A Little Air Filter Care Goes a Long Way

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WHAT KIND OF FILTERS TO GET AND HOW OFTEN TO CHANGE THEM

One of the most daunting appliances homeowners feel they have to deal with is their furnace. It spits out hot and cool air no less but during times when it doesn’t work efficiently or doesn’t work at all – things can get harrowing. That’s why maintaining your furnace is key in keeping costs down and making sure the unit operates at maximum efficiency.

There are two things you can do that will largely impact the life of your furnace; the type of filters you use and the frequency with which you change them.

What Kind of Air Filters Should I Be Using?

When you shop for air filters you will notice that there is a wide variety available. In my nearly 30 years of experience in this industry, when it comes to the type of filter to use I have consistently recommended the 1” inch filter that is made with a part paper and part fabric-like material (think: coffee filter). You can buy a variety of media but this one works best.

Looking at one of these as you can see in my video above, you will notice that one side features the filter (folded accordion style) and is housed in a light cardboard frame. The other side has a layer of reinforcement in between the filter media itself and the cardboard outer layer. The purpose of this reinforcement is to support the back of the filter as it holds up against air flow as it comes out of the furnace, through the side with a metal housing. Keeping this in mind, when you install your filter, the part with the wire will go along the furnace whereas the side of the filter that has only the paper/fabric media goes in the filter track toward the duct side.

Filters are manufactured with varying levels of particle absorption and my recommendation for most at-home furnace units is the MERV 8 rating. Here’s a great article that explains the MERV rating system and how it relates to the level of efficiency you’ll get out of your filter.

Depending on the type of furnace you have and how the filter receptacle is set up, you may be able to install a thicker filter such as one that is as thick as 4” or even 2 or 3 inches thick. The benefit of these is that they last longer though they typically do cost a little more.

How Often Should I Change My Air Filter?

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a filter is how much use you can get out of it. A factor mentioned above was its thickness. Another thing to consider are the conditions of the environment where the furnace is located. If there are one or more pets, there is an increased likelihood for a filter needing to be changed sooner. The important thing is to have one that is not too restrictive of airflow and one that works well for your family’s needs.

For thicker filters in homes with average usage, I recommend changing them every month in high-use seasons (summertime or deep winter). For off seasons where there is a significantly less amount of usage on the furnace, I would change them once every two or three months.
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I hope this information was useful for you and I thank you for visiting my blog! Join me next time, when I cover how to clean your outdoor condenser. If you have any questions or would like us to come out and take a look at any heating and air conditioning concerns you may have, we invite you to contact us today at 402.290.0896.