What you guys think about air filters for commercial air handlers? I just exhausted my years-old stock of cheap fiberglass filters (Pamlico Air Select-F, datasheet attached), and I need to choose what type to restock for my next filter change (something like 40 air handlers, 3 filters each of 12"x 24"x 1")
I heard something about how the cheap fiberglass filters don't actually catch much dust. You could definitely pour a handful of salt over a filter like that and end up with much of the salt falling through to the floor. And I think that my blower cowling/housing and evap coils do get pretty dirty in spite of regular filter changes and subsequently needing more frequent NuCalgon spraydown, which adds up in cost since I don't get bulk pricing on NuCalgon spray cans.
Pleated filters aren't that much more expensive now, and I have been using them on some commercial boiler air intakes for a while now without any complaints. But I heard something about how too thick of pleated filters might overtax some motors and blowers.
I have to do all the rebuild and replacement work for the moving parts of my air handlers (blowers, bearings, shafts, lovejoy couplings, motors, etc), so I don't want to cause any unnecessary damage, but it seems to me that a better quality pleated filter wouldn't necessarily mess up any of the moving parts. The difference in air resistance surely can't be enough to wear out bearings and motors faster than their natural lifespan.
