As heating and cooling season nears, many homeowners will soon be facing the task of finding, removing and replacing their furnace filter. This task is essential in maintaining optimal HVAC performance as the filter removes dust mites and allergens before returning into your home, improving indoor air quality.
Dirty filters can restrict air flow and force your system to work harder, decreasing efficiency and leading to expensive repair bills and decreased indoor comfort levels. To avoid these problems it is a good idea to change filters on a regular basis.
Not all homeowners understand how to remove and replace their filter correctly, some having difficulty finding it while others not knowing which kind they should buy. Either way, it is vital that you know where the filter can be found so you can do the task successfully and ensure a comfortable home.
Your heater filter location depends on the type of HVAC unit in your home. For vertical systems that draw air inward, its location could be in the bottom door of the blower compartment near to where cold air returns; otherwise it might be inside an air handler itself.
Locating your filter should be easy once you know what to look for. Start by turning off power to your system; locate and open up a service panel (this could be on a wall, ceiling or utility closet and may even have been marked with an arrow), slide out the old filter through its frame while noting its direction of airflow – an arrow should indicate this; ensure your new one matches this direction (perhaps writing this note on its outside with marker or sticky note can help!). Now remove old filter before installing new one with new one facing the same way on either frame!
Once you’ve removed the old filter, be sure to get one in its place of the same size for optimal air flow and trapping of debris before it enters essential HVAC components in your system. If unsure which size filter is appropriate for you, check the old one for its dimensions; these should be printed on its frame; otherwise use a tape measure to take precise measurements and purchase one that will fit perfectly. It is highly recommended to invest in high-efficiency filters, which are designed to capture more particulates than lower grade models.