Filter changing

[47WDXPW]

How much "color" should be on a filter for your home to indicate its needing changing ? Or what's the best method ?

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

If it's a,standard 1"pleated filter they're cheap emough,when in doubt toss it.

 

[CGT80]

You are supposed to change or clean those things?
















That reminds me that I am way overdue to clean the reusable filter on my unit.......probably would have been easier to just use throw away filters but I recall it being a bit of an odd size and that is why I bought the reusable.

My cousin had me check out the overheating problem on her honda civic. It needs a head gasket and possibly a valve job. I asked if it used any oil and if it was low when she checks it.........nope, she doesn't check the oil, just has it changed every two months since she drives a lot. The shop says it is never low when they change it. Well, I never check the oil level before I change my own and why would the shop? Some people are clueless, and some at least know to ask for help with preventive maintenance.

 

[kd3pc]

I change mine every 6 months, and have yet to "see" much change from used to new.

Cheap enough to replace for me.

They do make a whistle, about the size of a silver dollar, that will insert in to the filter element and whistle when the air flow is reduced to the point of clogging.

 

[larry_g]

If you can see daylight through it it is still working.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[47WDXPW]

Thanks guys.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I change mine every month on the first, Filter are just too cheap.

 

[kckndrgn]

I change mine every month on the first, Filter are just too cheap.

Guess it depends on the filter. Mine are $45.00 each, and I have 2 of them. They are HEPA filters. I change them once a year. I do swap the filters at 6 months, one side has more airflow than the other so swapping helps to extend the life of the filter.

 

[Gila Monster]

I go with the cheap fiberglass ones, but I stopped changing them monthly as there seemed to hardly be anything on them and it just seemed wasteful.

I go like every 2-3 months and even then I think there's plenty of life. I don't have pets though.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I go with the cheap fiberglass ones, but I stopped changing them monthly as there seemed to hardly be anything on them and it just seemed wasteful.

I go like every 2-3 months and even then I think there's plenty of life. I don't have pets though.

That's because anything smaller than a baseball blows right through the fiberglass filters.

 

[larry4406]

My house has the 1" thick filters. I change them every 30-45 days.

The houses I build have MERV 8 5" deep media filters. HVAC contractor recommends these be changed twice a year. Once for cooling and once for heating.

 

[PelicanPines]

Five 1" filters... Every three months.

Trust me when I say... they need to be changed when I do...

My wife and I joke... "we manufacture dirt"... plus I shed a lot.

 

[larry_g]

Mine get dirty quite fast so I rotate them once before I change them. Kinda like my undershorts, I can get two uses out of them if on the second day I turn them inside out..

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Ohmthis]

A lot depends on the environment, smoking, pets and what type, even outside area (rural, suburbs, city, ranch, you get the idea), how tight the house is, what type of filter, size of the filter, and what is done inside the house. Most recommend every month, but I have seen some that looks almost new after a few months. I replaced one and two weeks later, it looked like it was in there for a year. My advice is to use a decent pleated filter and check it every month. Even though it isn't discolored doesn't mean it isn't dirty. Take it outside and tap (not beat) it to see what comes out. If it leaves a dusty, dirty spot on what ever surface you tapped it on, replace it.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Our hvac guy recommended the cheapest filters you can get. He said high filtering pleated filters put too much strain on the ac

Idk wether I believe him or not. Dad did though. We change out 10 every month

 

[James-W]

I don't use the cheap filters and I don't use the really expensive ones either. I get the mid-range price filters and I check the filter each month. If the filter is getting fairly dirty, I replace it. If not, then I wait another month and check it again.

 

[toyotadriver]

I replace my filters every 6 months or so. We have a clean house so even at 6 months they aren't very dirty.

 

[TractorJeff]

One inch thick pleated style, no more than 90 days, they will show a film of dust or hair on them.
Daughters house has the Five inch ones and all the research recommends every 6 months verses the 1 year the manufacturer recommends.
My "new" Thermostat actually flashes "Filter Change" every 500 hours. If that means anything?
When we moved in here, they had non-functioning electrostatic filters, I had the ducts cleaned and it made a big difference in the air quality. Just do the research, then talk to the HVAC company to be sure they are on the same track. Then be there to watch the employees to make sure they do it to your "researched knowledge" and not cut corners!
How often do you change the air filter in your car?

 

[PoorOwner]

I had a policy to change out every 3 months for tenants and this is not frequent enough.
It was dark grey like a car air filter. Seems to me most renters can afford to run the AC 24/7 so that was a lot of hours than what I use myself in 3 years.

Like a car filter you don't want the dust to make it though and get the coil dirty. Although most filters fitment are leaky. I take time to seal up the edges with foil tape if I can. So it takes a bit longer to change out.

 

[bd8134]

I designed my house ac to use filters in the air return grills. Why collect dust all the way in your ducts and just have a single filter at the evaporator. I have my ac fan on most of the summer moving the air and filtering. When the "change filter" warning comes up, I generally clean the filters the first time and replace them the next time. I use the more expensive electrostatic higher merv filters.
In my garage I fitted 2 large filter grills, mostly over where the bench is and where I work using the same style of filters I use in my house. I turn the ac fan on when I am in the garage so it is filtering the air. The filters whistle before the filter warning comes up. I might clean them twice before replacing them. They do a great job keeping the welding fumes and overall air cleaner.

 

[James-W]

I designed my house ac to use filters in the air return grills. Why collect dust all the way in your ducts and just have a single filter at the evaporator. I have my ac fan on most of the summer moving the air and filtering. When the "change filter" warning comes up, I generally clean the filters the first time and replace them the next time. I use the more expensive electrostatic higher merv filters.
In my garage I fitted 2 large filter grills, mostly over where the bench is and where I work using the same style of filters I use in my house. I turn the ac fan on when I am in the garage so it is filtering the air. The filters whistle before the filter warning comes up. I might clean them twice before replacing them. They do a great job keeping the welding fumes and overall air cleaner.

I like this idea in that it should help keep the dust level down, but at the same time I am not so sure it is a good idea. What I mean is, every time you introduce another fine mesh filter into the system, you would be restricting the air flow, especially as they start to get dirty. I am not in the HVAC business so I can only speak as a consumer on this, but I would tend to think extra filters may be a double edged sword.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

That's because anything smaller than a baseball blows right through the fiberglass filters.

Sounds like you've seen people use -16 MERV Horrible Freight filters, too...

Tommy

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Sounds like you've seen people use -16 MERV Horrible Freight filters, too...

Tommy

 

[bd8134]

I like this idea in that it should help keep the dust level down, but at the same time I am not so sure it is a good idea. What I mean is, every time you introduce another fine mesh filter into the system, you would be restricting the air flow, especially as they start to get dirty. I am not in the HVAC business so I can only speak as a consumer on this, but I would tend to think extra filters may be a double edged sword.

I only have filters at the returns, no filter at the evaporator, no point as the air is filtered before it enters the ac ductwork. My garage has x2 24x30 filters, my house x2 14x25 and 2 12x12 with duct work to match. They are both variable speed fans / 2 stage compressors and the fan speed steps up if the filters are real dirty, never in the house but I clean the garage filters when they whistle.
I designed my ac units this way and are very quiet, YMMV.

 

[Falcon67]

2" filters here, changed first of the month.

 

[ezriderga]

My A/C has two returns that use 1" filter. I pick them up at local supply shop for a couple bucks a piece and change them out every 6 months. Even then they are not very dirty.

 

[rburke65]

How much "color" should be on a filter for your home to indicate its needing changing ? Or what's the best method ?

Ok....educate me.....exactly what are we talking about here. My home does not have a filter. I've never heard of a "home" filter. Of what are we talking about.?

 

[pablo94sc]

Anything above MERV 7 is pretty much a waste for residential use. I change mine every three months or so, depending on usage. If it's a very mild spring or fall with mostly the windows open, I'll extend the cycle, or decrease if it's running non-stop like in the summer months.

Note: Just because you can see daylight through it doesn't mean it's still good to use.

 

[6768rogues]

As the filter gets dirty it filters better. The spaces where air can pass through get smaller and it will filter better until it gets to the point where it is restrictive. Therefore, I only change mine when it is dirty.

 

[bonneyman]

Some good advice here.

My professional opinion:

#1 - I use pleated, MERV 8 filters. If you have a noise or restricted airflow problems go to a MERV 7 pleat. (This will most likely be on units less than 10 years old. The higher the SEER rating of the unit, the more susceptible it is to airflow issues).

#2 - I spray Endust on my filters before putting them in. Makes the dust mop catch more dirt, it'll make the filter catch more dirt. It works, is inexpensive, and has already been tested around humans. Within a couple of days the electrostatic effect will wear off, but - as has been already mentioned - the filter will automatically start catching more dirt as it becomes "loaded".

#3 - Change the filter at an interval of one month per inch. A standard 1 inch filter should be changed every month. Do it when the electric bill comes in - they never forget to tell you it's that time of the month.

#4 - Even the best filters in the world changed religiously don't catch everything. Some stuff will still get through and accumulate on the evap coil. So don't skimp on the yearly services and getting the coils cleaned by a professional.

 

[Mr. Tool]

I change out the filter in my home AC every month, either at the beginning or at the end of the month.

 

[mrpizza]

You guys saying rotate the filter, are you just turning the dirty side in?

If so, why?

 

[AndyCBR]

This topic is another one like the what oil is best threads but I'll share my experience.

Best decision I ever made was getting a 5" whole house pre filter installed on my new equipment a few years ago. I keep a fiberglass (aka rock catcher) in each of the return grilles just to quiet down the return but it is shocking how much dirt gets past these mesh fiberglas filters. The 5" pleated filter at the unit I change every 6 months.

When I go to clean the indoor coils annually they appear as new.

I guess you can duplicate these results with 1" pleated filters at each return but it seems most don't change those often enough.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I only have filters at the returns, no filter at the evaporator, no point as the air is filtered before it enters the ac ductwork. My garage has x2 24x30 filters, my house x2 14x25 and 2 12x12 with duct work to match. They are both variable speed fans / 2 stage compressors and the fan speed steps up if the filters are real dirty, never in the house but I clean the garage filters when they whistle.
I designed my ac units this way and are very quiet, YMMV.

Did you use internally insulated duct? If so, you need a filter at the air handler...


Tommy

 

[Falcon67]

Our house was filtered at the return - problem was that was a large air box with the air handler sitting on it. And the builder didn't bother to seal up the box, so over the years it pulled **** in from everywhere under the plates, from the house garage and down the stud cavities from the attic. When we moved in, I changed it to a filter under the air handler and then insulated and sealed up the plenum - stays pretty clean in there now.

 

[lakeroadster]

How much "color" should be on a filter for your home to indicate its needing changing ? Or what's the best method ?

Ok....educate me.....exactly what are we talking about here. My home does not have a filter. I've never heard of a "home" filter. Of what are we talking about.?

I was a bit confused also. I just changed the filter in my home water supply line about an hour ago and thought this thread was about a water filter...

Air Filter / Water Filter: Both useful items, hardly interchangeable.

For forced air HVAC systems they make a small round whistle that installs in the cartridge. It cost less than $1.50 Here's a link: Furnace Air Filter Whistle N9150

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A clean filter allows air to move more freely through the filter material. As time progresses, dirt and dust build up, forcing more air through the filter whistle. The build-up leads to a steady, audible sound produced by the whistle. The sound alerts you that it is time to have the filter changed.

Once the dirty filter has been removed, the furnace filter whistles can be reattached to the new one. Make it a priority to regularly change the filters results in increased efficiency of the heating and cooling system, which can extend the life of the units as well as save money on energy costs.