If you’re on a tight budget yet would like to do something to help improve the overall air quality in your home, installing a media cabinet might be an option for you to consider. A media cabinet attaches to your furnace, and allows you to use the efficient 4” thick filters (either 20” by 16” or 25” by 16”) that will help remove more airborne particles, such as dust, pet dander, and even viruses and other germs than the typical furnace filter. These 4” thick filters are pleated, so they are able to trap more particles than a standard 1“ thick furnace filter, while still allowing proper air flow to your system.
Naturally, the 4” filters are more expensive to replace than the ordinary 1” filters that most homes use, but the benefit is that you will probably be able to go several months before a filter change is warranted (the manufacturers even say up to a year). It’s a lot cheaper and less hassle if you have the media cabinet installed at the same time you install a new furnace, so it’s certainly a worthwhile investment to consider if you’re already planning to replace your current furnace.
Once you have your media cabinet in place, you can choose from a number of brands of 4” filters to use with a range of MERV values. Many of these filters have a MERV value up to 12 that can help significantly reduce airborne particles over the standard 1” filters (with a MERV value up to around 8). Adding a media cabinet to hold a 4” thick filter (and remembering to change it regularly!) might be all you need to provide some relief to your family members with seasonal allergies or other sensitivity to airborne particles.
You can fill out the form on the right, or call Star Heating and Cooling at 317-753-0279 if you’d like more information about what a media cabinet can do to help improve air quality in your home.