Just heard my landlord's HVAC guy say something wild about AC filters

I was home for a cleaning job yesterday and the HVAC repair guy was talking to my landlord about their building's system. He said swapping out a basic MERV 8 filter every 3 months can cut your AC's energy use by up to 15%. That really stuck with me because I always thought the expensive pleated ones were better, but apparently they restrict airflow too much for most home units. For my own tiny apartment, that means I could save like $40 a year on electricity just by using the cheap filters more often. Has anyone else looked into which filter ratings actually help reduce power bills without killing your AC?

2 comments

2 Comments

knight.dylan6d ago

Went down a rabbit hole on this after my buddy's AC unit froze up last summer. Turns out those high MERV ratings like 11 or 13 are actually designed for hospitals and industrial spaces, not your typical home system. The static pressure they create can make your blower motor work way harder and actually burn it out faster. I switched to a MERV 7 and change it every 60 days during summer, my electric bill dropped about 10 bucks a month and the airflow feels way stronger now.

henryp406d ago

Doesn't a MERV 7 let way more dust and pollen through though? I'd rather change my filter monthly than breathe in all that extra junk, especially with my kid's allergies acting up. I've run MERV 11 for years and never had any blower issues, maybe the real problem is people forgetting to swap them out on time.