Free Air filter after MIR - any one-inch Filtrete Air Cleaning 3M Filter

ArmchairQB said: ScrawneyWallet said: JonesBeach said: I love how 3M is always giving stuff away!

Maybe that is why their stock is trading in the $3 range...

?? 3M

My thoughts exactly!! "When did 3M drop to $3? Was going to do a link & ArmchairQB got to it first! Thanks OP!

Am I the only person who can't find the form? I filled in the pledge form and all too. I only find a link for free filter w/ purchase of 4. Am I missing something? Feel pretty stupid right now..

I think theres always the debate on whether these filters are "good". Well, when new, they definitely work by filtering dust, but let enough air through. The airflow performance is listed on most good filters. However, they only last "up to 3 months". I find that if you have an older house, 2 months is pretty much max. I also know that most people forget about the filter and leave it in there for the year. I think thats where having the 3M filter will destroy your furnace fan motor....

In comparison, the $1/$5 fiber filters are next to useless for cleaning your air. It will keep the big debris from getting in your motor, but thats pretty much it.... And spraying pledge on it? Well, would you spray pledge into the fan motor?? Would you want to breath small amounts of pledge for the first few days of spraying your filter?

If you want cleanER air, and remember to change your filter regularly (at least once every 3 months!), you will definitely breath better and won't harm your furnace/AC much with these 3M filters...

Thanks for the reply. Will update the quick summary with the link as well.

TxAggieJen said: Deets said: Am I the only person who can't find the form? I filled in the pledge form and all too. I only find a link for free filter w/ purchase of 4. Am I missing something? Feel pretty stupid right now..

JonesBeach's post (the first post after OP's) has the link you are looking for. OP, why did you change your rebate form link?

TheDude said: leonc said: TheDude said: jonnashville said: These are recommended by my HVAC guy... Those cheapos only work when they're completely covered in dust.Actually, two different HVAC guy's told me not to use the Filtete filters. The HVAC who installed my furnace in the house when new as well as different HVAC guy who extended the runs when I finished my basement. Both said the Filtrete reduces air flow and reduces the efficiency of the unit.

The tip HVAC #1 gave - spray the "cheapo" filter lightly with Pledge or other similar furniture polish spray, that will attract the finer dust particles, maximizes the air flow and keeps $$$ in your pocket.

Do you mean the ~$3 paper filters or the ulta-cheap (~$1) spun fiber filters?Both (surprising to me) said the ultra-cheap filters were the best to be used.

That's absolutely true especially if you have a heat pump system. You want to maximize airflow across the evaporator coil. If you use a restrictive filter you can fail to extract maximum efficency from the coil. Worst case it will send liquid refrigerant back to the compressors and could potentially kill the compressor. (or reduce it's life).

Use the cheap blue filters and change them monthly.

I can buy more than one filter as long as the total price is less than $19.99, right?

thanks, was gonna goto hd this weekend to buy a filter anyways.

henny said: That's absolutely true especially if you have a heat pump system. You want to maximize airflow across the evaporator coil. If you use a restrictive filter you can fail to extract maximum efficency from the coil. Worst case it will send liquid refrigerant back to the compressors and could potentially kill the compressor. (or reduce it's life).

Thank you for saying that. I heard an A/C tech. say one time that the re-usable, washable filters were "compressor killers." I thought he was just blowing smoke when he made the comment because I couldn't imagine what connection there could possibly be between what a compressor/heat pump is doing outside and how much airflow is going through the system inside, but your comment ties it all together.

glim888 said: maybe you're thinking of 3COM stock and not 3M

Exactly. lol I had to go back and check my watch list to see why I'm insane. COMS, you know, 3Com, the guys who make post-it-notes, right? ROFL

stevie123 said: In comparison, the $1/$5 fiber filters are next to useless for cleaning your air. It will keep the big debris from getting in your motor, but thats pretty much it.... And spraying pledge on it? Well, would you spray pledge into the fan motor?? Would you want to breath small amounts of pledge for the first few days of spraying your filter? I guess you don't understand what "lightly" means. With a light covering you 1) won't be pulling anything into your fan motor and 2) you don't smell anything because it's a LIGHT spray. You smell more pledge in your house when you dust using it than you would ever do by spraying the filter LIGHTLY. The only thing this does do is create a way to trap the finer dust particles almost to the same level as paying the $$$ for the Filtrete. But hey, drop a $20 every quarter or so if that makes you feel good.

This would be a good myth buster episode: the cheapo at .89 or the 3m at $16.00

I believe el cheapo is better - replace every 3 or 4 weeks

So what's the best model to get to cut up and use as my car's cabin filter?

JonesBeach said: viet124 said: I went to get my car serviced and they said my cabin air filter was totally black (they had just replaced it 3 to 4 months before at my 30,000 mile maintenance).

What a crock. Many cabin air filters start out very dark grey to begin with because they have charcoal in them.FWIW, my Honda and Toyota ones are white when new.

nice..thx OP

poohbie said: mpkb said: JonesBeach said: viet124 said: I went to get my car serviced and they said my cabin air filter was totally black (they had just replaced it 3 to 4 months before at my 30,000 mile maintenance).

What a crock. Many cabin air filters start out very dark grey to begin with because they have charcoal in them.FWIW, my Honda and Toyota ones are white when new.
I can get both regular (white) and charcoal impregnated (dark gray) OEM cabin air filters for my Toyota. The charcoal is supposed to remove odor.Now, if they can only get rid of the musty smell that is left in the vents after the A/C has been sitting idle for a couple of hours

Nice find. Thanks OP.

I signed up for the Clean Air Plegde, and you also get links to PDFs where you and a friend can each get a Lowes $5.00 gift card when they buy a filter and mail in the rebate form with your "pledge number" on it.
Also a rebate form for when you buy 4 filters, get a rebate on the 4th one.

FYI, Consumer Reports last reviewed air cleaners in the October 2005 issue. Professionally installed units that attach to your central a/c unit were rated the best, but were also the most expensive option. A good filter for your central a/c unit was found to be more effective than a conventional room or table top air purifier. The Filtrete Ultra Allergen Reduction 1250 was rated a quick pick. They go for $15.97 at my local Home Depot and Lowes...of course free after this rebate. I've tried the cheaper American Air pleated filters, but my A/C would always freeze up during hot weather. Going back to a cheapo fiberglass filter solves the problem. I'm going to give the Ultra Allergen a try and hope they allow more air flow.

cstu11 said: ...
Where are you living that you need your furnace on 12 months a year? For most people they'd be fine changing it once before winter comes and then again around Jan. if they want to be really careful.

Replace 'furnance' by 'air handler' and you get closer to 12 months/yr. I have the heater that runs during the winter, and central air during the summer. In addition, I have a separate controller which cycles the blower fan on (configurable; currently 5 minutes every 75 minutes) which, besides providing general air circulation, also helps to filter the air.

Jeff

psanto said: Rather than spending $20 bucks on a car cabin air filter get this filter and cut it the same size as your car filter (can get at least 2 car filters out of 1 filter) and save some money. Did this on my car and it works fantastic.

Does anyone know which model is the largest?

Just in Time - Thanks for the rebate!