Choosing the correct 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 function in keeping its system working safely, efficiently and for a long time.
An overused furnace filter loses its effectiveness, allowing potentially harmful particles to circulate through your home. It also restricts airflow, which can damage your furnace and shorten its life span.
Making certain your furnace uses a clean filter that is ideal for your needs is not only about keeping your furnace running efficiently. It’s also about delivering good indoor air quality for your home.
The quality of the air your family breathes is important to the HVAC specialists at Antonelli Comfort Solutions. We've long focused on enhancing indoor air quality in Newport. 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?
When to Replace the Air Filter in Your Furnace
It's important to replace dirty air filters in a furnace or air conditioner regularly. Dirty filters cause the system to worker harder than it should because it takes extra work to pull air through the plugged-up filter.
Officials recommend checking your furnace filter every month 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 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.
Locating Your 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 makes sure air flowing into the system is filtered before it moves through the furnace components and is heated.
Depending on the type of furnace, the filter may be located on the right, left, bottom or in some cases, within the furnace. It's usually housed within a slot, frame or cabinet for convenient access and replacement. Always refer to your furnace's owner manual for information about filter location of your 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 AC filter are effectively identical. While people may call them different things based on the current season— hot or cold—they are all filters that clean the air in your HVAC system.
They each get rid of dust, allergens, bacteria and other particulates from the air that is drawn into the furnace and air conditioning system, ensuring the air distributed throughout your home is clean and safe.
What Are MERV Ratings and What MERV Rating Should I Have?
Once you find your old furnace filter and figure out 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 is an abbreviation for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values. The MERV rating calculates the effectiveness of air filters at trapping airborne molecules. The rating scale ranges from 1 to 20, with greater numbers indicating a greater ability to filter small particles.
Experts say a filter with a MERV rating between 8 and 13 offers an ideal balance between having good indoor air quality without overly restricting airflow. However, people with some health conditions might need to use a filter with a higher MERV rating.
Which Way to Put the Air Filter in a Furnace or Air Conditioning System
Installing an air filter in a furnace or air conditioner correctly is necessary for the efficient operation of the unit. Air filters are supposed to face a specific direction, indicated by an arrow printed on the side of the filter frame. The filter should be placed in the unit with this arrow pointing at the furnace or air conditioning unit, which is the direction of the airflow. If you're doubtful 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, make certain the arrow points toward the furnace or air conditioning unit.
Many people struggle with 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 accurately 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 point. A perfect time to do this is during a routine furnace maintenance appointment.
How to Replace Your Furnace Air Filter
Replacing the filter on your furnace or air conditioning system is an easy process. Here is a step-by-step rundown of how to remove a dirty air filter and swap it for a new one:
- Turn off your furnace: Make sure to shut off your furnace before starting up the process.
- Locate the furnace filter: Typically, the filter is located 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 similarly.
- Slide out the old filter: Be diligent not to knock out any dust or particles.
- Note the date: Write down the date of replacement on the new filter's frame. This will help you keep track of when it's time for another replacement.
- 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 nicely and close any latches or clips that secure it in place.
- Turn on your furnace: Once the replacement filter is properly installed, 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 shorten its lifespan. Changing your furnace or air conditioner filter is one of the best things you can do to keep your system working effectively.
