What do you mean by permanent air filters? Household, portable, or???

The air filters I use cost a few dollars. What kind of $$$ air filters are you using? I’ve used the washable ones in the past, just as easy to use the disposable.

I never heard of permanent air filters. Each furnace is different on the size of filter. Ours cost $25 each for the disposable. Wish it did only cost a few dollars.

Which do you prefer to hand out; time or money? Permanent Air Filters require regular cleaning= time.

Saypoint, where do you get your filters?

Annz & others, here you are :

https://www.amazon.com/ELECTROSTATIC-WASHABLE-PERMANENT-ALLERGENS-LIFETIME/dp/B00IMODFLM?crid=26LHXK6PF1BB0&keywords=permanent+air+filter+20x25x1&qid=1537907592&sprefix=permanent+air+&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3

Annz & Function, the permanent are available on amazon. This page won't accept the link I tried to add.

FYI, I'm paying up to $15 per filter. That's ridiculous IMO.

Home Depot. Admittedly, they are smallish, and go in the air return. I have a gas furnace and also a heat pump mini split system that has washable filters. I’ve used washable furnace filters before that go in the furnace blower area, but I don’t think they got really clean when I washed them. What size are you using? Do you need to change them more than three or four times per year? If you’re running AC all summer?

I blast my ac all summer and winter. Ideally I would change my filters 2x mo. My shedding machine has recently taken to sleeping against the air intake. I know she's not feeling well so I don't move her but it's brutal on the system and my filters. I buy mid-range filters from whomever is on sale. Can the permanent filters handle power washing?

Oh, and my sizes are 16 x 24 and 12 x 12.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-16-in-x-24-in-Basic-Household-Pleated-Air-Filter-Case-of-12-64100-011624/203225757

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-12-in-x-12-in-Basic-Household-Pleated-Air-Filter-Case-of-12-64100-011212/203225744

I used to take the washable air filters outside and hose them off. Not practical in a New England winter, so I went back to the disposable. Pressure washer on low might be ok.

Good point Saypoint. Where are we going to clean the monster of a filter in winter. I guess we stick with disposables.

Mail the leftover snow please!

Oh wow, those prices are good Saypoint! I don't know how I missed those. I guess I've walked the aisles but never looked online. Thanks! :)

Mama knows how to shop. :o)

I just noticed that this particular filter isn’t available, but there are others that are reasonable priced if you do a bit of wading though the pages.

I will do that! :)

Don’t know if you have Ace Hardware, 16 x 24 is $4.99. They are my local HW store. Also can order online

Unfortunately I don't have one that doesn't involve a horrific drive time of about 45 minutes, but I'll do a little more online browsing . I guess I always thought it would be cost prohibitive to ship something that size & so delicate.

I’ve had the permanent before and the cleaning wore me out. Went back to disposable. I get mine from target online. Free shipping with red card (plus 5% off) and an extra 5% off for repeat delivery. You decide how often they ship. It’s a good reminder to change filters when it arrives in the mail. Same price as in the store.

No damage from shipping Susie?

We have a regular filter and a HEPA filter in our furnace. I'm allergic o dust and dust mites. Went from dusting every 4 days to every 2 and 1/2 weeks!

Thanks Marc! That is a nice synopsis on the pros & cons. Much to my dismay, it sounds like I should stick with the disposables for now. :(

I like the disposable. My long haired cat sheds even with frequent bi-weekly brushing. She too likes to lay in front of the intake vents. I think she likes the breeze. Lays in front of my portal fan that I use in the summer too. I can't imagine being able to get all the cat hair off of a reusable filter. Does your furnace use two filters/two stage filters. Maybe you could use a combination of one disposable one reusable. I try to change filters once a month. Frequently changing filters, especially with pets, will make your furnace run more efficiently and extend the life of your furnace/central air, the fan has to work much harder if filters are clogged up with debris like pet fur.

If it starts getting expensive, you could try vacuuming the hair off the disposables and using them one more time. My late cat used to like being vacuumed, it really helped because he had long hair. I got him used to it when he was little by rubbing him with the upholstery attachment with the vac turned off. Later when I turned it on it didn’t bother him. But he was a special kind of cat.

Washable Filters:

You don’t have to buy replacement filters.

Washable filters are environmentally friendly.

You’re in charge of how often and when they are cleaned.

These electrostatic filters are reasonably priced if you look at their useful life.

Most washable air filters come with a Lifetime Warranty.

These are readily available online in custom and standard sizes.

Electrostatic air filters are much more effective than standard disposable filters.

Washable filters:

1) No filter while they dry off.

2) No easy way to clean them when the temperatures get low, unless you shower with them and blow half the crap back into the air.

3) Something goes wrong, you're down a filter till a replacement arrives,

4) Lifetime warranty is only as good as your record keeping and their business plan.

5) You can get killed on the mailing costs "returning" a defective filter for warranty replacement.

6) Electrostatic filters are generally more restrictive than media filters, and most often as less effective than a 1200+ or so filter.

7) Particles that make it past the filter often have a small charge and start sticking to the duct work or your coil.

Just saying...