I have a furnace built for a 25"x20"x5" filter. I've discovered these are *really* expensive compared to the 1" filters. Is there any strong reason not to use a 1" filter with some sort of space adapater in this application?
Internet searches on this have not resulted in any material articles. Any comments/suggestions appreciated!
Why not use the proper filter? An Aprilaire filter [5"] is an excellent filter, and should be changed annually at a minimum. [Honeywell also makes a similar filter.] A 1" filter is not as efficient in removing material from the air and at best should be changed monthly. To save a few bucks by using something that requires more changes, is less efficient, and ends up being "Mickey Moused" in seems less appealing to me.
How hard would it be to make some sort of adapter out of metal or wood to take up the difference? I don't see why you can't use a normal 1" filter instead of a 5" filter.
And if anything, I'd pass judgement on someone using the 5" filter as being overy paranoid or succeptable to marketing gimmicks.
I would keep the better filtering capability. Of course I have allergies.
You can use a cheap 1" filter. You likely should replace it more often and it will not provide a good a filtering job, but any good 1" filter will protect your furnace, which is the first reason for a filter. You will need to make some sort of adapter to hold it and fit the spot.
could he use 4 or 5 1" filters? :) less adapter needed then. (I say 4, since the packaging might not be exactly 1") the ones further from the front will have less particulate.
This may induce less flowrate if the 5" has the same amount of air resistance as 1 1" filter, though.
Buy the correct filters on ebay and save a bunch, there are even clones that work as well and cost less. I paid extra to get that filter installed with my new hvac unit and really don't mind even at $36 once a year, but can get them for 1/2 that on the bay of E though I may have to buy more than one to get that price.
ACTUALLY, there is a reason they are thicker. It's called a high efficiency filter. I paid extra for that thick housing on mine. There's a reason. Use the proper filter and quit being a cheap skate.
Perhaps you could use 5 of the 1" variety, and cycle them (replace the front one and add a new one to the back whenever the pack needs refreshing).
Not good. The additional air resistance could damage your air handler.
That assumes there IS "additional air resistance." I don't think that has been demonstrated.
While it would depend on the specific filters, I is a very good bet it would increase the resistance unless you were using some very cheap poor quality filters, and maybe even for those.
Using 5, 1" filters wont work, you wont have enough air pass and will overheat your furnace and get little air. A 5" media lasts, allows much less 1st time pollutant pass through. Use what its designed for a 5" unit.
I built a wooden frame that fit in my 5 inch media slot and which accepted standard one inch media.
The problem with 5 inch is that it "looks" dirty just as fast as one inch and nobody will tell you "for certain" how long you should use the filter before replacing and the HVAC crowd is always warning us about not letting the filter get too clogged. Well if you don't have a pressure meter how do you tell this?
With a three to five dollar one inch filter I can take the attitude "if in doubt replace it". That gets pretty expensive with five inch media. The stuff that came in my furnace was over forty dollars a pop.
My April Air media lasts over 1 year, your 1-5$ thing will be inferior in operation. I cant believe anybody would even consider doing what you plan. Your furnace -AC coil is what you are trying to protect to not loose efficiency from crapping it up. You have a superior system , use it.
The thing about the 5" filters is that they start at roughly the same back pressure as a good 3M filter, but load up VERY slowly because of the VAST increase in surface area.
The 3M will be excessively loading the fan in under 90 days, in many cases, under 30 days, costs $15-$20 and has to be replaced 4 or more times a year.
The 5"filter won't get to the same back pressure as the 3M for 9 months to 12 months or longer.
Spend $45 once a year and trap more dirt and let your furnace run more efficiently, or spend $80 a year...
Build a meter?
Buy: two or three feet of clear vinyl tubing (small diameter) two fittings for tubing to threaded (bulkhead fittings would be best, but more costly)
mount both fittings into sheet metal duct work, one on each side of filter -- upstream and downstream air flow. (Idea is that air handler can suck air thru them.) Make sure fittings are close enough together that tubing will hang down in a loose loop between them.
Fill tubing about 1/4 to 1/2 way with water. (Could add some food coloring to make the level easier to see.)
Connect both ends of tubing to fittings. (Easiest with air handler OFF.)
Note water level (might want to mark it) with air handler off. It should be equal on both legs.
Note water level with air handler on. With even a clean filter the legs will likely now be offset a little bit (downstream leg higher).
Water will move closer and closer to the downstream side of the filter as filter restriction increases. Too much restriction and you will have to refill the tube. :) (If you can find a little floating ball that will just barely freely fit inside the tubing, put it in the downstream side and it will prevent most of the water sucking out. Another ball on the upstream side makes it easy to see water levels.)
sdb
That's a pretty good idea really. Although if you didn't want to mess with water and such I think you could do the same with a couple of cheap barometers one on each side.
The advantage to the water-in-tube approach, is it is self-calibrating and balancing for filter restriction. A pair of cheap barometers might work, but there may be issues...
1) how do you attach them to measure the ductwork? Look for ones that have a fitting for tubing on their pressure bubble, and you'll still need the tubing fittings in your ductwork. 2) Look at all the cheap barometers in the store. Pick two that read the same. Suprising how many don't. :( Or just use one. 3) What range and precision will they read? We only need relative accuracy, but we need moderately high precision at one end of a large offset from ambient pressure in order see the effect of filter restriction.sdb
Or -
Honeywell sells a "filter" change meter. [It is a simple "flag" meter that attaches to the return air plenum.] By measuring the static it can be adjusted to "flag" when the draw becomes excessive. Cute little gadget.
Sounds interesting. Couldn't find it. Have a link?
sdb
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