How to choose the right air filter for your furnace?
What to Consider When Buying a Furnace Filter
- Filter Size & Thickness. Furnace filters come in dozens of sizes, with 16-by-20-inch, 20-by-25-inch, and 16-by-25-inch being the three most common sizes.
- Washable vs. Disposable. ...
- MERV Rating. Furnace filters are assigned a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) based on their density. ...
- Climate. ...
Should my furnace have an air filter?
Your specific situation is unique, but most air filtration experts agree that there is a general lifespan for furnace filters. The standard recommendation is to replace furnace filters at least once every 90 days . Keep in mind, this is a general recommendation.
How many air filters does a furnace need?
We recommend using a MERV-5 to MERV-8 pleated air filter in your return vent. In this case, the return vent filter will be the primary air filter. So it will serve as the only line of defense against dust and particles entering your HVAC system.
How often should I replace my furnace air filter?
- The general rule is to change a furnace filter—usually located behind a return-air vent or in a slot on the furnace itself—at least once every 90 days. ...
- Look for clues that it’s time for a new filter. ...
- Fortunately, changing the filter is easy. ...
- Replace the filter at least every time the seasons change. ...
- Furnace use impacts how long a filter lasts. ...
Does my furnace have a filter?
Horizontal HVAC unit - Furnace filter will be located on the intake side, slid into a rack. Vertical HVAC unit with air moving upwards - You can find your furnace filter in the bottom door. This is where the blower is. You will need to open both the top and bottom doors to get to the filter.
Where is the air filter in my furnace?
0:181:29How to Change a Furnace Filter For Dummies - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou usually find the filter near where the cool air enters the furnace in the cold air return ductMoreYou usually find the filter near where the cool air enters the furnace in the cold air return duct or the entrance to the blower chamber or sometimes in both locations.
How do I change the air filter in my furnace?
0:232:29How to Change a Furnace Filter - Regular Home MaintenanceYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's gonna vary by different models of heaters. Sometimes they'll be behind this main panelMoreIt's gonna vary by different models of heaters. Sometimes they'll be behind this main panel sometimes they might be off on the side sometimes they'll be on the bottom. And our case it's on the bottom.
Why can't I find my furnace filter?
If you don't find the filter by the return air duct, look for it behind a return air grill on the wall. Alternately, you may find an air grill on the ceiling with the filter concealed behind. The filter looks like a mesh screen encased in a thin box.
Is the AC and furnace filter the same?
One Filter for Your Whole Home While many people refer to air conditioning and furnace filters as if they're different, this is not the case. Your furnace and your air conditioning system use the exact same filter, so there's no need to worry about purchasing separate filters for each piece of equipment.
How do I know if my furnace filter is dirty?
What Are the Symptoms of a Dirty Air Filter?Filter is a different color. ... Energy bills are higher than usual. ... Low air flow. ... Rise in physical issues. ... Headaches. ... Allergies. ... Carbon monoxide poisoning. ... Forces HVAC systems to work harder.More items...•When Does Your Furnace Filter Need to be Changed? | Wyckoffhttps://wyckoffcomfort.com › 2019/10 › how-can-i-tell-th...https://wyckoffcomfort.com › 2019/10 › how-can-i-tell-th...
What happens if you don't change your furnace filter?
Without a new air filter, the furnace will overheat every time it starts up again. This is referred to as short cycling. Dirty furnace filters cause your furnace to work harder than it should due to a decrease in airflow. The harder your furnace works, the quicker its parts will wear out and need repairs.What Happens If You Don't Change Your Furnace Air Filter?https://anyhourservices.com › bloghttps://anyhourservices.com › blog
How much does it cost to change a furnace filter?
Although flat filter designs offer the most savings upfront, they need to be replaced more frequently and may cost you more in the long run. Replacing these filters can cost anywhere from $40 to $200 a year.Air Filter Types, Cost & MERV Ratings: How To Choose The Right ...https://www.climatecare.com › furnace-filters-type-costhttps://www.climatecare.com › furnace-filters-type-cost
Do you have to turn off the furnace to change the filter?
To Change Your Home Air Filter, You'll Need To Turn Off Your Furnace. To prevent the HVAC unit from turning on while you are changing the filter, make sure you turn the thermostat to the “off” position. This will help protect your HVAC system from loose debris or maybe a loose filter fitting escaping into the duct.
Where is the central air filter?
The filter typically slides into a slot above or below the HVAC unit. Other HVAC systems – For any other kind of system, look for the air filter behind the return air grill on the wall, ceiling or utility closet door.
How often should you change the air filter in your furnace?
In general, this is how often changing furnace filters needs to be done: For 1- to 2-inch filters, replace them every 1 to 3 months. For 3- to 4-inch filters, replace them every 6 to 9 months. For 5- to 6-inch filters, replace them every 9 to 12 months.
Where is the filter on a furnace?
Before you take the doors off your furnace to look inside, there is a chance your filter could be inside what’s called a ‘guillotine’ door that has been cut into the return drop, which is the rectangular duct that comes down to the floor on either the right or left side of your furnace.
Where does the air flow in a furnace?
The air flows through the return drop next to your furnace, and then through the filter before making its way into your furnace. All you need to remember is to make sure the arrow on the filter is pointing towards the inside of your furnace, and not away from the furnace. Then just place the filter in the same spot you found ...
Where to put guillotine door on furnace?
Don’t forget to put the guillotine door (strip of sheetmetal) back in the little slot in your return drop if your filter was inside the drop, or put the doors back on the front of the furnace if your filter was inside the unit. Put the bottom door back on the furnace first, and then you can put the top door back on and turn the knobs or screws ...
Factors to consider before buying a furnace filter
Below are the most important factors to consider when selecting an air filter for your home:
Furnace filter replacement
Regular replacement of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit’s filter is an essential part of maintenance. As a homeowner, you will want to make sure your unit runs as efficiently as possible in order to minimize your electricity costs, ensure proper functioning of your unit and increase your unit’s lifespan.
How often should you replace your furnace filter?
The average home and HVAC system will need the filter replaced once every three months.
Where is the furnace filter located?
Furnace Filter Location. Furnace filters are located in the blower compartment of the furnace. The compartment is usually located in a tray or door on the blower compartment. Usually, the air blower is located in a central location in your house, often close to your air intake vents.
How long does a furnace filter last?
The thickness of the furnace filter makes a huge impact on the lifespan. Furnace filters that are 1-2” thick need to be replaced or cleaned every 1-3 months. Furnace filters that are 3-4” thick can last up to nine months before needing to be replaced . And a 6” furnace filter can last up to 12 months.
What is the MERV rating of an air filter?
The filtration level is noted as a MERV rating from 1 to 20. The higher the MERV number the more the AC air filter will be able to clear out of the air. AC air filters usually have a rating between 8-13 MERV.
How do return air filters work?
Both components clean air as it circulates through the home, removing contaminants before the air passes through the HVAC equipment to the rest of the house. Whenever your HVAC system is running, this process is happening.
What are the functions of air filters?
The primary functions of an AC air filter include: 1 Clears contaminants, allergens, bacteria, viral particles, dust, mites, and debris from the cooled air 2 Helps the AC system run efficiently 3 Protects the AC equipment from harmful contaminants
How many filters does a central air system have?
In most cases, your central air system uses 2 separate filters to adequately filter out unwanted particles, allergens, bacteria, and more. Since most people use the term “air filters” interchangeably with other terms like “ac filters” and “furnace filters,” there’s a misconception that they’re either the same thing, or in some instance, ...
How much does a fiberglass air filter cost?
Pleated, fiberglass AC air filters, which are recommended for most home AC systems, range in price from less than $6 up to $50 a piece. It all depends on the size, thickness and MERV rating.
What is a Furnace Filter?
A furnace filter is a small type of filter found in the furnace’s blower compartment. This filter is standard in homes where the heating and cooling systems are not integrated with the air systems. The furnace filters clean the heated air before circulation.
What is a Return Air Filter?
A return air filter is a type of air filtration device found in the slots at the return air vents in the house. The purpose of the return air filter is to protect the fragile HVAC system components by removing all the solid contaminants from the air.
What is the Difference Between Furnace Filter vs. Return Air Filter?
The main difference between a furnace filter and a return air filter lies in their location. Whereas a furnace filter is in the blower compartment of your furnace, the return air filter is located in a slot behind the return air vent. Both filters perform the primary air filtration function in the premises where they are installed.
Pros and Cons of Furnace Filter
It prevents airborne infections by removing allergens and bacteria from the air. Allergens can trigger an allergic reaction in some people who are sensitive to them. In addition, bacteria and other microorganisms may trigger airborne diseases and conditions in people if they are not removed from the air.
Pros and Cons of Return Air Filter
Some air filters capture small particles that cause odors in the home. For example, activated carbon air filters with high MERV ratings are excellent in capturing the tiny particles that cause odors from the house. Thus, such air filters ensure that the home is free of odors and comfortable.
Similarities Between Furnace Filter vs. Return Air Filter
Both furnace filters and air filters remove solid contaminants from the air in the room. The solid contaminants that the furnace filters or air filters can remove vary in size depending on the nature of the surface of the filters. Some of the most common contaminants include smoke, dust, and dander from pets.
In-Depth Comparison Between Furnace Filter vs. Return Air Filter
Some people refer to furnace filters and air filters as ‘whole house filters.’ This description is inaccurate because it assumes that a furnace filter and an air filter are the same things.
Is there any difference between the two filters?
Let us understand the importance of each filter and find out if they have the same or different functions in an HVAC system.
How to change your HVAC filter?
Ideally, you should check your furnace and air filters every month. If you have a high-efficiency furnace filter, check and replace the filter after every three months. During the months of heavy use, it is best to inspect your filters regularly and replace them every month.
What types of HVAC filters are available?
There are air filters with different specifications, technology, and functionality. However, they all perform the task of cleaning the air before circulating it into the environment.
Which filter should you buy?
Depending on the efficiency, cost, health benefits, and maintenance, you can buy any of these filters mentioned above. However, before you set out to buy an HVAC filter, check the size of your current filter.
Why are furnace filters important?
Because furnace filters play such a critical role in keeping indoor air clean, there’s an abundance of excellent brands. However, with so many possibilities, it’s easy to become confused or feel overwhelmed when trying to make the right selection.
What are the problems with a furnace filter?
Without the proper type and size of filter installed, you could expect a host of unpleasant issues, such as higher energy bills, poor airflow, inadequate heat, a damaged fan, and even an overheated furnace.
What is a HEPA filter?
Our Review: As a HEPA filter, this is perfect for people with breathing sensitivities. Installing an AIRx Health filter will make a dramatic difference in the air pushed out by your air-conditioning and heating unit. The filter traps smog, bacteria, dust, debris, mold, viruses, and various other respiratory irritants. It even captures extremely small particles that can negatively affect a person’s health.
How does a blower work?
With this option, a blower draws air into the cabinet that contains the breakers via a cold-air return. From there, the blower forces air through the heat exchanger, where electrically controlled heating elements heat the air. Next, blowers push the warm air through the ductwork and into the interior rooms.
How to heat a room to 75 degrees?
In other words, to heat a room to 75 degrees, you would set the thermostat to that number. In response, the thermostat sends a low-voltage signal to the furnace’s relay. Upon receiving the signal, a valve inside the furnace opens to allow natural gas to reach the burners. At the same time, the blowers begin to operate.
What is a gas furnace?
In other words, to heat a room to 75 degrees, you would set the thermostat to that number.
What is the blower delay in furnaces?
In older units, both the fans and burners or heating elements turned on simultaneously. That meant cool air pushed into the atmosphere before heated air. Feeling a blast of cold air before the warm air is an unpleasant experience. With this innovative design, warm air blows out immediately.
The First Place to Look
Second Place to Look – Inside The Furnace
- If you don’t see a guillotine door cut into the return drop next to your furnace, then it should be inside your furnace. Don’t worry, the hardest part of finding the filter if it’s inside your furnace is just taking the doors off the front of the furnace, and that’s not hard at all. Your furnace should have two doors on the front, one at the top and one at the bottom. Start by turning the knobs or …
Buying The Right Size Filters
- Now that you’ve found your air filter, just take out the old one and look at the size that’s printed on the cardboard frame of the filter. The most common sizes are 14×20, 16×20, 20×20, and 25×20. You will want to buy the correct size for your furnace, so make sure you buy the same size as the filter you removed from your furnace. Unless you have a...
Replacing The Filter
- Look at the cardboard frame on the filter, and you should see an arrow that indicates the direction of the airflow so you know how to orient the new air filter. The air flows through the return drop next to your furnace, and then through the filter before making its way into your furnace. All you need to remember is to make sure the arrow on the filter is pointing towards the inside of your f…