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Whole-House Filtration
More Filter, Less Restriction
Here is the problem with the standard one-inch filter. If you buy a cheap one, it lets most of the fine dust and pollen straight through. If you buy a dense, high-rated one, it catches more but chokes the airflow, and in our climate that means a coil that freezes in July and a blower that runs hot. The slot is simply too thin to do both jobs.
A whole-house media filter solves that with depth. A cabinet installed at the return holds a pleated cartridge four or five inches thick, with many times the surface area of the flat filter it replaces. Air passes through it easily, so the system keeps its airflow, while the pleats catch the fine particles that ride in on cedar season, the caliche dust off a Hill Country road, and whatever the dog brought in. Because it holds so much more, the cartridge lasts months instead of weeks.
We size the cabinet to your return and your system, seal it so nothing bypasses the media, and show you how to change the cartridge. It pairs well with sealed ducts, since a tight system sends all its air through the filter instead of around it. If your air handler cannot take a cabinet, we will say so and talk through the best one-inch option instead. Written price first, under the Home Comfort Guarantee.
- Deep pleated media Four to five inches of pleats instead of one. Far more surface area means more capture with less resistance.
- Airflow protected We check static pressure after the install so the new filter helps the system instead of straining it.
- Months between changes One cartridge replaces a season of one-inch filters. Fewer trips to the attic and fewer chances to forget.
Who Benefits
Signs a One-Inch Filter Is Not Keeping Up
The flat filter has a job, and it is a small one. These are the signs your house needs more.
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Cedar season hits hard indoors
When the January pollen count spikes and the house feels no better than the yard, the filter is letting it through.
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Fine dust on everything
A film that comes back within a day is fine particulate a basic filter cannot hold.
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Pets, and plenty of them
Dander and hair load a one-inch filter in a couple of weeks. A media cartridge has room for it.
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The coil froze after you upgraded the filter
A dense one-inch filter restricted the airflow. Depth fixes that; a cheaper filter just moves the problem.
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A gravel road or a construction site nearby
Hill Country caliche dust and new-subdivision grading put a lot in the air. It ends up in your return.
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You forget to change the filter
Most people do. A cartridge that lasts months forgives a missed month; a one-inch filter does not.
What We Install
Filtration Matched to Your System
The right cabinet depends on the return, the blower and what you are trying to catch.
- Media filter cabinets A sealed housing at the return with a deep pleated cartridge. The workhorse option for most homes.
- Sizing and static pressure We measure before and after so the filter you chose does not cost you airflow.
- Bypass sealing A filter is only as good as the seal around it. We close the gaps that let dust go around the media.
- Return modifications If the return is too small for the system, adding a cabinet alone will not help. We fix the return first.
- Pairing with purification A media filter handles particles. For odors, smoke or more, see purifiers and air scrubbers.
- Cartridge replacement We show you the part number and how to change it, and can swap it during a Care Club tune-up.
How It Works
Installing a Whole-House Filter
A typical install takes a few hours and does not disturb the rest of the house.
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Look at the return
We check the existing filter slot, the return size and the blower, and measure static pressure.
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Recommend and quote
The cabinet and cartridge that fit your system, with a written price you approve first.
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Install and seal
The cabinet goes in at the return, sealed to the ductwork so every bit of air passes through the media.
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Verify airflow
Static pressure again, a check of the temperature split, and a walkthrough on changing the cartridge.
Current Specials
Save on the work your home needs most.
Ready to Catch More Than Dust Bunnies?
Get a written quote for a whole-house media filter in Austin or San Antonio. No pressure.
What Our Customers Say
Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers
★★★★★
Our 18 year old HVAC system finally gave out this past week, so we reached out to Radiant to see what could be done. They sent a tech out named Bryan the same day, and he did a great job looking over the entire HVAC system. He was friendly and helpful in explaining everything that he saw, and our options moving forward. We decided to replace the entire system, so we met with Jacob (same day thankfully) to find the best HVAC system for our needs. Jacob was friendly, professional, and did a great job explaining the different options on offer. Radiant was able to set-up next day install, which was much appreciated, because the temps were still going to be cold in the coming days.
The install team consisted of Carlos and Pablo, who were very courteous and professional, and were kind enough to answer any questions I had regarding the install. They did a great job installing our new HVAC system, and were tidy which is always appreciated! Before they left, they explained everything that had been done, and showed me photos of the work.
Our entire experience from start to finish was great. I appreciate that they send photos of who is coming to your home too. Friendly, kind, professional team members, and good work all the way around. Thanks Radiant!
The install team consisted of Carlos and Pablo, who were very courteous and professional, and were kind enough to answer any questions I had regarding the install. They did a great job installing our new HVAC system, and were tidy which is always appreciated! Before they left, they explained everything that had been done, and showed me photos of the work.
Our entire experience from start to finish was great. I appreciate that they send photos of who is coming to your home too. Friendly, kind, professional team members, and good work all the way around. Thanks Radiant!
★★★★★
This is the first time I’ve used radiant my neighbor recommended them…. I called them today and they set me up an appointment on the same day. I was totally shocked at that and the service call was only $39!!…. Highly recommend them Danielle showed up and he was a great guy and he put up with all my wishy-washiness and I had to hurry him because I was heading to church and he got caught in a lot of traffic getting here he even would’ve installed the part that broke but I Didn’t have the time tonight….. He was patient with me and just told me to call the office first thing in the morning and get a service call set up…. Thank you so much Radiant!!….
With another cold front coming in tomorrow now I just hope they can get me scheduled for a separate call tomorrow but I have a feeling they will. They are such a great company!!😊😊
With another cold front coming in tomorrow now I just hope they can get me scheduled for a separate call tomorrow but I have a feeling they will. They are such a great company!!😊😊
★★★★★
Alex performed the winter service on my unit. This business along with Alex, are very professional and upfront about everything. To be transparent, this is the maintenance included with the purchase of a unit from them. I was informed about everything to include pictures as proof. I was told that my unit is 100% and very clean and again pictures to prove it. I was reccomended this business by a friend and glad he did. The initial purchase experience was also amazing. I had contacted 5 other businesses to get quotes about a new unit as my upstairs unit failed. 2 were outrageous quotes and I am technically still waiting on the other 3. On every instance of getting a quote, I waited about 1 week. Luckily my house has two units but still, un acceptable especially during the summer. I guess they all had so much business they did not care for mine. When I called this business not only did they come out the same day, I had the new unit installed with in 48 hrs. Oh and let's not forget the quote they gave me was the lowest of all. I can say enough good things about this business. Keep up the great work.
Maintenance Membership
Join the Care Club
Home maintenance for $9.99 a month.
Care Club members get two HVAC tune-ups and a plumbing safety inspection every year, priority scheduling, no dispatch fees — ever — and 5% off every repair.
- Priority scheduling
- Seasonal HVAC tune-ups
- Annual safety inspection
- Exclusive member discounts
- Free dispatch on repairs
- No long-term contracts
Whole-House Filter Questions
What is the difference between a media filter and the one-inch filter I have now?
Depth and surface area. A one-inch filter is a thin flat panel or a shallow pleat. A media filter is a cartridge four or five inches thick, folded into deep pleats, sitting in its own cabinet at the return. Unfolded, the media in that cartridge would cover many times the area of the flat filter. That extra area lets it catch smaller particles while still passing air easily, which is the combination a one-inch filter cannot manage. It also holds far more before it loads up, so you change it every several months rather than every month.
Will a high-efficiency filter hurt my air conditioner?
A dense one-inch filter can, because it restricts airflow in a slot that was designed for a thin panel. Low airflow across the evaporator coil lets it get too cold and freeze, and it makes the blower work against more resistance. That is exactly why the media cabinet exists: the depth gives the air enough open area to pass through without a struggle. We measure static pressure before and after every install to confirm the system is not being starved. If your air handler and return cannot accommodate a cabinet, we will tell you, and we will not install a filter that costs you airflow to gain filtration.
How often do I change the cartridge in a whole-house filter?
It depends on the house. A home with two dogs, a gravel driveway and a heavy cedar season will load a cartridge faster than a tidy condo. As a rule, check it after the first few months and see how dark it is; that tells you your own interval. Many homeowners settle into changing it a couple of times a year. If you are a Care Club member, our technician checks it during each of the two annual tune-ups and can replace it then, which takes the guesswork out of it entirely.
Does a whole-house filter replace the need for a purifier?
They do different things. A media filter physically captures particles: dust, pollen, dander, the visible stuff. It does nothing about odors, cooking smoke or the very smallest particles that pass through the pleats. For those, a purifier or air scrubber works alongside the filter. In most homes the filter is the right first step, because it does the heavy lifting and protects any purification equipment downstream. We will tell you honestly whether you need the second layer or whether a good filter and tight ducts are enough.
*Offers cannot be combined with other promotions or applied to dispatch fees. No cash value. Must present offer at time of service. Call for details.
