Choosing the right furnace filter and changing it when it is dirty is as important to your HVAC system as changing the oil is to your car. Each plays a critical part in keeping its system operating safely, efficiently and for a long time.
A clogged furnace filter loses its effectiveness, allowing potentially harmful particles to move through your home. It also slows airflow, which can damage your furnace and shorten its life span.
Making sure your furnace uses a clean filter that is ideal for your needs is not only about keeping your furnace operating efficiently. It’s also about delivering good indoor air quality for your residence.
The health of your family is important to the heating specialists at Assured Appliance & Heating & Air. We've long focused on bettering indoor air quality in Genoa. Here, we’ve answered common questions about HVAC filters, including that particularly tricky question of what direction do you point a filter in your furnace or air conditioner?
How Often to Replace the Air Filter in a Furnace
Experts stress it's critical to replace dirty air filters in a furnace or air conditioner regularly. Soiled filters cause the system to worker harder than it should because it takes extra effort to move air through the plugged-up filter.
Officials advise inspecting your furnace filter monthly and replacing it if it’s dirty. You’ll know if your filter needs changing because it will be gray or black from dirt or dust. People who have pets that shed will very likely want to replace their furnace air filter more often, because a good air filter will trap pet hair circulating in a home.
How to Find the Furnace's Air Filter
In general, a furnace air filter is usually found in the return air duct or blower compartment before the return air reaches the furnace. This ensures air flowing into the system is filtered before it goes through the furnace components and is heated.
Depending on the type of furnace, the filter may be positioned on the right, left, bottom or in some cases, on the inside of the furnace. It's generally housed in a slot, frame or cabinet for convenient access and replacement. Always refer to your furnace's owner manual for important information concerning filter location of your particular brand and model of furnace.
Is My Furnace Filter Just a Type of Air Filter?
The straightforward answer is, yes. In HVAC, a furnace filter and an air filter or air conditioning filter are essentially identical. While they might be called different things based on the current season— warm or chilly months—they are all filters that clean the air in your HVAC system.
They each remove dust, allergens, bacteria and other particulates from the air that is drawn into the furnace and air conditioning system, making sure the air flowing through your home is clean and safe.
What Are MERV Ratings and What Rating Is Best for Me?
Once you find your old furnace filter and determine when it should be substituted for a clean one, it’s time to select a replacement. That means picking the level of filtration that you need. One approach to this is by picking an appropriate MERV rating for your needs.
MERV is short for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. The MERV rating indicates the effectiveness of air filters at trapping airborne particles. The rating scale ranges from 1 to 20, with greater numbers indicating a greater ability to filter tinier particles.
Experts say a filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 13 offers an appropriate balance between having good indoor air quality without unnecessarily restricting airflow. However, people with specific health conditions might need to purchase a filters with a higher MERV rating.
How to Place the Air Filter in a Furnace or Air Conditioning System
Putting an air filter in a furnace or air conditioner correctly is necessary for the efficient operation of the heating or cooling system. Air filters are supposed to face a particular direction, indicated by an arrow located on the side of the filter frame. The filter should be placed in the unit with this arrow pointing at the furnace or AC, which is the direction of the airflow. If you're unsure about the airflow direction, it may be helpful to remember that air always moves from the return duct to the heat or cooling source. Therefore, be sure that the arrow points toward the furnace or air conditioner.
Many people have difficulty remembering which direction to point their system's air filter. To help remember, consider taking a quick picture with your cellular phone after the filter has been correctly installed by a professional. Or, you also could ask a technician to use a marker to write on the outside of your furnace which direction the filter should go. A perfect time to ask about this is during a regular furnace maintenance visit.
How to Replace Your Furnace Air Filter
Changing the filter on your furnace or air conditioning system is an easy process. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to retreive a dirty air filter and exchange it for a new one:
- Turn off your furnace: Be sure to switch off your furnace before starting up the process.
- Find the furnace filter: Typically, the filter is positioned within the furnace or in the air return vent. Make note of which direction the arrow points on the filter, because you’ll want the arrow on the clean filter to point the same way.
- Slide out the old filter: Be mindful not to knock out any dust or debris.
- Note the date: Write down the date you changed filters on the new filter's frame. This will help your family keep track of when it's time for you to change it again.
- Insert new filter: Put in the new filter with the arrow pointing toward the furnace, which is the direction of airflow and should be the same direction the arrow pointed on the old filter you are replacing.
- Secure the filter: Make sure the new filter fits nicely and close any latches or clips that lock it in place.
- Turn on your furnace: Once the new filter is safely in place, you can turn your furnace back on.
Will a Dirty Air Filter Cause Problems for a Furnace?
The simple answer is, yes, a dirty air filter can cause a furnace to cease working or limit its lifespan. Changing your furnace or air conditioner filter is one of the best things you can do to keep your system working correctly.
