Choosing the right furnace filter and changing it when it gets 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 working safely, efficiently and for a long time.
An overused 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.
Ensuring your furnace uses a clean filter that is ideal for your needs is not just about keeping your furnace running efficiently. It’s also about creating good indoor air quality for your residence.
The health of your family is important to the heating professionals at Miller Climate Control LLC. We've long worked with an eye on bettering indoor air quality in Georgetown. Here, we’ve answered frequent questions about HVAC filters, including that especially 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
It is important 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 more energy to pull air through the plugged-up filter.
Officials recommend examining your furnace filter every month and replacing it if it’s dirty. You’ll know if your filter needs changing because it will filled with dirt or dust. Homeowners who have pets will probably want to replace their furnace air filter more often, because an effective 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 located in the return air duct or blower compartment before the return air reaches the furnace. This makes sure air being pulled into the system is filtered before it passes through the furnace components and is heated.
Depending on the type of furnace, the filter may be found on the right, left, bottom or in some cases, inside the furnace. It's typically housed within a slot, frame or cabinet for simple access and replacement. Always refer to your furnace's owner manual for information concerning filter location of the furnace in your home.
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 AC filter are basically the same. While people might refer to them differently based on the current season— summer or winter—they are all filters that clean the air in your residence.
They each remove dust, allergens, bacteria and other contaminants from the air that is drawn into the furnace and air conditioning system, ensuring the air flowing through your home is clean and safe.
What Is the MERV Rating System and What MERV Rating Should I Have?
Once you locate your old furnace filter and determine when it should be replaced, it’s time to select a replacement. That means picking the level of filtration that you need. One method to do this is by selecting an appropriate MERV rating for your needs.
MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. The MERV rating calculates the effectiveness of air filters at trapping airborne contaminants. The rating scale ranges from 1 to 20, with bigger numbers indicating the power to filter small particles.
Experts say a filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 13 offers an appropriate balance between having adequate indoor air quality without needlessly restricting airflow. However, people with specific health conditions may need a a higher MERV rating.
Which Way to Put the Air Filter in a Furnace or AC Unit
Positioning an air filter in a furnace or air conditioner properly is necessary for the efficient operation of the system. Air filters have a particular direction, indicated by an arrow written on the side of the filter frame. The filter should be placed in the unit with this arrow pointing toward the furnace or air conditioner, which is the direction of the airflow. If you're unsure about the airflow direction, remember that air always moves from the return duct towards the heat or cooling source. Therefore, make sure the arrow points in the direction of the furnace or air conditioning unit.
Many people are confused by which direction to point their system's air filter. To help remember, consider taking a quick picture with your cell 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 great time to do this is during a scheduled furnace maintenance call.
Changing Your Furnace's Air Filter
Switching out the filter on your furnace or AC is an easy process. Here is a step-by-step rundown of how to retreive a dirty air filter and swap it for a new one:
- Turn off your furnace: Make a point to shut off your furnace before beginning the process.
- Look for the furnace filter: Typically, the filter is positioned inside the furnace or in the air return vent. Make a mental note or write down which direction the arrow points on the filter, because you’ll want the arrow on the replacement filter to point in the same direction.
- Slide out the old filter: Be careful not to knock out any dust or debris.
- Note the date: Write down the date you replaced the filter on the new filter's frame. This will help your family keep track of when it's time for the next change.
- Slide in new filter: Put in the new filter with the arrow pointing in the direction of the furnace, which is the direction of airflow and should be the same direction the arrow pointed on the dirty filter you just removed.
- Secure the filter: Make sure the new filter fits securely and close any latches or clips that hold it in the unit.
- Turn on your furnace: Once the replacement filter is safely in place, you can turn your furnace back on.
Will a Dirty Air Filter Damage My Furnace?
The simple answer is, yes, a dirty air filter can cause a furnace to cease working or shorten its lifespan. Changing your furnace or air conditioner filter is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your system running effectively.
