Air Quality Wiki
Your guide to air filters and indoor air quality, written for Canadian homes, buildings and climates by the team that makes our filters in Brampton, Ontario.
Types of HVAC Air Filters: The Complete Guide
A complete overview of every common HVAC air filter type, from fibreglass and pleated furnace filters to HEPA, carbon, bag, rigid and V-bank filters, with a side-by-side comparison table and a step-by-step guide to choosing.
Fibreglass Air Filters: What They Do (and Don't Do)
Fibreglass air filters are cheap, low-resistance panels that keep coarse dust off your furnace blower and coil – but at MERV 1–4 they do very little for the air you breathe. Here is how they work and when to upgrade.
Pleated Air Filters: The Complete Guide
Pleated air filters are the standard furnace and AC filter in Canadian homes and light commercial buildings. This guide covers media, MERV 8/11/13, pleat count, frames and sizing so you can choose with confidence.
4-Inch & 5-Inch Media Filters: Deep-Pleat Furnace Filters Explained
Deep-pleat 4-inch and 5-inch media filters pack several times the media of a 1-inch filter into a dedicated cabinet, giving high efficiency, low resistance and change intervals measured in months. Here is how they work and how to size them correctly.
Washable & Permanent Air Filters: Are They Worth It?
Washable and permanent air filters trade recurring purchases for regular cleaning. They excel in fan coils, grease and pre-filter duty, but most sit in the low MERV range – here is how to decide whether one is worth it.
Electrostatic Air Filters: How They Work
An electrostatic air filter uses a static charge built up in its synthetic media to pull dust and fine particles out of the airstream. Here is how the charge works, why it fades, and when a washable electrostatic or charged pleated filter makes sense.
HEPA Filters: True HEPA, Ratings & Where They Fit
A HEPA filter is a high-efficiency particulate air filter that captures at least 99.97% of 0.3-micron particles. Learn what the ratings mean, how HEPA differs from "HEPA-type", and where it belongs in a ventilation system.
Activated Carbon Air Filters for Odours, Smoke & VOCs
An activated carbon air filter removes odours and gases by adsorption rather than straining particles. Learn how carbon works, which format suits your system, and how to tell when it is saturated.
Pocket (Bag) Filters for Commercial HVAC
A pocket (bag) filter is a deep, extended-surface filter made of sewn or welded media pockets on a header frame, used as an intermediate or final stage in commercial rooftop units and air handlers.
Rigid Cell & Box Filters: High-Efficiency Commercial Filtration
A rigid cell (box) filter is a self-supporting, deep-pleated commercial filter in a box or header frame that delivers MERV 11 to 15 efficiency in high-velocity and critical HVAC systems.
V-Bank & Mini-Pleat Filters Explained
A V-bank filter arranges several mini-pleat media packs in a V pattern inside a rigid frame, giving commercial systems MERV 13 to 16 efficiency with very low resistance at high airflow.
Wire Panel Filters: Commercial Pre-Filters Explained
A wire panel filter is a flat or pleated media filter supported by a steel wire grid or frame, used as an economical MERV 6 to 8 pre-filter in commercial and industrial HVAC systems.
Air Filter Media Pads & Rolls: A Buyer's Guide
Filter media pads and rolls are loose, unframed filter media sold cut-to-size or in bulk rolls. This guide explains media types, thickness, efficiency and how to use them in HVAC, make-up air and paint booth systems.
Kitchen Hood Grease Filters: Baffle, Mesh & Code Basics
Kitchen hood grease filters capture airborne grease before it reaches the exhaust duct. Learn how baffle and mesh filters differ, how to clean them, and the fire-safety basics for homes and restaurants.
Electronic Air Cleaners & Polarized Media Filters
An electronic air cleaner uses a powered high-voltage section to charge particles and collect them on metal plates. Here is how EACs and polarized-media filters work, what to watch for, and how they compare with a MERV 13 media filter.
Dust Collector & Cartridge Filters for Industrial Air
Dust collector cartridge filters and baghouse bags capture process dust and fume at the source. This guide covers media types, pulse-jet cleaning, air-to-cloth ratio and how they differ from HVAC filters.
Complete MERV Rating Guide
What MERV ratings mean, what each level captures, and how to pick the right one for your home or building.
Filter Changing Frequency Guide
How often to change your filter – every factor from pets and filter depth to winters and wildfire smoke.
Wildfire Smoke Survival Guide for Canadians
Which filters work, how to set up a clean-air room, and how to read the AQHI during smoke season.
Filter Ratings Made Simple: MERV, HEPA & Carbon
Every rating system in plain language and which one belongs in your home.
Allergy Season Guide by Canadian Province
When tree, grass and ragweed pollen peak across Canada and the filter strategies that help.
Pet Owner's Complete Air Filter Guide
Best MERV by pet type, carbon filters for odour, and seasonal shedding tips.
Indoor Air Quality for Kids & Seniors
Protecting the most sensitive people at home, in schools and in long-term care.
Condo & High-Rise Indoor Air Quality Guide
Shared ventilation, corridor odours and in-suite filters – for owners, renters and property managers.
HVAC Energy Efficiency & Air Filters
How filter choice affects energy bills and equipment life – and the sweet spot for clean air.
Canadian Climate & Your Air Filter
From BC wildfires to Prairie dust and Atlantic humidity – province-by-province advice.
India's Air Quality Crisis
Why North Indian cities see some of the worst air on Earth each winter, and how people protect themselves.
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