Those reusable filters are like the “forever” batteries of HVAC—sound good in theory, but reality’s a bit messier.
I’ll push back a bit on reusable filters. Had mine for years—just hose it off every month or two, no big deal. I get the hassle, but at least I know it’s actually clean, not just “looks clean.” Disposable ones always felt like a waste, honestly. Maybe depends on the house. Old plaster walls in mine seem to make dust a losing battle either way...
Disposable ones always felt like a waste, honestly. Maybe depends on the house. Old plaster walls in mine seem to make dust a losing battle either way...
I get where you’re coming from—those old houses just generate dust no matter what you do. I’ve tried both types of filters and honestly, I’m still torn. The reusable ones are great for cutting down on waste, but I always wonder if they’re really catching as much fine stuff as the better disposables. Maybe it’s just paranoia, but after a bad allergy season, I switched back to disposables for a while and noticed less sneezing.
That said, hosing off a filter every month is way less annoying than running to the store or ordering boxes of disposables all the time. Plus, with how expensive some of those high-MERV filters are getting, reusables start looking pretty good.
Curious—do you notice any difference in airflow or dust buildup around vents since switching? My last place had ancient lath and plaster too, and it felt like no filter could keep up with the crud coming out of those walls...
My last place had ancient lath and plaster too, and it felt like no filter could keep up with the crud coming out of those walls...
Totally relate—my old rental had those crumbly walls, and I swear dust just appeared out of thin air. I did notice the reusable filters seemed to let a bit more through, especially around the vents. Did you ever try vacuuming the vents themselves? Sometimes I’d find little piles of dust tucked in the corners, even after swapping filters. Maybe it’s just an old house thing, but I always wondered if it was worth investing in a higher-MERV reusable, or if that’s just overkill.
Honestly, I think you’re spot on about the vents—vacuuming them made a bigger difference for me than any filter swap ever did. Higher-MERV reusables can help, but sometimes it just feels like fighting a losing battle with old plaster. Still, every little bit helps, right?
I hear you on the vents—last spring I pulled off a register cover and found enough dust bunnies to knit a sweater. I swear, the filter barely caught half of what was lurking in there. Old plaster walls are their own beast, too. I tried those fancy MERV 13s, but honestly, they just clogged up faster and made my blower sound like it was trying to take off. Still, I figure every little bit of cleaning buys me a few more months before the next HVAC panic.
