Brief History of the Furnace Filter

Furnace filters are essential components of modern heating systems, eliminating contaminants that not only negatively impact the indoor air quality, but sometimes cause damage to the system itself. This article will discuss the history of furnace filters, who invented them, and the progress that has been made in recent years.

A basic furnace filter has been around for centuries, however, the modern furnace filter didn't make its debut until the early 1900s. At that time, filters were only rudimentary, consisting of a metal mesh that was used to capture large particles from the airflow. These metal mesh filters were known to become clogged quickly, limiting their efficiency, and were often not replaced as often as they should have been.

It wasn’t until the 1940s that the breakthrough that would lead to today’s modern furnace filters was made. This breakthrough involved the development of the pleated filter, which had the ability to capture much smaller particles than the metal mesh filters could. In the early 1960s, a Russian doctor named Dr. Fyodor Panyushkin used pleated filters to attempt to reduce allergies in his patients, and this is where the popularity of the filter really began to take off.

By the 1970s, pleated filters had become a popular alternative to the metal mesh filters, and the next major advancement in the technology came in the 1980s with the introduction of electrostatic filters. These filters used a static electric charge to capture the particles, and they quickly grew in popularity because they offered a much better filtration efficiency than the pleated filters.

In the 1990s, higher-efficiency filters known as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters were developed. These filters use a combination of fiberglass and non-woven fibers to capture even smaller particles than electrostatic filters. They are considered to be the gold standard in air filtration and are used in a variety of industries, such as medical, military, semiconductor, and aerospace.

In recent years, the development of furnace filters has moved beyond HEPA filters. Newer types of filters, such as the media filter and the carbon filter, offer the ability to capture odors, bacteria, and other particles. In addition, technological advancements have allowed filters to become more compact, while still providing high levels of filtration efficiency.  At FurnaceFilters.US, we know our filters, we know the history of filters and we would like to get to know the history of your filter needs. Order from us with confidence you will not be disappointed!