Selecting the ideal furnace filter and changing it when it becomes dirty is as important to your HVAC system as changing the oil is to your car. Each plays a vital part in keeping its system running 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 limits airflow, which can damage your furnace and shorten its life span.
Making sure your furnace uses a clean filter that is suitable for your needs is not just about keeping your furnace working efficiently. It’s also about creating excellent indoor air quality for your household.
The quality of the air your family breathes is important to the heating pros at West Michigan Heating & Air Conditioning Services. We've long been dedicated to enhancing indoor air quality in Hudsonville. 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?
When Should I Replace My Furnace Air Filter?
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 work to move air through the plugged-up filter.
Officials recommend examining your furnace filter every 30 days and replacing it if it’s dirty. You’ll know if it is dirty because it will filled with dirt or dust. Homeowners who have pets that shed will likely need 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 normally located in the return air duct or blower compartment before the return air goes back into the furnace. This makes sure air flowing into the system is filtered before it moves through the furnace components and is heated.
Depending on the furnace brand, the filter may be located on the right, left, bottom or in some cases, inside the furnace. It's generally housed within a slot, frame or cabinet for convenient access and replacement. Always refer to your furnace's owner manual for facts about filter location of your particular brand and model of furnace.
Is a Furnace Filter the Same as an Air Filter?
The simple answer is, yes. In HVAC, a furnace filter and an air filter or AC filter are effectively the same thing. 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 home.
They each get rid of dust, allergens, bacteria and other contaminants from the air that is drawn into the furnace and air conditioning system, making certain the air distributed throughout your home is clean and safe.
What Is the MERV Rating System and What MERV Rating Should I Have?
Once you find 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 approach to 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 adequate indoor air quality without unnecessarily restricting airflow. However, people with specific health conditions might need a a higher MERV rating.
Where to Insert the Air Filter in a Furnace or Air Conditioning System
Positioning an air filter in a furnace or air conditioner properly is important for the efficient operation of the heating or cooling system. Air filters are supposed to face a certain direction, indicated by an arrow printed on the side of the filter frame. The filter should be installed 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 and then to the heat or cooling source. Therefore, make sure the arrow points at the furnace or air conditioning unit.
Many people struggle with which direction to point their air filter. To help remember, consider taking a picture with your mobile 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 be installed. A great time to do this is during a routine furnace maintenance call.
Changing Your Furnace's Air Filter
Changing the filter on your furnace or AC is a quick and easy process. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to take out a dirty air filter and swap it for a new one:
- Turn off your furnace: Make sure to turn off your furnace before starting up the process.
- Look for the furnace filter: Typically, the filter is located 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 clean filter to point similarly.
- Take out the old filter: Be careful 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.
- Slide in 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 correctly and close any latches or clips that hold it in the unit.
- Turn on your furnace: Once the clean filter is properly secured, you can turn your furnace back on.
Will a Dirty Air Filter Damage My Furnace?
The short answer is, yes, a dirty air filter can cause a furnace to stop working or shorten its lifespan. Changing your furnace or AC filter is one of the simplest things you can do to keep your system operating efficiently.
