Everybody says to inspect your furnace filters, but they don't say what to look for. On the TV news they always say it, then show a filter that is completely clogged. Obviously they should be replaced before that. So what should I look for to decide if I need to replace them. I have been replacing them every 3 months, but when I do I can barely tell the difference between the old ones and the new ones.
Bill
If they are conventional filters, you can see dirt, they look darker than a new one. Mine can easily go more than a year. It depends how dusty your environment is, if you have pets, etc. If you can barely tell the difference, you're probably changing them too often. The typical 1" thick fiberglass type is almost worthless. It will hopefully stop some stuff, but to do any kind of reasonable trapping, you need one of the 4" thick ones or an electrostatic.
We buy the cheap(est) -- DIRT cheapest! -- filters and try to replace them monthly. We tend to have a fair bit of dust/dirt from the climate in which we live so they get "visibly dirty" pretty quickly.
Our thinking is that it's easier to remember to do something (trivial) every month than to keep track of N month intervals.
I don't know if 4" filter would fit on my furnace. At a minimum, some tin snips would be required.
I have something very similar to this, where the filter slips into a 1" slot in that space just above the left hand edge of the red & white label.
The old furnace had a huge blower on the right hand side of the unit so that is where the cold air returns are. When the new furnace was installed, the cold air returns were just extended down to the floor and branched over to the furnace, just like in that picture. It would take some duct-work work to get a bigger filter in there someplace.
I use a 3 layered, reusable, washable filter that I blow out with a leaf blower about once a month. I blast it with the blower in the opposite direction of the air-flow arrow and watch the dust fly. I also take it apart and wash the foam sheets at least once a year.
I listen for the sound to change.
As the filter loads up and air resistance increases, the sound from the return area gets higher pitched. Then I change them.
I write on my kitchen calendar to check and change filters every 3 months. No problem keeping track of when to do this.
Do you check air filter in your car? Likewise see it against light or sun.
Our filter is 16x25x5 pleated. I stick with MERV 10 rated. replace every
6 month. I buy them 6 in a box. Costs approx. 100.00. some times I use electronic filter turning it on.
And when to fertilize the citrus trees, when to change the batteries in the smoke detectors, when the roof needs to be repainted, when the swamp cooler pads need to be serviced, etc.
We find it easier to just put things in very regular schedules: e.g., instead of fertilizing three times/year (as recommended), we fertilize monthly; cooler gets serviced at end of season with pads replaced (instead of waiting for the pads to *need* to be replaced); smoke detector batteries on New Years Eve; roof gets 20% serviced each year -- instead of once every 5 years; etc.
As there is just the wife and I here and we never open the windows we do about the same thing. Buy the ones that come in a pack of 4 or 5 for around $ 5. That is only about $ 10 to $ 15 every year. We change them on the odd months and they never look dirty. Had the coils cleaned after about 8 years and the man said the inside ones did not need it, but did it anyway as it was part of the required job.
This is with a heat pump in the middle of NC so it runs most of the year, heating or cooling.
The 4" type go into a filter holder that's between the return plenum and the furnace and it's designed to accept them. It's similar idea to where an electrostatic type filter would go. You couldn't put a 4" one into my furnace either, all it will accept is the minimal 1" type. Not sure if it's 4" or maybe
5", but whatever it's the larger, pleated type.
It's entirely a judgement call. Hard to give any exact figures over the internet. Trust your own judgement.
- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .
Filter"s" (plural)
I wonder how many people don't even know that there is a cabin air filter in their car.
I have bought 4 used cars in the past three years (3 in the past 12 months) and everyone of them had a fairly clean engine compartment filter but a cabin filter that was black and filled with leaves, bees and other debris.
That was my point. If I want to "upgrade" to a 4" filter, I would have to design my own filter holder. It could be done (it's just duct-work work) but I'm not going to do it.
Partly because they don't know it is there and partly because it is very hard to replace. Mine is coming up for replacement and it is a hassle. In my car I have to pull the glove box out of the dash to get the filter out of its holder. Whenever I get the oil changed they always show me a really bad cabin filter and ask if I want to replace mine. I know the one they show me is not the one out of my car, because they wouldn't pull it out and I don't figure it is as bad as the one they show me. At least it wasn't the last time I replaced it. They don't say that it is my filter, they just suggest replacing it.
Bill
What kind of fuel are you burning?
In my house. actually original filter was Honeywell electronic. 16x25x5 pleated fit perfect in it's place. I alternate between pleated, or electronic one.(cleaned in DW)
For some cars replacing cabin filter is a PITA. Lucky all our cars, it is very easy. Just drop the glove box and there it is. For engine air filter, I use reusable K&N filter which is washed and oiled every
12 months.
Or intake plenum feeds the bottom of the furnace -- so, the ~1" slot determines the maximum thickness for the filter. We tried pleated HEPA filters, etc. and didn't notice any difference -- other than the money we paid for them!
Here, the heating season is relatively short. ACbrrr runs for at least 7 mos "full time" (April - Oct) if we exploit night air for the early and late portions of the cooling season (e.g., our nighttime lows are still high 70's with 100 during daytime -- though that should start to drop to low 90's in a week or two)
er in their car.
ths) and everyone of them had a fairly clean engine compartment filter but a cabin filter that was black and filled with leaves, bees and other debris .
On an 04 Honda Odyssey, you not only have to remove the glove box, which re quires removing a kick panel under the dash, but you actually have to *cut* out a plastic brace that runs across the front of dash behind the glove bo x.
Yep, the first time the cabin filter is changed you have to use a Dremel or tin snips to remove a 2" x 12" piece of plastic which then gives you acces s to a metal bar that also has to be removed. Talk about a PITA!
Similar to the 2 (usually seized) screws that hold the rotors on, the plast ic brace is there only to make the van easier to put together at the factor y. It provides lateral support for the dash during installation, but blocks access to the cabin air filter.
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