Okay up until a few years ago I went in the hardware store once a year and bought a case of twelve decent filters for less than forty bucks so I would be all ready to change them once a month. Now if I can find my common size (16 x 25 x 1) Ace only has singles for $7 a piece, and nobody else seems to be a lot better. WTH?

Have you tried online?


://filterbuy.com/air-filters/16x25x1/?nbt=nb:adwords:g:6465445420:143462395821:650008360729&nb_adtype=&nb

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:

Okay up until a few years ago I went in the hardware store once a year and bought a case of twelve decent filters for less than forty bucks so I would be all ready to change them once a month. Now if I can find my common size (16 x 25 x 1) Ace only has singles for $7 a piece, and nobody else seems to be a lot better. WTH?

Everything costs more, but these are not terrible:

https://www.amazon.com/16x25x1...f8-9767-857e17e03685

https://www.amazon.com/UBeesiz...s%2C173&sr=8-27&th=1

My local HVAC supply in Georgia would sell a case over the counter for cash at a price close to the best on line supply. No waiting for it to be shipped.

I buy mine online from Filters-Now


https://www.filters-now.com/redirect.php?from=/

I use FilterBuy. Ships for free and half the cost of the hardware or home supply stores.

I was having a furnace installed, and the furnace guy said to never get higher than a Merv 8. He said the others are too restrictive and can harm your system. He said if you want to filter your home's air, get a HEPA appliance to do it. Don't use the furnace.

I get my filters on Amazon. Way cheaper than locally.

The AprilAire ones our system uses were 2 for ~$50 just a few years ago. Now they're 2 for ~$100. It's crazy.

I have been ordering online from various places. I’m still really irked that prices have doubled in such a short period of time.

combo heat/air conditioning:

i bought infinitely adjustable, washable filters from home depot years ago!!!

quote:

Originally posted by MelissaDallas:
Ace only has singles for $7 a piece

That's what I use, the MERV 8 house brand ones from Ace at $6.50/each. Less expensive and better quality than any other filters available locally. But I don't change mine monthly. The Ace ones are rated for 90 days, and I change mine every 3 months. Even then, they look mostly like new. So ~$26/year isn't bad. (Actually less, since I tend to buy 4+ at a time when I have an Ace Rewards coupon available.)

YMMV, though. Factors in filter life include things like how hard your HVAC system is working, how many people and pets are in your house, how much dust/dander/pollen is around, how old your house is, how dirty your ducts are, etc. So not everyone can get by with just quarterly filter changes. I'm lucky in that I have a relatively new house that's very well sealed and energy-efficient, I have minimal carpet for trapping dust/dander, I vacuum regularly, and it's just me and my low-shed dog.

I always get mine at Lowes https://www.lowes.com/search?s...25x1%20air%20filters

quote:

That's what I use, the MERV 8 house brand ones from Ace at $6.50/each. Less expensive and better quality than any other filters available locally. But I don't change mine monthly. The Ace ones are rated for 90 days, and I change mine every 3 months. Even then, they look mostly like new. So ~$26/year isn't bad. (Actually less, since I tend to buy 4+ at a time when I have an Ace Rewards coupon available.)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The other professional offices in my complex changed the filters quarterly. Every one of them had a clogged drain pipe that flooded their offices. I continue to change mine monthly,water damage is expensive. Of course as Rogue says YMMV.

Picked up a 6 pack at Costco [Merv8] for a decent price. But they didn't have the 12x12 that the return in our master br takes.
We get 4-6 weeks out of the hall return & more like 8-10 in the master.

I can usually hear the change when I know it's time to change it.

I buy online and get a larger quantity for free shipping.

I bought from filters-now for years and the quality was always very good, but their prices went up and so did their shipping costs. Now, I buy off Amazon and as a back-up there is an Ace down the street (house brand is good).

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
YMMV, though. Factors in filter life include things like how hard your HVAC system is working, how many people and pets are in your house, how much dust/dander/pollen is around, how old your house is, how dirty your ducts are, etc. So not everyone can get by with just quarterly filter changes. I'm lucky in that I have a relatively new house that's very well sealed and energy-efficient, I have minimal carpet for trapping dust/dander, I vacuum regularly, and it's just me and my low-shed dog.

Whether you live in the North or South makes a huge difference. When I lived in the North (Upper Midwest, Alaska, and Canada) the cold air return was on the floor, and filters got dirty quickly. Living in the south, my air returns are in the ceiling (filter in the ceiling not at the unit in my attic) and get much less in the filter. My current house is the best yet as it has high ceilings and they look new after 90 days.

Yeah, I'm in the South, and mine are in the ceiling.

Thanks for the Reminder,Itstime to change ours.

I've used FilterBuy.com for the last 2+ years. Price is OK, free shipping and they come pretty fast. I use 16x30x2 Merv 11, seem to work well. Tech was just here working on the unit and commented that they were good filters.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
I was having a furnace installed, and the furnace guy said to never get higher than a Merv 8. He said the others are too restrictive and can harm your system. He said if you want to filter your home's air, get a HEPA appliance to do it. Don't use the furnace.

I get my filters on Amazon. Way cheaper than locally.

Has anyone ever seen a specific recommendation, backgrounded in actual experience or experimentation by a firm on this other than “a guy”??

I’m talking with modern equipment not a 30 YO blower and with higher MERV but not left in with accumulated crap stopping it up for 6-12 months.

It always seems like this is anecdotal. No disrespect to our own HVAC or filter folks of course.