching up. This impedes some of the airflow and limits how many particles are captured. This reduces filter life and increases pressure drop.. The best design is a “U-shaped” design with more media available within the same filter footprint to capture more particles. The overall area of media being used is greater, which is the biggest difference maker with rounded pleats. It allows the particulate to build up evenly across the pleats.”
What does it mean for customers choosing between a typical filter and a premium filter?
It means longer filter life, fewer costly “flips,” reduced labour needs, and filters that deliver consistent performance over a longer period.
Merinsky notes, “if your filters are lasting longer, that’s less time that building operators need to spend flipping filters. That’s time that can be allocated to other, more pressing areas of business operations.”
The Benefits of a Bag Filter and Single-Stage Filtration
Why use a bag filter instead of a pleated panel filter?
Suppose you have space within your air filtration system hardware to be able to use a bag filter such as the Hi-Flo ES. In that case, you can switch to a single-stage filtration system with significantly lower average pressure drop compared to a pleated filter. Merinsky states, “Your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard, and you’re also saving the cost of the pleated filters that would need to go in front of the final filter in a multi-stage system, and a premium bag filter is going to last a lot longer between changes.”
Longevity in Action
In cleaner air environments, such as high-rise offices, premium filters operate at peak efficiency for far longer, delivering unmatched lifecycle value. Merinsky adds,” Our guarantee on the Hi-Flo ES is 12 months. I’m very confident in suggesting to my customers that it could last two years in many applications, and there are some applications where these Hi-Flo ES bags could last longer than that.”
More Than Just Clean Air: The Financial and Operational Benefits of High-quality Filters
Merinsky says that the financial and operational benefits of high-quality air filters can be summed up in what he calls the triple advantage—saving energy, saving money, and saving time.
Saving Energy
As much as 40-60% of a building’s energy consumption comes from its HVAC system. As your filters start to fill up, the fans have to work harder, and this draws more energy. By having a high-capacity filter that can hold more dust before airflow becomes restricted, it can save on energy costs.
Merinsky states, “TheCity of Vancouver is going to be instituting mandatory reporting on energy consumption and reducing carbon footprints for buildings. Simply changing the type of filter you use makes a necessary purchase worthwhile and provides the added benefit of demonstrably reducing your energy use. That is going to be a benefit to building operators at the end of the day.”
Saving time and money
Beyond energy, the extended life of premium filters provides financial relief.
Instead of having to change out a filter every three months, it can be extended to every six months, depending on the size of the building. According to Merinsky, it can take anywhere from a day to three days to change out all the filters in a building. Almost two weeks’ worth of labour can be reallocated to client demands, tenant requests, or other pressing maintenance tasks in a year. Merinsky states,“If the filters are allowing more air through for longer at a lower overall pressure drop, that also means less wear and tear on the hardware components of the HVAC system, so there’s less time where they have to be in there making repairs to the hardware or constantly checking the hardware.”
Maintenance teams can reallocate labour to higher-value projects, creating a more efficient and responsive operation with less disruption.
The Advantage: Improving IAQ With Expertise
Beyond cost reduction, the hidden value of premium filters is in indoor air quality (IAQ). Better filtration means healthier building occupants, fewer allergens and contaminants circulating in the building, and more consistent comfort for office and residential building tenants and visitors.
But how can facility managers be sure they’re getting the best results? Merinsky details the importance of a site survey:
“When looking to make the switch to bag filters, oftentimes, particularly in newer builds and larger buildings, you may notice there is an ample amount of space in an air handling unit to install bag filters instead of pleated filters. That’s going to take you from having to change your filters four times a year, or more, to only once a year, if not even fewer changes. Switching to a higher capacity pleated filter can lead to thousands of dollars in savings just by not having to change filters as often.”
Better filters don’t just save money—they create cleaner air, better air circulation, and optimal airflow.
Camfil’s premium filters represent more than just an alternative to frequent “filter flips.” They’re a strategic investment in building efficiency that saves energy, reduces costs, cuts downtime, and greatly improves IAQ.
As Merinsky demonstrated through real-world examples, clean air solutions don’t require a major capital spend; just a shift to higher-performing filters and taking advantage of a professional, complimentary site survey.
If you’re a facility manager seeking less stress, lower bills, and happier building occupants, a strategic approach to filtration could be your biggest hidden opportunity.
How to Get Expert Air Filtration Help Locally
Canadian commercial and industrial operations often require unique air filtration solutions. Staying informed about the numerous regulations and standards is a challenging task. Fortunately, Camfil has air filtration experts who can help you with compliance. Camfil also has expertise in addressing regional challenges and operational needs. Whether you seek to control harmful contaminants or improve the IAQ in your workplace, Camfil can help. To find a local rep, use this contact form, and someone will reach out to you. Contact form
Where Can I Buy Camfil Air Filters in Canada?
Camfil air filters are available directly or through authorized distributors across Canada.
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 enhance worker and equipment productivity, reduce energy consumption, and benefit both human health and the environment.
Media Contact:
Phillip Ilijevski
Camfil Canada Inc.
T: 437-929-1161