I have an electronic air filter, but the electronic board for it burned out, possibly due to a nearby lightning strike. I’ve had the board go out once before, and replaced it myself without difficulty. A new board would about $130.
When we got some other furnace work done, the furnace repairman said that regular filters worked better than electronic ones, and suggested we switch to those. He wasn’t offering to do the work himself, so I don’t think he was just upselling us. The cross-sectional area for the electronic air filter is 16 by 25 inches, which is a standard size for the regular ones, so switching wouldn’t be difficult.
Does anyone have good info on whether either one really is better?
On Amazon, a six-pack of what appear to be good quality filters is about the same price as repairing the electronic filter. They’re supposed to last three months, so that’s about two years worth, assuming three months in the spring and fall where the furnace or AC isn’t running, or maybe three years taking into account procrastination.
I’ve averaged eight years per electronic air cleaner board, so repairing it would be the cheaper route in the long run. But if the mechanical filters are significantly better, it may be worth it to switch.
So, anyone here have professional or first hand knowledge?