Do I Need Vent Filters in My Home?

Whether you’re living in a home with a HVAC central air system or just a window-mounted or portable unit, you know that changing out your filter periodically is important for the long-term efficacy of your unit. But If you’re running a system that’s reliant on ducts and vents, did you know that there are other ways to keep dirt and debris out of your home?

Vent filters have become increasingly popular over the past several years as a means to “double-down” on filtration and ensure that your home is dirt and allergen-free. Most vent filters are designed to be less effective than HVAC filters overall, but strong enough to block larger debris, prevent insects from crawling in and out of vents, and make it easy to recover small items dropped into a vent.

Do you, however, need a vent filter to reduce the amount of allergens in the air? What sort of effect does a vent filter have on an HVAC unit? This article takes a closer look into vent filters to share their main purposes and advantages to help you decide whether or not you need to install these in your system.

Vent Filters Explained

Vent filters are designed to be placed inside the grating of an air vent. Air vents are often soft pieces of foam, fiber, or fabric, and can either be stretched to fit an opening or cut to properly sit within a duct.

Vent filters differ from HVAC filters in that you’ll need far more than one to effectively filter your home. HVAC filters are placed just outside of a home central air system, so all of the circulating air in the home must pass through the filter before continuing through the system. Vent filters, however, offer a last-step filtration that takes already-treated air and gives it one final pass through the filtration material. You’ll need as many vent filters as you have vents unless you intend to install vent filters in rooms where air quality is more important, such as a bedroom or living room.

Vent filters are also far less effective overall. This is necessary, as air filters can put a significant strain on a central air system that’s attempting to cool (or heat) a home. While it’s acceptable for the HVAC filter to be somewhat more powerful, “plugging” vents with filters across a system has an exponentially more serious effect as a whole.

Much like with HVAC filters, vent filters will need to be replaced periodically. Vent filters can also be removed from a system to collect items that have fallen into the system through the vent itself, which can make them a lifesaver for lost items like rings and other small valuables.

Do I Really Need Vent Filters?

Whether or not you need vent filters will depend on what you desire. Vent filters rarely come with MERV ratings and are going to be less effective than your HVAC filters, so it’s a good idea to try adjusting your HVAC filter first before opting for more vent filters.

For example, if you feel as if the air quality in your home is lower than you’d like, consider the MERV rating on your HVAC filter as well as the type of filter you’re using. We recommend opting for a pleated electrostatic filter or one that can be replaced often so that allergens are consistently removed. We’ll be getting more into alternative ways to allergen-proof your home a little bit later on.

If you need vent filters for reasons other than pure air filtration, such as the ability to catch small objects or prevent insect migration, then we highly recommend considering a vent filter. Ductwork—especially older ductwork—can develop holes and breaks in the system that can allow for more debris to enter the system as well as provide an avenue for insects, vermin, and other such creatures to enter into the home from the outside.

Vent filters are also good for pet owners, who may have one or more pets spending their time near vents. Pet hair is often large enough for vent filters to sort out, which can be a lifesaver for those with allergies. Given these difference, we recommend approaching vent filters as just one of the many solutions available for homeowners to reduce the number of allergens in the home. Using air vents instead of proper maintenance habits, however, will never be worth it in the end.

That all being said, there is still quite the case to be made for air vent filters, and we can think of a few that we feel are worth your time and consideration. For example, Nordic Pure AC & Air Furnace Filters are designed to catch anything from smoke and dust to the smaller object you may drop into your vents. While they can put a strain on weaker systems, these vent filters are easy to install, replace, and utilize electrostatic materials to pull debris boards them.