Choosing the ideal 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 vital role in keeping its system operating safely, efficiently and for a long time.
An overused furnace filter loses its effectiveness, allowing potentially harmful particles to flow through your home. It also limits airflow, which can damage your furnace and decrease its life span.
Making certain your furnace uses a clean filter that is appropriate for your needs is not only about keeping your furnace operating efficiently. It’s also about providing healthy indoor air quality for your residence.
The quality of the air your family breathes is important to the heating and cooling pros at J.L. Brady Company LLC. We've long been dedicated to improving indoor air quality in Moline. 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 vital 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 force air through the plugged-up filter.
Officials advise checking your furnace filter every month and replacing it if it’s dirty. You’ll know if the filter needs to be changed because it will filled with dirt or dust. Those who have pets will very likely need 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 installed in the return air duct or blower compartment before the return air reaches the furnace. This is so air entering the system is filtered before it goes through the furnace components and is heated.
Depending on the furnace model, the filter may be positioned on the right, left, bottom or in some cases, within the furnace. It's usually housed in a slot, frame or cabinet for simple access and replacement. Always refer to your furnace's owner manual for important information regarding filter location of the furnace in your home.
Is a Furnace Filter the Same as an Air Filter?
The straightforward answer is, yes. In HVAC, a furnace filter and an air filter or air conditioner filter are effectively identical. While people may call them different things based on the current season— summer or winter—they are all filters that clean the air in your HVAC system.
They each get rid of dust, allergens, bacteria and other contaminants from the air that is drawn into the furnace and air conditioning system, ensuring the air circulating throughout your home is clean and safe.
What Is a MERV Rating and What Rating Is Best for Me?
Once you track down your old furnace filter and determine when it should be replaced, it’s time to pick a replacement. That means determining the level of filtration that you need. One method to do this is by choosing an appropriate MERV rating for your needs.
MERV is short 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 higher numbers indicating enhanced capabilities 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 needlessly restricting airflow. However, people with some health conditions may need to use a filter with a higher MERV rating.
How to Place the Air Filter in a Furnace or AC Unit
Positioning an air filter in a furnace or air conditioner properly is important for the efficient operation of the unit. Air filters are designed to be installed in a certain direction, indicated by an arrow printed on the side of the filter frame. The filter should be installed with this arrow pointing in the direction of the furnace or air conditioner, which is the direction of the airflow. If you're not sure 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 are confused by which direction to face an air filter. To help remember, consider snapping a quick photo with your cellular phone after the filter has been properly 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 be installed. A great time to ask about this is during a routine furnace maintenance appointment.
Changing Your Furnace's Air Filter
Switching out the filter on your furnace or AC is a quick and 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 sure to shut off your furnace before starting the process.
- Locate the furnace filter: Typically, the filter is positioned in 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 in the same direction.
- Take out the old filter: Be diligent not to knock out any dust or dirt.
- Document the date: Write down the date of replacement on the new filter's frame. This will make it easier to keep track of when it's time for another replacement.
- 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 dirty filter you just removed.
- Secure the filter: Make sure the new filter fits correctly and close any latches or clips that hold it in the compartment.
- Turn on your furnace: Once the new filter is safely secured, you can turn your furnace back on.
Will a Dirty Air Filter Cause a Furnace Not to Work?
The shortest answer is, yes, a dirty air filter can cause a furnace to stop working or reduce its lifespan. Changing your furnace or air conditioning filter is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your system operating correctly.
