The Koch Duo-Pak 40 2-Ply MERV 8 Two-Pocket Filter is a deep synthetic pocket filter designed as an upgrade from 4″ or 6″ pleated panel filters in commercial and industrial holding-frame and flat-bank side-access housing installations. The two-pocket form factor more than doubles the effective filter media area compared to a flat panel of the same face dimensions, delivering significantly longer service life at competitive cost. The 2-Ply configuration is engineered for MERV 8 final filtration with extended service life.
What a two-pocket filter is (and where it goes)
Two-pocket filters are extended-surface filters with the synthetic media stitched into two deep pockets that extend back into the airstream. The pocket geometry packs several times more media area into the same face footprint as a flat panel filter — meaning longer service life, lower pressure drop at equivalent capture, and substantially better dust holding capacity for the same install footprint.
Pocket filters drop into standard holding frames or flat-bank side-access housings commonly found in commercial AHUs, large packaged rooftop units, and industrial air handlers. They’re typically deployed where 4″ or 6″ pleated panels were previously used — same form factor for the housing, dramatically more media surface area for extended service life.
Why specify Duo-Pak 40 over 4″ or 6″ pleated panels
Duo-Pak 40 filters are positioned by Koch as the direct replacement for 4″ and 6″ pleat applications — same install footprint, longer service life, lower changeout frequency. Three operational benefits result:
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Longer service life: The two-pocket extended-surface design holds several times more dust before reaching terminal pressure drop than a flat 4″ or 6″ pleat in the same face dimensions. Fewer changeouts per year reduces both filter cost and labor cost.
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Self-sealing design: The 9-gauge wire frame creates a perimeter that seals against the holding frame on its own — no clips, no fasteners, no separate sealing gasket. The filter expands against the rack and stays put. Faster installation and removal.
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Eliminated bypass: Self-sealing geometry eliminates the gaps that happen when conventional panel filters shift in their racks, which lets unfiltered air pass through. Continuous perimeter seal means continuous capture.
About the 2-Ply configuration
The 2-Ply Duo-Pak 40 uses two layers of progressively dense polyester media — coarser media on the upstream side, finer media on the downstream side. This staged-capture geometry is what enables MERV 8 efficiency in the pocket form factor while still maintaining manageable pressure drop. Initial pressure drop is 0.15″ w.g. at 500 FPM. The right pick for high-IAQ commercial HVAC, healthcare, hospitality, and high-occupancy commercial buildings where MERV 8 capture is the design target.
Design and construction
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Configuration: Two-pocket extended-surface synthetic filter
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Media: Two-ply progressively dense polyester (100% synthetic, high-moisture tolerant)
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Frame: 9-gauge internal steel wire (self-sealing, fits standard holding frames without clips or fasteners)
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Pockets: 2 (per filter)
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Efficiency rating: MERV 8 per ASHRAE Test Standard 52.2
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Initial pressure drop: 0.15″ w.g. at 500 FPM face velocity
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Reference bulletin: Koch PB-798-6
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Sold by the case. The variant price is the case price.
When the Duo-Pak 40 2-Ply is specified
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Standard commercial HVAC final filtration — office buildings, schools, hotels, healthcare where MERV 8 is the target
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Hospitals and clinics — general-purpose air handling and final filter stages where MERV 8 capture and extended service life both matter
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Industrial facilities — manufacturing, warehousing, process environments needing MERV 8 capture in pocket-filter form factor
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Replacement for 4″ or 6″ MERV 8 pleated panels — significantly longer service life at MERV 8 capture
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Variable-air-volume systems where the deep pocket geometry handles airflow swings better than flat panels
What MERV 8 captures
Captures dust mite debris, pollen, mold spores, pet dander, and most household and office airborne dust. The standard residential and commercial efficiency for everyday indoor air quality, balancing capture performance with airflow.
Choosing across the Duo-Pak 40 line
Koch offers two ply configurations in the Duo-Pak 40 series:
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Duo-Pak 40 1-Ply (MERV 7): Tackified single-density polyester. Economical, primary-filter applications and high dust holding.
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Duo-Pak 40 2-Ply (MERV 8): Two-ply progressively dense polyester. High-IAQ commercial, healthcare, and final-filter applications.
If your application calls for the other tier, see the matching sister product: Koch Duo-Pak 40 1-Ply MERV 7 (104-700) — same form factor and self-sealing design, just step down for economical MERV 7 capture at lower pressure drop.
Sizing and ordering notes
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Specify both face dimensions and depth. Pocket filters are sized as Width x Height x Depth (e.g., 24x24x15). Match all three dimensions to your holding frame — pocket filters cannot be cut or trimmed in the field.
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Sold by the case. Variant price is for the full case. Case quantities are listed in each variant.
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"Call for Quote" sizes: Some sizes are catalog items but require direct quoting due to lower order volume or build-to-order production. These appear unavailable in the dropdown — request a quote for these sizes or for facility-scale orders.
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Need a different MERV or different filter form factor? See the Koch Duo-Cube line (1-Ply through 4-Ply, MERV 6 through MERV 8) for cube-style equivalents in deeper depths, or contact us for higher-MERV pocket and bag filter options.