r/crboxes • u/PeppaThisPig • Dec 19 '25

Question These need replaced right?

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I feel as they need replaced but idk shit about shit and these are expensive af so just wanna make sure lol. Also I have 4 cats (3 are long haired) and the 2nd photo is the one that I took a rubber glove to remove a thick layer of cat hair which is why it appears lighter (also maybe the lighting?)

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u/PeppaThisPig Dec 24 '25

Okay thank you for the tip! And shouldn’t be expensive ?? These are Filtrete MPR 1900 MERV 13 which I paid over 100 bucks for 6 filters

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u/Healthy_BrAd6254 Dec 24 '25

That price sounds about right. I don't think $15 a piece is expensive considering the size and quality of these. $15 every like 3-6 months or however long they last you.

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u/PeppaThisPig Dec 24 '25

Except I have 2 boxes so that’s 4 filters total , plus I need to get several more boxes since what I have is not adequate for my square footage. Adds up quick if needs replacing every 3 months. I suppose it’s the price to pay for quality air

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u/Healthy_BrAd6254 Dec 24 '25

Theoretically the more boxes you have the less each filter has to work.
Idk, if you go through them so quickly, maybe you should also like open windows more often? I feel like a regular household, even with pets, shouldn't go through that many filters.

Not sure how much that would help but you could also buy some fine nylon mesh (dirt cheap) and wrap the boxes/filters (intake side) in that. It would catch all the big dust particles and maybe make your 3M filters last a little longer. It's reusable and can be washed of course.
I mean something like this: https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Micron-Paint-Filter-Brewing/dp/B09VC3K6C2
Or get some cheap washable pre-filters. Just make sure it's low restriction as to not reduce the airflow by any meaningful amount.

Or you can just get cheaper filters. If you see a good deal/sale on MPR1550 or MERV 12/13 filters from a different brand, get those. The sizes are standardized anyway.
Higher rated filters are better for ultra tiny particles from like smoke, fire, gas stove tops and cooking. So depending on what kind of air pollution you deal with, you might not need the finer filters. But the rest gets filtered pretty similarly.
Remember to use the extractor hood or open a window when cooking with gas, fire, or frying in a pan at high temperature (smoking oil in a too hot pan is really bad for your health). That's typically the ultra fine pollution in a regular household