A filter upgrade and the associated replacement filters may be part of your annual plans to upgrade your HVAC system. Whether for an industrial, commercial, or other large building, upgrading filters and getting new replacement filters can go a long way towards improving indoor air quality and lowering system maintenance costs. Certain considerations must be made, however, when choosing replacement filters. These include:
- Life cycle cost analysis: how much will the new replacement filters cost over the lifetime of the filter? You may spend more money during certain times of the year on your replacement filters. Consider averaging the cost of replacement filters over a quarterly or annual cycle for budgeting purposes.
- Operating costs: What costs are associated with operating the current system? These costs include energy usage. If you choose different replacement filters then the ones you have now how might this impact operating costs?
- Replacement and disposal cost: How much will it cost you to replace the existing filters versus upgrading to newer filters? Do you have to spend extra money for disposal? If so, factor these costs into your estimates.

