Has anyone tried the “Washable Lifetime” HVAC filters? – GreenBuildingAdvisor

Just noticed that one of the big box stores is now selling both MERV 8 and MERV 13 “Lifetime Washable” filters on their website (they are not on the shelf in my local store).    The image for the MERV 13 makes it appear they are micro pleat.  Theoretically more pleats = greater surface area = lower static pressure.  However the only review for the MERV 13 indicates using it increased the “noise” of the HVAC which to me indicates it increased the static pressure.  But that is only one data point and who knows; maybe that reviewers system is designed for no more than MERV 8 and they used MERV 13…Has anyone tried these?

I would love to find a filter that has a less detrimental environmental impact.  I cringe every 3 months when I change the MERV 13 filters and throw the old ones in the garbage.  Having a lower impact on my wallet would also be a welcome side effect.

One hesitation is the directions indicate you have to clean these filters with the company’s “Specifically engineered cleaner” which has some cost impact, but less than the cost of a filter.  Online reviews of the cleaner indicate one bottle cleans a filter 2-3 times and there is no chemical smell.  Wonder what is in that stuff?  I hope once the cleaner solution dries on the filter it does not have the side effect of putting undesirable things into the air as it passes through the filters.  The MSDS sheet warns against allowing the product to enter “surface water or drains.”  Not really any way to avoid that if the filter cleaning procedure is to spray it with the cleaner, then run water through the filter.  Link to MSDS: https://kandn.com/msds/99-0624(US).pdf

Anyone here have any additional information about either this HVAC filter or the associated cleaning solution?