I change my filter every 30 days in winter. In the summer they don't get dirty as quick running air conditioner. I just turn my thermostat down and wait until unit shuts off and in a couple of minutes i change out the filter. I've never shut the main power off to do it
We live at a high traffic street and the usual SW winds blow road dust at the house so the filter gets dirty more often than in the winter when using the AC . We have had two very mild winters so the furnace runs less and no need to change the filter as much . I use both MV6 and the 'angel hair' .
When I had the 1 inch filters on my old furnace, I used to put a loop on the top with duct tape to create a little handle like one of yours had on the video. Made it so much easier.
I love this incredibly short, informative to the point, easy to understand video. I have been doing most of what was suggested, and will drop the high merv filters. I noticed the arrows, but wasn't sure which way to install, but fortunately, intuitively installed, and marked, the right way. As a senior on fixed income videos like these are much appreciated! Thanks!❤
I have a washable filter that I have had for 15 years. Best filter that I have ever owned. It gets washed once every month. No wonder you can’t buy this filter anymore. It lasts forever! Great video. Thanks.
Had mine for 18 years and it works great….Cost me an extra $50 when they installed the furnace but the math says I’m waaaaaaaaay ahead on that added expense.
You can say that again scoutmaster33. I think my filter was about $25.00. How much money have I saved over 15 years and counting. Also, with a washed and clean filter, my furnace has been going strong for 30 years. I really do believe that your furnace does not have to work as hard with a clean filter.
Same here. Just do one thing: disassemble your washable filter from time to time and wash every layer separately. Just remember to assemble it tge way it was before. 😊
Washable is never as good as a pleated filter. Its kinda like using a fish net to june bugs. more dust build inside the furnace (on the fan and the ac coil) and add more layers of dust on all your furniture in the house.
great video, but I would recommend an alternative to your comments on the higher MERV filters. 1) in areas with relatively good outside air quality, a cheap filter is probably fine but you'll load up the coil faster with this; you are dead on about the fan energy. In this changing climate, it may make sense for some to keep a high MERV filter in storage and use that short term to help capture wildfire smoke for those of us dealing with this. 2) As a HVAC designer, I'd say the problem or handicap to avoid is to not install a 1" filter rack to begin with, for those at the point of purchasing a new system or new home. 4" deep should be a minimum, consider 6" or deeper if you can. yes, these filters are much, much more $$ but they last much longer, they have lower pressure drops for the same size and you can get the magic three of low PD, high filtration and high life with some extended media types that are available in these depths (mini-pleats, V-mini-pleats, etc.).
I live in Tennessee,,the climate changes 4 times a year.. a 1inch merv 8 filter works just fine.. lasts 3 to 6 months. Over designing of the systems just waste money without improving the quality..
Great tips. I have an older furnace where the filter sits at an angle behind a cover. I found that I have room for a 2 inch thick filter. There is better air flow because the deeper folds almost double the surface area of the filter material.
Almost every system is designed for a max static pressure of .5 water column, and some are able to handle .8 water column. Merv 13's will significantly reduce furnace life and efficiency, almost always increases static pressure beyond the furnace specs. If you want/need high filtration, go with an electronic air cleaner/filter like he mentioned. Good airflow with great protection, best of both worlds. Couldn't tell you how many times I've been out to a house and either the Ac is freezing up, furnace overheating on high limit or ECM blower motors fail with Merv 13's. Not to mention the temp stress, reduction in heat exchanger life.
3:14, enough with the iPhone, you can put your filter replacement schedule on any phone, Android or iPhone. For those not in the know yet blinded by iPhone marketing, Samsung Galaxy provides more business features and truly better security as than the iPhone. For over eleven years I used the iPhone, from the 3Gs through XR, then switched to Samsung Note 20. Also, I supported iPhone for family, friends, and neighbors. So, yes I do know what I am talking about. With Samsung I do not experience any of the compromises I did with the iPhone.
Air filters have ‘support’ on the ‘back side’ to prevent the filter material from being sucked into your air handler (a/c, furnace, etc.). So, if the arrows point AWAY from the back side ‘support’ always put the back side support towards your indoor unit. Don’t JUST rely on the arrows. This is the most efficient and effective way filters work. Always double check. Get pleated filters, even though they cost more, they have more filter surface area and can catch the smaller/finer things floating around inside your home, office, etc.. This is especially important because, believe it or not, indoor air is DIRTIER than outdoor air.
For many years, I used a 20"x25"X4" high end filter for our oil fired furnace. Two years ago, we finally converted to natural gas and installed an ultra high efficiency gas furnace with a variable speed, commutated D.C. motor. Oil furnace motor was replaced 8 years ago for $124 dollars. The gas furnace motor replacement is currently listed at $960 dollars. The technician stated that air restrictions were the biggest killer of these very expensive motors and recommended a change to a basic fiberglass 1 inch thick filter and more frequent filter changes. The 1 inch filter is changed every 2 months during winter and every 3 months during summer. Air flow and distribution has been improved and the 1 inch $8 dollar filters seem to grab more dust that the $65 dollar 4 inch filter ever did. A new gas furnace is never going to enjoy the lifespan of an older oil fired furnace, so it's important to maximize it's lifespan however possible.
Well I hope you're running HEPA air purifiers because inside a modern home has plenty of microplastics, particulates that are terrible for your respiratory system.
@@turtleh Yes, I do run two air purifiers that are HEPA rated for 99.97% efficiency, one on each floor level and each purifier is rated for 1600 sq. ft. of space.
Filters are a big business. Could that be a reason furnace manufacturers don't put a restriction indicator on the furnace?? Just saying... I've had them on two furnaces for at least 20 years. On the current furnace I have a manometer plus an indicator. They have saved considerable dollars by not having to change filters until needed. A thermostat may include an alert but that is not based on restriction.
Furance manufactures have nothing to with the filter business, so this isnt a real conspiracy thoery. The reality of it is that extra parts cost more money, malfunction, and at the end of they day, arent as good as using your own eyeballs to look at the filter if you can see alot of daylight through it.
You are educating home owners on filters, but you forgot to point out the very dangerous code violation, copper gas line going through the furnace housing. Maybe it isn't a code violation in your area, but that is a huge code violation in Canada. Also, not the best practices to not have a drip pocket at the lowest point of the gas line, I did see there is one on the gas manifold. Licensed Refrigeration Mechanic, Heating Technician Toronto Canada and NATE Certified in USA
And you can remind yourself.... all with your phone. My HVAC person called the washable filter I have a "Stone catcher", but it still looked heavier than the cheap ones.
Not all older systems can handle MERV 12+. The manual will tell you what it can handle, other than that I have always been told to go with MERV 8 if I am not sure how strong the HVAC is. To strong of a filter in to weak of a HVAC can result in dead HVAC. I do not trust those fiber glass ones, because just looking at them you can see the small particles that are making their way into the HVAC. To much dirt inside the HVAC can result in a dead HVAC as well. Most retail stores doe not sell on MERV, instead they use FPR. Sometimes both are on the packaging. MERV 8 = FPR 4-5 MERV 11 = FPR 6-9 MERV 13 = FPR 10 Most home owners are not going to have an HVAC that can handle MERV 14 effectively. That starts getting into medical applications.
My Best---- Filter comes Out very easy---Always make a 'Handle' of 2 layers of Bright color strong tape the same width of the filter....on the Front edge,. Felt Pen marks on the tape the Date of new install---easily seen from first glance. ....:D :D
I have put a Filtrate 1900 in changing out every 3 months which is excessive given I live alone, have no pets, and vacuum twice a month. I started using the 'charcoal' Merv 11 filter as activated charcoal (claim) filters out odours etc. It's cooking odours that drive me nuts because they seem to linger so long. This is very subjective and I've only had it had for a couple of weeks. I have a high eff furnace ( brings in outside air for combustion not recirc indoor air) and for all I can read a Merv 11 will satisfy most needs. If I had pets, kids, etc I would go back to the 1900 changing more frequently i.e. holding it up to a light to get an idea of how dirty it has become.
You only need 1 filter to be placed in the return duct just before the furnace unit to help filter out duct from getting into the fan motor and evaporator ac coil.
I'm confused: can I turn off the furnace at the thermostat without first lowering the temperature? When I don't need any more heat in the house, I just go to the thermostat and move it directly to the off position. Is that a no-no?
There are detailed filter tests on the internet that test restriction. The high MERV filters have MANY more pleats (surface area) than the lower ones, and actually flow better. These were measured by testing pressure before and after the filter. Watch the Project Farm video on furnace filters.
@@n2omikeI like project farm, and while I agree a higher MERV filter has more surface area in regards to filtering, the increase surface area doesn't allow more airflow in terms of volume, the hole is the same size. My furnace is only a year old and specifically states not to use pleated filters.
@@macfady2181 The high MERV filters has more than twice as many pleats. That means, if you stretch the filter media out, there's twice as much of it. It may have smaller holes, but there are a LOT more of them. With smaller holes, they can be a lot closer to each other. Plus, with twice as much filter paper, there's room for a LOT more holes. The extra pleats is how the high MERV units outflow the lower MERV choices. The Project Farm video explains things, and shows the evidence.
🚨 I’ve cleaned over 15,000 furnaces. Trust me NEVER buy a cheap fibre glass filter that you can see through. All the majority of the dust will go right through and plug up your furnace secondary heat exchanger and your air conditioner coil on top of the furnace. Thats exactly what hvac contractor wants to make money. Your furnace will over heat and instead of lasting 20 years, your heat exchanger will crack sooner. Contractors hope they will double their profit by selling you 2 furnaces in a 20 year period.
I have been around this industry for decades. If you have a 1" filter, the biggest problem at 1", is if you use anything that really does a good job at trying to clean the air, even a pleated filter, it can be enough to restrict the air too much. The end result is the equivalent of a dirty filter, too much restriction. When air flow is restricted, not enough heat is picked up in the air across the heat exchanger, which means more heat is exhausted outside and less heat goes into the house/building. A similar thing applies to cooling. That means the furnace or AC runs longer to keep the thermostat satisfied. This also can cause the heat exchanger to get hotter than designed or the head pressure on the AC compressor to get too high, leading to an unsafe condition where the heat exchanger can crack, leaking exhaust inside, or compressor failure. The ideal solution would be to replace the 1" filter housing with a 4" filter housing, but in many cases, may be cost prohibitive. If your stuck with a 1" filter, even a 1" pleated merv 8 filter will cause some restriction on your system over a 1" fiberglass filter. However, for a 1" filter, its not advisable to exceed a merv 8 filter rating. And unfortunately, fiberglass filters do a very poor job at removing particulate from the air, but are better than a dirty filter or nothing. One thing you can do to help a fiberglass filter do its job better is spray "End Dust" on it, normally used on furniture for dusting, to help catch more particulate on the filter. And since there is not much filter media in a 1" filter, its wise to change the filter often, sometimes even when it looks clean, as it can still restrict airflow and do a much better job at cleaning the air when using a new filter. A monthly 1" filter change is not too often if your interested in maintaining better air quality. And as recommended by another person making a comment here, Project Farm's evaluations on most anything are first rate, including his review on air filters, and worth the time to watch. One last thing, if your furnace filter is similar to the setup shown in this video, look at the opening on the side of the filter closest to the furnace when the air handler is running, (for heating or cooling). See that there are no gaps between the filter and the ductwork on this side where air could be drawn in from the room after the filter. If there are gaps, unfiltered air goes through these gaps into the furnace and A coil of the air conditioner, which over time clogs things up and creates serious problems. Consider using a removable tape, like blue or green painters tape, to seal the area between the filter and the ductwork off, to prevent this unfiltered air from entering the unit. Most people don't realize that these filters weren't installed originally to improve indoor air quality, it was to help keep the furnace and AC clean, to maintain its peak efficiency.
A few tips in case they may help someone: 1) If you have an awkward slide in style like that that makes it difficult to retrieve the filter, you can add a "courtesy pull tab" with a folded loop of tape (such as duct, smooshed together at the open portion) on one end of the cardboard to grab it, 2) write the date you installed it on the cardboard in case you forget when you last changed it and to help track how frequently you need to replace, 3) the frequency to change may need to be adjusted, eg 1 month during heavy use seasons/ 3 months during light use seasons.
@crabwalk7773 I like to think efficient and diligent with a hearty respect for using preventative measures as part of frugality! Also, I don't think any of us need any more hassles in our lives. I can say from experience that neither a dead furnace on the coldest day of the year nor a rusted out air handler in 90°+ are any fun. The salty air along the coast is not kind to these helpful friends!
Mistake #6 Forgetting to use the cheap filter in the summer and your AC coils freeze over forming a block of ice in the duct. Seriously. I was told by the HVAC guy that the good filters restrict air flow too much so that condensation was forming on my AC coils in the duct and were freezing over. I am supposed to use the cheap filters in the summer to avoid this. That is what I do and I have never had an issue since.
that's why 20 years ago I bought electrostatic washable filters for my furnace plus the two air handler locations as we have a two zone system. I use hose to wash them twice per year and they've worked perfectly and I haven't had any problems or bought new filters since.
Except that the 3M Filtrete 1900 model you have in your hand has one of the best air flow ratings of all filters. Due to the extreme number of pleats (thus why it's more expensive), even though it's a MERV 13 filter it has significantly better resistance ratings at any CFM than the majority of air filters, even ones of a much lower MERV rating.
I have put a Filtrate 1900 in changing out every 3 months which is excessive given I live alone, have no pets, and vacuum twice a month. I started using the 'charcoal' Merv 11 filter as activated charcoal (claim) filters out odours etc. It's cooking odours that drive me nuts because they seem to linger so long. This is very subjective and I've only had it had for a couple of weeks. I have a high eff furnace ( brings in outside air for combustion not recirc indoor air) and for all I can read a Merv 11 will satisfy most needs. If I had pets, kids, etc I would go back to the 1900 changing more frequently i.e. holding it up to a light to get an idea of how dirty it has become.
The best thing you can do is have a 4" filter track. The 4" MERV 8 filters will do a much better job. More surface area, increased dust holding capacity ( if you want to know if your filter is near the end of it's usefulness look on the back side and see if there is any dust bleed thru, if not it's still working, if it's discolored time to change it, don't go on what the up-stream side looks like, a good quality high capacity filter will look pretty horrendous before it has reached it's dust holding capacity) and consequently longer life, probably a year. Don't use the ultra cheap fiberglass filters, they are crap, we used to say they are good for dead birds and golf balls. MERV 11,12,13 pleated filters only get a high MERV rating because they are statically charged, once the charge dissipates after the filter is loaded with some dust it's no better than a MERV 8 and probably not even that good. Stick with a good quality MERV 8 and save your $. There is nothing stopping a filter mfg labeling their product with whatever MERV rating they want, it's the wild west when it comes to regulation, HEPA gets thrown around willy nilly too and it's all BS. Stick with the top brands in industrial filtration, I'd recommend Camfil.
When it comes to the quality, whatever you see on the good filter when you change it would've been in your lungs. I can see clear as day through those blue fiberglass ones Just my 2 cents
If putting in a MERV 13 filter causes restrictions - then more than likely you have insufficient returns. I have ceiling mounted filter grills for my 5-ton HVAC system and I have four dedicated returns with total grill area of 1,500 square inches. That keeps them quiet and effective. Lowers the speed of the air going through the filter. I also use 3” pleated filters in all my ceiling mounted filter grills. After 15 years - my inside coil looks shiny and new - and I have never had to have it cleaned.
3 inch filters merv 8 should last you a full year... especially since they are in the ceiling.. they don't collect dust unless the air is circulating.. dust and dirt don't fall up.. you are shuffling the dust around with your feet.
@@nedcramdon1306 I purchase them online for about $300/year. I get six months out of them at a time. Far cheaper than the old 1” pleated filters than maybe lasted two months.
We went from a MERV8 to MERV11 and noticed a massive reduction in dust on everything. What I really want is a larger filter. 16x25x1 is too small! Should be illegal. They get filled too quickly. My sister's house is 3x mine and she has a 20x25x5(She uses a MERV2 or 3 1" as a pre-filter and a 4" MERV11). Changes it 2x a year(pre-filter every 3 months). I have to change mine almost monthly and she has 4x the cats I have ;-)
If you use a cheap filter, dust will clog your air conditioning coil or heat pump coil after a few years. It's very difficult to clean those coils as they have very delicate fins that are hard to reach.
This is why friends dont let friends ever use washable or fiberglass filters. Its also hard on your fan motor to be coated in dust too. More dust on the furniture also.
The fiberglass filters, according to some sources and project farm on yt, you really shouldn't use a fiberglass filter if you care about air quality at all. Merv8 has a negligible effect on static pressure and filters almost 4x as many particles out. We use merv12 and definitely can tell a difference in interior air quality over merv8. With fiberglass, ugh... would be allergy city.
Exactly. This HVAC expert is 100% wrong in his filter assumptions, and took zero account of the surface area (number of pleats) in the High Merv filter such as the 3M 1900 (Merv 13) Project Farm video is spot on with data collection.
Those one inch merv 13 filters use specialized materials that reduce static pressure very little. A UA-camr tested this after talking bad about these filters just to find the opposite. The static pressure between the merv 10 was actually higher than the merv 13.
They make the Merv 13 filters less restrictive by adding surface area via more pleats. Some people cannot grasp that concept. The extra area also allows them to hold more dirt before becoming restrictive. Check out the Project Farm video. ua-cam.com/video/RkjRKIRva58/v-deo.html
Usually I simply adjust the thermostat a few degrees cooler, wait for the blowing to stop, then change the filter in 2 seconds. Thank you about advising against hi cost filters which strain the system.
Years ago my HVAC guy told me to only use the cheaper filters due to the same reasons stated in this video. I guess he was right! Thank you so much guys for these tips (And saving me $$ lol).
I love this channel but I have to say there is a common and important misunderstanding about these filters that Jason not only didn't cover but perpetuated. The air resistance that any filter gives isn't only related to it's MERV rating. A high quality (typically more expensive) filter can have a lower air resistance than a lower MERV filter of lower quality. Lower air resistance is achieved with more pleats (increased total surface area) and better/higher performing filter material. Good filters manufacturers print both their MERV rating and their "initial resistance", given in IWC on the filter itself. This is sort of like inferior olive oil that doesn't include acid level on the label. I like to buy from a brand that is up front and proud of their product's specs. Jason did preface what he said with "for people with 1 inch filters..." but makes no mention of how a bigger filter package of 2, 3, 4 even 5 inches results in lower air resistance for for a given MERV due to the larger surface area.
I think a bigger mistake is homeowners trying to be as cheap as possible when getting a furnace installed. 1in filter cavities is cheap, and dumb. Just throw a few extra bucks at it and spec a 3 or 4 inch filter, maybe a bit more to stack a charcoal prefilter. Less pressure drop, less electricity, less cost for filters over time, and less frequent filter changes at the cost of a few more bucks up front.
Doubt that anyone without a pair of pliers will have a screw just laying around. Use a fork instead. And fiberglass filters are just rock stoppers. They do not filter the dust that builds up on the blower blades and AC coil. Best to get a lower MERV pleated filter.
Do not leave your fan running 24/7 during cooling season. Your AC pulls the humidity from your home to the evap coil. Once the temp is met the system shuts down and the humidity drains off the coil and out the drain. If the fan stays running it will blow the moisture, thus the humidity back into the home. Heating season, have at it.
No it does not. It runs at a much lower speed which doesn't pull the moisture off. Funny part is that even when running at max speed for cooling, your a/c is still draining properly and the moisture isn't flying around. This comment is false information
@maxell3655 I've been doing HVAC for over 6 years, and yes, leaving your blower on during cooling season will cause humidity issues. I've seen plenty of floors and cabinets ruined due to it.
@@handlesaredumb1 nice! Glad to see someone trying to find solutions to try and help the consumer. Well small background, 2nd generation HVAC tech, highest level of certification to achieve in my country for over 12 years now. Anyways, sure, you could have an extremely small percentage of the water evaporates into the air that didn't drain while it was running. Now metal drain pans always rot, systems that had the drain line plug and the drain pan overflow will cause excessive rotting of everything underneath the coil. Now that you mention the humidity thing. I am sure that you are well aware that as long as it's above zero inside or outside the house that evaporation is always happening. That raises humidity. Houses are not sealed 100% which means they are prone to air exchange from leakage, if it's above freezing, humidity is coming in. Any standing water in a toilet, a cup, bowl, drain is always evaporating inside a house. Water sitting in your drain pan of your evaporator will also evaporate and one could argue that not running the fan would cause that specific areas by the evaporator to eventually go up to 100% humidity until the fan turns on again to move that humid air away from materials that can rust. I have lived in a house that had the fan run constantly as it was a 4 level split to keep all the floors closer to the same temperature. That fan only stopped running the day it died after almost 16 years. Then we replaced it later that day and kept it running.
@maxell3655 How many generations have we had "professionals with the highest certifications" do things wrong? Lead pipes for drinking water and paint, for example. I don't know where you live, but in the southern US having the blower on all the time during the summer will cause issues. Best thing for people to do is try it and see for themselves, instead of listening to two strangers argue online.
@@handlesaredumb1 you aren't wrong. Can't always be right. Have to know your area. I live way way north of you. Been working with equipment that's over 40 years old where the blower has never shut off and it still looks immaculate inside. But where I am, only time that you see a rusty situation is when it is related to a drain pan that has overflowed. Outside of that, don't really see anything unless the house itself has moisture problems that isn't related to the equipment. Maybe you guys down there need to slow the fan speed down in a/c to pull more humidity out of the air to help combat the moisture problems a bit
Ages ago when we moved into our home we tried one of those high end filters on what was then our home original furnace. It literally cause our old furnace to shut down. It over heated. When we had our newer 2 stage furnace put in 10 years ago, we were told to just use a regular 1" filter. We do have birds as pets that cause dust. I just wait for my furnace to stop, then pop out the filter and vacuum it on a regular bases. No worries.
Generally the filter is in place to keep dust and dirt from settling in the refrigeration coils and gas burners, only partially for cleaning the air you breathe. If you’ve ever seen the interior of an air handler after not having a filter in place you’ll know what I mean.
Good information. Thanks. My furnace uses a 4 inch filter. I use a piece of duct tape folded over at the top and bottom of the filter as handles to aid in removal.
This is one thing I envy American houses for. The houses seem to usually have good air conditioning with air circulation and to some extent dust filtration. Here in Europe houses rarely have that kinda stuff. Even just AC is rare here
I came up recently with understanding that in most of the cases change your filter idea is the marketing scam. Yes, filter should be changed, if it is dirty. But how do you know if it's dirty or not? Why would anyone need to swap it once in 3 month? How often someone using furnace? How often you are opening your doors/windows etc. Do you have air purifier or not? So many variables in the formula. I changed my last filter probably around year ago. During summer in the most of the cases I am using split units in living and master bedroom. Change your filters only when it is really needed.
There's a paper tab bent over and glued to the top of the filter frame. You can see it in the video. Pull the tab up and pull out to remove the filter.
Tip # 6, have your HVAC tech buy a pair of tin snips and slot in a thicker 3", 4" or 5" pleated filter. Now you can increase the MERV rating *without* added restriction. The $1 fiberglass filters basically last forever because they let everything through.
I’ve never turned the power off, but I do wait for the blower to stop running when I change. Fortunately my filter is easier to get to so it’s a pretty quiet change.
I’m pretty sure my husband isn’t doing any of it properly & probably why we’ve had two service calls & we just replaced the furnace & AC unit 2 years ago & that was a small fortune!
This is terrible advice regarding the MERV ratings. No, the higher MERV rating filters are not going to stress your air handler and NO YOU SHOULD NOT RUN THE FAN 24/7! Go look at the differential pressure of those filters with higher MERV ratings. They use a whole bunch of pleats to increase the effective surface area, which means you do not stress the air handler. I run MERV 11 (Filtrete 1500) filters and I replace them every 3 months like clockwork. If you hook up an ammeter, you won't see any appreciable difference between the cheap filters and the high MERV filters.
NO air restriction! Whole house? Depending, a person may use two room air purifiers. Everything depends on everything (in regard to the system), mainly, how clean do you _need,_ or want the air... _but NO air restriction!_
A more restrictive filter uses less electricity with a PSC blower motor and more electricity with an ECM motor, just putting it out there. Not that it would be advisable but that is a fact.
I've settled on MERV 5 as optimal. MERV 4 gave dust clumps in areas, higher filtration gave high leaving air temperatures, which I didn't like heating the heat exchanger. Dust is satisfactorily under control with MERV 5.
@@adamsteele6148 Excellent. I really like to warn people against higher filter efficiencies, but that gets rejected because of hyper-health concerns (not undesirable). There are drawbacks that typical residential equipment isn't built to withstand - mainly higher air restriction leading to lower airflow leading to high heat exchanger temperatures or possibly evaporator coil freezing. And the cost of running higher filter efficiencies. (Telling the truth, I've even vacuumed my filter instead of buying a new one each time, and it seems to be fine.)
And this is why they nicknamed you the village idiot for not understanding why things are done. Do you also bring your car in for monthly oil changes, whether "they need it or not" ROFL, just wow.....
It is actually false that the high merv filters are restrictive. You can look up tests showing their airflow is actually the same as cheap filters. Yes, they capture more particulates and need to be changed regularly, which leads to cost vs. benefit discussions. But it is false that they are restrictive.
Love the bloopers at the end! LOL.
I do it when it’s not running.
you want to make sure the arrows on the furnace are pointing towards.. the furnace.. xD
First UA-cam video I've seen with bloopers at the end... LOL
I change my filter every 30 days in winter. In the summer they don't get dirty as quick running air conditioner. I just turn my thermostat down and wait until unit shuts off and in a couple of minutes i change out the filter. I've never shut the main power off to do it
We live at a high traffic street and the usual SW winds blow road dust at the house so the filter gets dirty more often than in the winter when using the AC . We have had two very mild winters so the furnace runs less and no need to change the filter as much . I use both MV6 and the 'angel hair' .
When I had the 1 inch filters on my old furnace, I used to put a loop on the top with duct tape to create a little handle like one of yours had on the video. Made it so much easier.
I love this incredibly short, informative to the point, easy to understand video. I have been doing most of what was suggested, and will drop the high merv filters. I noticed the arrows, but wasn't sure which way to install, but fortunately, intuitively installed, and marked, the right way. As a senior on fixed income videos like these are much appreciated! Thanks!❤
Thanks for checking out the video
I have a washable filter that I have had for 15 years. Best filter that I have ever owned. It gets washed once every month. No wonder you can’t buy this filter anymore. It lasts forever! Great video. Thanks.
Had mine for 18 years and it works great….Cost me an extra $50 when they installed the furnace but the math says I’m waaaaaaaaay ahead on that added expense.
You can say that again scoutmaster33. I think my filter was about $25.00. How much money have I saved over 15 years and counting. Also, with a washed and clean filter, my furnace has been going strong for 30 years. I really do believe that your furnace does not have to work as hard with a clean filter.
Same here. Just do one thing: disassemble your washable filter from time to time and wash every layer separately. Just remember to assemble it tge way it was before. 😊
Washable is never as good as a pleated filter. Its kinda like using a fish net to june bugs. more dust build inside the furnace (on the fan and the ac coil) and add more layers of dust on all your furniture in the house.
Carrier Air handler still comes with a washable filter that last a long time....
great video, but I would recommend an alternative to your comments on the higher MERV filters. 1) in areas with relatively good outside air quality, a cheap filter is probably fine but you'll load up the coil faster with this; you are dead on about the fan energy. In this changing climate, it may make sense for some to keep a high MERV filter in storage and use that short term to help capture wildfire smoke for those of us dealing with this. 2) As a HVAC designer, I'd say the problem or handicap to avoid is to not install a 1" filter rack to begin with, for those at the point of purchasing a new system or new home. 4" deep should be a minimum, consider 6" or deeper if you can. yes, these filters are much, much more $$ but they last much longer, they have lower pressure drops for the same size and you can get the magic three of low PD, high filtration and high life with some extended media types that are available in these depths (mini-pleats, V-mini-pleats, etc.).
I live in Tennessee,,the climate changes 4 times a year.. a 1inch merv 8 filter works just fine.. lasts 3 to 6 months. Over designing of the systems just waste money without improving the quality..
Hmmm, I have never turned the power off to change the filter.
Ya, I just lower the temp.😊
I just wait for the furnace to quit then swap it out.
Ya the most important thing is for the fan to be off.
Nah just rip the old one out and ram in the new one. Takes less than 5 seconds
The temp and blower turned down then off is good news to me.
I did not know about the turn temp down thing. That’s solid advice. Makes sense
Great tips. I have an older furnace where the filter sits at an angle behind a cover. I found that I have room for a 2 inch thick filter. There is better air flow because the deeper folds almost double the surface area of the filter material.
Almost every system is designed for a max static pressure of .5 water column, and some are able to handle .8 water column. Merv 13's will significantly reduce furnace life and efficiency, almost always increases static pressure beyond the furnace specs. If you want/need high filtration, go with an electronic air cleaner/filter like he mentioned. Good airflow with great protection, best of both worlds. Couldn't tell you how many times I've been out to a house and either the Ac is freezing up, furnace overheating on high limit or ECM blower motors fail with Merv 13's. Not to mention the temp stress, reduction in heat exchanger life.
3:14, enough with the iPhone, you can put your filter replacement schedule on any phone, Android or iPhone. For those not in the know yet blinded by iPhone marketing, Samsung Galaxy provides more business features and truly better security as than the iPhone. For over eleven years I used the iPhone, from the 3Gs through XR, then switched to Samsung Note 20. Also, I supported iPhone for family, friends, and neighbors. So, yes I do know what I am talking about. With Samsung I do not experience any of the compromises I did with the iPhone.
Air filters have ‘support’ on the ‘back side’ to prevent the filter material from being sucked into your air handler (a/c, furnace, etc.).
So, if the arrows point AWAY from the back side ‘support’ always put the back side support towards your indoor unit. Don’t JUST rely on the arrows.
This is the most efficient and effective way filters work.
Always double check.
Get pleated filters, even though they cost more, they have more filter surface area and can catch the smaller/finer things floating around inside your home, office, etc..
This is especially important because, believe it or not, indoor air is DIRTIER than outdoor air.
For many years, I used a 20"x25"X4" high end filter for our oil fired furnace. Two years ago, we finally converted to natural gas and installed an ultra high efficiency gas furnace with a variable speed, commutated D.C. motor. Oil furnace motor was replaced 8 years ago for $124 dollars. The gas furnace motor replacement is currently listed at $960 dollars. The technician stated that air restrictions were the biggest killer of these very expensive motors and recommended a change to a basic fiberglass 1 inch thick filter and more frequent filter changes. The 1 inch filter is changed every 2 months during winter and every 3 months during summer. Air flow and distribution has been improved and the 1 inch $8 dollar filters seem to grab more dust that the $65 dollar 4 inch filter ever did. A new gas furnace is never going to enjoy the lifespan of an older oil fired furnace, so it's important to maximize it's lifespan however possible.
Well I hope you're running HEPA air purifiers because inside a modern home has plenty of microplastics, particulates that are terrible for your respiratory system.
@@turtleh Yes, I do run two air purifiers that are HEPA rated for 99.97% efficiency, one on each floor level and each purifier is rated for 1600 sq. ft. of space.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing this. Greetings from Ontario 😊
Filters are a big business. Could that be a reason furnace manufacturers don't put a restriction indicator on the furnace?? Just saying...
I've had them on two furnaces for at least 20 years. On the current furnace I have a manometer plus an indicator. They have saved considerable dollars by not having to change filters until needed. A thermostat may include an alert but that is not based on restriction.
Furance manufactures have nothing to with the filter business, so this isnt a real conspiracy thoery. The reality of it is that extra parts cost more money, malfunction, and at the end of they day, arent as good as using your own eyeballs to look at the filter if you can see alot of daylight through it.
You are educating home owners on filters, but you forgot to point out the very dangerous code violation, copper gas line going through the furnace housing. Maybe it isn't a code violation in your area, but that is a huge code violation in Canada. Also, not the best practices to not have a drip pocket at the lowest point of the gas line, I did see there is one on the gas manifold. Licensed Refrigeration Mechanic, Heating Technician Toronto Canada and NATE Certified in USA
And you can remind yourself.... all with your phone.
My HVAC person called the washable filter I have a "Stone catcher", but it still looked heavier than the cheap ones.
HAHA we call the washable and fiberglass filters "leaf catchers", not good for much else.
I like to put dates my filters. Reminds me when to change them
Not all older systems can handle MERV 12+. The manual will tell you what it can handle, other than that I have always been told to go with MERV 8 if I am not sure how strong the HVAC is. To strong of a filter in to weak of a HVAC can result in dead HVAC. I do not trust those fiber glass ones, because just looking at them you can see the small particles that are making their way into the HVAC. To much dirt inside the HVAC can result in a dead HVAC as well.
Most retail stores doe not sell on MERV, instead they use FPR. Sometimes both are on the packaging.
MERV 8 = FPR 4-5
MERV 11 = FPR 6-9
MERV 13 = FPR 10
Most home owners are not going to have an HVAC that can handle MERV 14 effectively. That starts getting into medical applications.
My Best---- Filter comes Out very easy---Always make a 'Handle' of 2 layers of Bright color strong tape the same width of the filter....on the Front edge,. Felt Pen marks on the tape the Date of new install---easily seen from first glance. ....:D :D
May be a moot question but who would change the filter when the device is running…guess it happens or it wouldn’t had been brought up
I have put a Filtrate 1900 in changing out every 3 months which is excessive given I live alone, have no pets, and vacuum twice a month. I started using the 'charcoal' Merv 11 filter as activated charcoal (claim) filters out odours etc. It's cooking odours that drive me nuts because they seem to linger so long. This is very subjective and I've only had it had for a couple of weeks. I have a high eff furnace ( brings in outside air for combustion not recirc indoor air) and for all I can read a Merv 11 will satisfy most needs. If I had pets, kids, etc I would go back to the 1900 changing more frequently i.e. holding it up to a light to get an idea of how dirty it has become.
Merv 8 pleat is all you need...
If you're trying to murder your furance fan motor, get the highest possible merv rating. You will accomplish this goal soon enough.
I have no pets and live alone.. I still replace my filter every 2 months from October-April.. I doesn't run the other months.
Very informative. Thank you so much for that.
I always wait for the furnace to shot off before switching filters.
Thanks
Is it really needed to put those big filters on the return registers on the ceiling/wall inside the house? Thank you!!
You only need 1 filter to be placed in the return duct just before the furnace unit to help filter out duct from getting into the fan motor and evaporator ac coil.
Who the multiverse is THIS guy?
Actually a restrictive filter will pull less amps. I know its counter intuitive.. but its true.
Thats partially true. But the breaking point to that curve is when the restriction is at a merv 12 or higher. Than amps will be higher
The furnace filter is to stop debris getting into the furnace, not to filter the home's air. MERV8 is good enough.
That said, you will also see less dust and dead skin on the furniture inside the house.
@@srobeck77 vacuum
I'm confused: can I turn off the furnace at the thermostat without first lowering the temperature? When I don't need any more heat in the house, I just go to the thermostat and move it directly to the off position. Is that a no-no?
Thanks.
What the heck is the deal with the power conduit on that furnace?
Do not use more then merv 11 for residential systems
I use a merv 6
Excellent choice
I use the merv Griffin one.
@Mathilda2zero You better change it,
its dead
Thick Filters Restrict Air Flow so I just buy the cheap ones and replace once a month...
There are detailed filter tests on the internet that test restriction. The high MERV filters have MANY more pleats (surface area) than the lower ones, and actually flow better. These were measured by testing pressure before and after the filter. Watch the Project Farm video on furnace filters.
Says the filter salesman 😂
@@hscottkarpf3081 Not a filter salesman. Look up Project Farm Filter Test on UA-cam and see for yourself.
@@n2omike Project Farm does awesome & highly detailed reviews!
@@n2omikeI like project farm, and while I agree a higher MERV filter has more surface area in regards to filtering, the increase surface area doesn't allow more airflow in terms of volume, the hole is the same size. My furnace is only a year old and specifically states not to use pleated filters.
@@macfady2181 The high MERV filters has more than twice as many pleats. That means, if you stretch the filter media out, there's twice as much of it. It may have smaller holes, but there are a LOT more of them. With smaller holes, they can be a lot closer to each other. Plus, with twice as much filter paper, there's room for a LOT more holes. The extra pleats is how the high MERV units outflow the lower MERV choices. The Project Farm video explains things, and shows the evidence.
🚨 I’ve cleaned over 15,000 furnaces. Trust me NEVER buy a cheap fibre glass filter that you can see through. All the majority of the dust will go right through and plug up your furnace secondary heat exchanger and your air conditioner coil on top of the furnace. Thats exactly what hvac contractor wants to make money. Your furnace will over heat and instead of lasting 20 years, your heat exchanger will crack sooner. Contractors hope they will double their profit by selling you 2 furnaces in a 20 year period.
For a couple of minutes I was thinking "The Funny Carpenter looks funny today."
So I wasn't the only one😅, he sounds like him though.
I have been around this industry for decades. If you have a 1" filter, the biggest problem at 1", is if you use anything that really does a good job at trying to clean the air, even a pleated filter, it can be enough to restrict the air too much. The end result is the equivalent of a dirty filter, too much restriction. When air flow is restricted, not enough heat is picked up in the air across the heat exchanger, which means more heat is exhausted outside and less heat goes into the house/building. A similar thing applies to cooling. That means the furnace or AC runs longer to keep the thermostat satisfied. This also can cause the heat exchanger to get hotter than designed or the head pressure on the AC compressor to get too high, leading to an unsafe condition where the heat exchanger can crack, leaking exhaust inside, or compressor failure.
The ideal solution would be to replace the 1" filter housing with a 4" filter housing, but in many cases, may be cost prohibitive. If your stuck with a 1" filter, even a 1" pleated merv 8 filter will cause some restriction on your system over a 1" fiberglass filter. However, for a 1" filter, its not advisable to exceed a merv 8 filter rating. And unfortunately, fiberglass filters do a very poor job at removing particulate from the air, but are better than a dirty filter or nothing. One thing you can do to help a fiberglass filter do its job better is spray "End Dust" on it, normally used on furniture for dusting, to help catch more particulate on the filter. And since there is not much filter media in a 1" filter, its wise to change the filter often, sometimes even when it looks clean, as it can still restrict airflow and do a much better job at cleaning the air when using a new filter. A monthly 1" filter change is not too often if your interested in maintaining better air quality.
And as recommended by another person making a comment here, Project Farm's evaluations on most anything are first rate, including his review on air filters, and worth the time to watch.
One last thing, if your furnace filter is similar to the setup shown in this video, look at the opening on the side of the filter closest to the furnace when the air handler is running, (for heating or cooling). See that there are no gaps between the filter and the ductwork on this side where air could be drawn in from the room after the filter. If there are gaps, unfiltered air goes through these gaps into the furnace and A coil of the air conditioner, which over time clogs things up and creates serious problems. Consider using a removable tape, like blue or green painters tape, to seal the area between the filter and the ductwork off, to prevent this unfiltered air from entering the unit. Most people don't realize that these filters weren't installed originally to improve indoor air quality, it was to help keep the furnace and AC clean, to maintain its peak efficiency.
Put the installation date on the filter
A few tips in case they may help someone: 1) If you have an awkward slide in style like that that makes it difficult to retrieve the filter, you can add a "courtesy pull tab" with a folded loop of tape (such as duct, smooshed together at the open portion) on one end of the cardboard to grab it, 2) write the date you installed it on the cardboard in case you forget when you last changed it and to help track how frequently you need to replace, 3) the frequency to change may need to be adjusted, eg 1 month during heavy use seasons/ 3 months during light use seasons.
Excellent tips
@@TheFunnyCarpenter Thank you kindly!
I was coming to say the same. Great (or lazy? efficient?) minds think alike!
@crabwalk7773 I like to think efficient and diligent with a hearty respect for using preventative measures as part of frugality! Also, I don't think any of us need any more hassles in our lives. I can say from experience that neither a dead furnace on the coldest day of the year nor a rusted out air handler in 90°+ are any fun. The salty air along the coast is not kind to these helpful friends!
YES!!! I
Just wrote the same above. I have done this for years! :D
Mistake #6 Forgetting to use the cheap filter in the summer and your AC coils freeze over forming a block of ice in the duct. Seriously. I was told by the HVAC guy that the good filters restrict air flow too much so that condensation was forming on my AC coils in the duct and were freezing over. I am supposed to use the cheap filters in the summer to avoid this. That is what I do and I have never had an issue since.
that's why 20 years ago I bought electrostatic washable filters for my furnace plus the two air handler locations as we have a two zone system. I use hose to wash them twice per year and they've worked perfectly and I haven't had any problems or bought new filters since.
Except that the 3M Filtrete 1900 model you have in your hand has one of the best air flow ratings of all filters. Due to the extreme number of pleats (thus why it's more expensive), even though it's a MERV 13 filter it has significantly better resistance ratings at any CFM than the majority of air filters, even ones of a much lower MERV rating.
I have put a Filtrate 1900 in changing out every 3 months which is excessive given I live alone, have no pets, and vacuum twice a month. I started using the 'charcoal' Merv 11 filter as activated charcoal (claim) filters out odours etc. It's cooking odours that drive me nuts because they seem to linger so long. This is very subjective and I've only had it had for a couple of weeks. I have a high eff furnace ( brings in outside air for combustion not recirc indoor air) and for all I can read a Merv 11 will satisfy most needs. If I had pets, kids, etc I would go back to the 1900 changing more frequently i.e. holding it up to a light to get an idea of how dirty it has become.
The best thing you can do is have a 4" filter track. The 4" MERV 8 filters will do a much better job. More surface area, increased dust holding capacity ( if you want to know if your filter is near the end of it's usefulness look on the back side and see if there is any dust bleed thru, if not it's still working, if it's discolored time to change it, don't go on what the up-stream side looks like, a good quality high capacity filter will look pretty horrendous before it has reached it's dust holding capacity) and consequently longer life, probably a year. Don't use the ultra cheap fiberglass filters, they are crap, we used to say they are good for dead birds and golf balls. MERV 11,12,13 pleated filters only get a high MERV rating because they are statically charged, once the charge dissipates after the filter is loaded with some dust it's no better than a MERV 8 and probably not even that good. Stick with a good quality MERV 8 and save your $. There is nothing stopping a filter mfg labeling their product with whatever MERV rating they want, it's the wild west when it comes to regulation, HEPA gets thrown around willy nilly too and it's all BS. Stick with the top brands in industrial filtration, I'd recommend Camfil.
Now wait a minute. This guy is not the funny one. I want my money back!
Guaranteed or none of your money back.
When it comes to the quality, whatever you see on the good filter when you change it would've been in your lungs.
I can see clear as day through those blue fiberglass ones
Just my 2 cents
friends dont let friends use leaf catcher fiberglass filters
# 1 fiberglass is no good ...
If putting in a MERV 13 filter causes restrictions - then more than likely you have insufficient returns. I have ceiling mounted filter grills for my 5-ton HVAC system and I have four dedicated returns with total grill area of 1,500 square inches. That keeps them quiet and effective. Lowers the speed of the air going through the filter. I also use 3” pleated filters in all my ceiling mounted filter grills. After 15 years - my inside coil looks shiny and new - and I have never had to have it cleaned.
Changed every month that set up would cost me over 2000 bucks a year.
I get about four months out of my filter set up. Also - I buy them online from supplywarehouse. Cheaper than doing filters from Home Depot.
3 inch filters merv 8 should last you a full year... especially since they are in the ceiling.. they don't collect dust unless the air is circulating.. dust and dirt don't fall up.. you are shuffling the dust around with your feet.
Being in the ceiling where it's harder for large debris to reach is the biggest advantage of your set up. Floor returns are the worst.
@@nedcramdon1306 I purchase them online for about $300/year. I get six months out of them at a time. Far cheaper than the old 1” pleated filters than maybe lasted two months.
We went from a MERV8 to MERV11 and noticed a massive reduction in dust on everything. What I really want is a larger filter. 16x25x1 is too small! Should be illegal. They get filled too quickly. My sister's house is 3x mine and she has a 20x25x5(She uses a MERV2 or 3 1" as a pre-filter and a 4" MERV11). Changes it 2x a year(pre-filter every 3 months). I have to change mine almost monthly and she has 4x the cats I have ;-)
A refreshing video. Gave good information and facts. I appreciate it being concise and not dragged out!!
I got this video because i sent my landlord a text asking for a filter....i hate being spied on!
Why is no mention made about a filter access cover to prevent unfiltered air from being drawn into the system at the gaps around the filter?
If you use a cheap filter, dust will clog your air conditioning coil or heat pump coil after a few years. It's very difficult to clean those coils as they have very delicate fins that are hard to reach.
This is why friends dont let friends ever use washable or fiberglass filters. Its also hard on your fan motor to be coated in dust too. More dust on the furniture also.
The fiberglass filters, according to some sources and project farm on yt, you really shouldn't use a fiberglass filter if you care about air quality at all. Merv8 has a negligible effect on static pressure and filters almost 4x as many particles out.
We use merv12 and definitely can tell a difference in interior air quality over merv8. With fiberglass, ugh... would be allergy city.
Exactly. This HVAC expert is 100% wrong in his filter assumptions, and took zero account of the surface area (number of pleats) in the High Merv filter such as the 3M 1900 (Merv 13) Project Farm video is spot on with data collection.
I agree, I wouldn't even consider using that fiberglass filter.
Those one inch merv 13 filters use specialized materials that reduce static pressure very little. A UA-camr tested this after talking bad about these filters just to find the opposite. The static pressure between the merv 10 was actually higher than the merv 13.
They make the Merv 13 filters less restrictive by adding surface area via more pleats. Some people cannot grasp that concept. The extra area also allows them to hold more dirt before becoming restrictive. Check out the Project Farm video. ua-cam.com/video/RkjRKIRva58/v-deo.html
Would love a close up of mistake number 2 and also a comparison of the same side of each of the filters for a good visual.
*THE FUNNY HVAC GUY
You would have to a be a dumb person to not already know these tips. You shouldn't own a home if you don't have common sense.
Usually I simply adjust the thermostat a few degrees cooler, wait for the blowing to stop, then change the filter in 2 seconds.
Thank you about advising against hi cost filters which strain the system.
Years ago my HVAC guy told me to only use the cheaper filters due to the same reasons stated in this video. I guess he was right! Thank you so much guys for these tips (And saving me $$ lol).
Only use heavy duty filter for pet and dander. I use the cheap ones and change out often
@@cliffm8112 Also smoke and viruses.
I love this channel but I have to say there is a common and important misunderstanding about these filters that Jason not only didn't cover but perpetuated. The air resistance that any filter gives isn't only related to it's MERV rating. A high quality (typically more expensive) filter can have a lower air resistance than a lower MERV filter of lower quality. Lower air resistance is achieved with more pleats (increased total surface area) and better/higher performing filter material. Good filters manufacturers print both their MERV rating and their "initial resistance", given in IWC on the filter itself. This is sort of like inferior olive oil that doesn't include acid level on the label. I like to buy from a brand that is up front and proud of their product's specs.
Jason did preface what he said with "for people with 1 inch filters..." but makes no mention of how a bigger filter package of 2, 3, 4 even 5 inches results in lower air resistance for for a given MERV due to the larger surface area.
I think a bigger mistake is homeowners trying to be as cheap as possible when getting a furnace installed. 1in filter cavities is cheap, and dumb. Just throw a few extra bucks at it and spec a 3 or 4 inch filter, maybe a bit more to stack a charcoal prefilter. Less pressure drop, less electricity, less cost for filters over time, and less frequent filter changes at the cost of a few more bucks up front.
Garbage. I use the best air filters for allergies. Plus, I never turn off the furnace before slipping in a new filter.
Holy hell I didn't know about the cheap vs expensive filter thing. Ordering some cheap ones now!
Make sure its the cheapest pleated. Those fiberglass leaf catchers are complete junk.
I've been putting my filter in backwards for the past 7 years. I thought the direction of air flow was out from the furnace into the ducting. Oops.
Draw with a sharpie marker an arrow pointing toward the furnace so you know each time.
Buying a relatively cheap filter with less merv value and changing it once a month, that's what I do.
Doubt that anyone without a pair of pliers will have a screw just laying around. Use a fork instead. And fiberglass filters are just rock stoppers. They do not filter the dust that builds up on the blower blades and AC coil. Best to get a lower MERV pleated filter.
What are your thoughts on using 1" filters vs the larger 4" filters and the frequency of changing those out? My unit will accommodate both sizes.
Do not leave your fan running 24/7 during cooling season. Your AC pulls the humidity from your home to the evap coil. Once the temp is met the system shuts down and the humidity drains off the coil and out the drain. If the fan stays running it will blow the moisture, thus the humidity back into the home. Heating season, have at it.
No it does not. It runs at a much lower speed which doesn't pull the moisture off. Funny part is that even when running at max speed for cooling, your a/c is still draining properly and the moisture isn't flying around. This comment is false information
@maxell3655 I've been doing HVAC for over 6 years, and yes, leaving your blower on during cooling season will cause humidity issues. I've seen plenty of floors and cabinets ruined due to it.
@@handlesaredumb1 nice! Glad to see someone trying to find solutions to try and help the consumer. Well small background, 2nd generation HVAC tech, highest level of certification to achieve in my country for over 12 years now.
Anyways, sure, you could have an extremely small percentage of the water evaporates into the air that didn't drain while it was running. Now metal drain pans always rot, systems that had the drain line plug and the drain pan overflow will cause excessive rotting of everything underneath the coil.
Now that you mention the humidity thing. I am sure that you are well aware that as long as it's above zero inside or outside the house that evaporation is always happening. That raises humidity. Houses are not sealed 100% which means they are prone to air exchange from leakage, if it's above freezing, humidity is coming in. Any standing water in a toilet, a cup, bowl, drain is always evaporating inside a house. Water sitting in your drain pan of your evaporator will also evaporate and one could argue that not running the fan would cause that specific areas by the evaporator to eventually go up to 100% humidity until the fan turns on again to move that humid air away from materials that can rust.
I have lived in a house that had the fan run constantly as it was a 4 level split to keep all the floors closer to the same temperature. That fan only stopped running the day it died after almost 16 years. Then we replaced it later that day and kept it running.
@maxell3655 How many generations have we had "professionals with the highest certifications" do things wrong? Lead pipes for drinking water and paint, for example. I don't know where you live, but in the southern US having the blower on all the time during the summer will cause issues. Best thing for people to do is try it and see for themselves, instead of listening to two strangers argue online.
@@handlesaredumb1 you aren't wrong. Can't always be right. Have to know your area. I live way way north of you. Been working with equipment that's over 40 years old where the blower has never shut off and it still looks immaculate inside. But where I am, only time that you see a rusty situation is when it is related to a drain pan that has overflowed. Outside of that, don't really see anything unless the house itself has moisture problems that isn't related to the equipment.
Maybe you guys down there need to slow the fan speed down in a/c to pull more humidity out of the air to help combat the moisture problems a bit
My neighbor didn’t change his filter for 28 years. The HVAC was working but it cooled better after he changed it.
Ages ago when we moved into our home we tried one of those high end filters on what was then our home original furnace. It literally cause our old furnace to shut down. It over heated. When we had our newer 2 stage furnace put in 10 years ago, we were told to just use a regular 1" filter. We do have birds as pets that cause dust. I just wait for my furnace to stop, then pop out the filter and vacuum it on a regular bases. No worries.
Generally the filter is in place to keep dust and dirt from settling in the refrigeration coils and gas burners, only partially for cleaning the air you breathe. If you’ve ever seen the interior of an air handler after not having a filter in place you’ll know what I mean.
Good information. Thanks.
My furnace uses a 4 inch filter. I use a piece of duct tape folded over at the top and bottom of the filter as handles to aid in removal.
That 4 inch filter should last 1 yr,..
This is one thing I envy American houses for. The houses seem to usually have good air conditioning with air circulation and to some extent dust filtration. Here in Europe houses rarely have that kinda stuff. Even just AC is rare here
What if I don't have an iphone? Will that work on a samsung as well? Rofl
so for #1 issue - what if you have a larger / thick filter? (4")?
It’s my understanding that the 4” wide filters are lot easier on your furnace even with higher MERV ratings.
@@TheFunnyCarpenterThanks for the reply.
I have one too, Aprilaire on a Carrier Heat Pump & house 2 has a Carrier Gas Furnace with Central Air. Both are changed once per year.
@@emiller7040 aprilaire as well and I also go 1 year with my 4 inch filters.
I came up recently with understanding that in most of the cases change your filter idea is the marketing scam. Yes, filter should be changed, if it is dirty. But how do you know if it's dirty or not? Why would anyone need to swap it once in 3 month? How often someone using furnace? How often you are opening your doors/windows etc. Do you have air purifier or not? So many variables in the formula. I changed my last filter probably around year ago. During summer in the most of the cases I am using split units in living and master bedroom. Change your filters only when it is really needed.
check your filter. If it's dirty, change it
@@toddlavigne6441 if not dirty, dont change it. Only a mindless sheep isnt smart enough to figure this out
There's a paper tab bent over and glued to the top of the filter frame. You can see it in the video. Pull the tab up and pull out to remove the filter.
Tip # 6, have your HVAC tech buy a pair of tin snips and slot in a thicker 3", 4" or 5" pleated filter. Now you can increase the MERV rating *without* added restriction. The $1 fiberglass filters basically last forever because they let everything through.
I turn down the temp on the stat by 2 degrees. I also do this after the furnace cycle is done. Works just fine doing it this way.
Good watch. The arrows especially. Change out twice a year. 16x25x4. Up and downstairs.
Really interesting and informative video. Thank you both very much.
Thanks Pete, appreciate you buddy🍻
I’ve never turned the power off, but I do wait for the blower to stop running when I change. Fortunately my filter is easier to get to so it’s a pretty quiet change.
I’m pretty sure my husband isn’t doing any of it properly & probably why we’ve had two service calls & we just replaced the furnace & AC unit 2 years ago & that was a small fortune!
Never run fiber glass. Run a Merv 8 or 9 . This way it keep AC a coil and furnace motor way cleaner
Thank you, from an old lady who is hanging on for dear life❣️💪🏼💪🏼👵🤗😘
This is terrible advice regarding the MERV ratings. No, the higher MERV rating filters are not going to stress your air handler and NO YOU SHOULD NOT RUN THE FAN 24/7!
Go look at the differential pressure of those filters with higher MERV ratings. They use a whole bunch of pleats to increase the effective surface area, which means you do not stress the air handler.
I run MERV 11 (Filtrete 1500) filters and I replace them every 3 months like clockwork. If you hook up an ammeter, you won't see any appreciable difference between the cheap filters and the high MERV filters.
NO air restriction! Whole house? Depending, a person may use two room air purifiers. Everything depends on everything (in regard to the system), mainly, how clean do you _need,_ or want the air... _but NO air restriction!_
Fiberglass filters are the worst for your furnace because they allow dust into the furnace. I use a 7.
@3:14 awwwwww, my I'm out of luck for setting a reminder to change filters. I don't have an iPhone - Android only.
A more restrictive filter uses less electricity with a PSC blower motor and more electricity with an ECM motor, just putting it out there. Not that it would be advisable but that is a fact.
You had until the words.....
"amazon link". Local hardware stores or big box stores are going to have the filter you need. Avoid amazon!
I've settled on MERV 5 as optimal. MERV 4 gave dust clumps in areas, higher filtration gave high leaving air temperatures, which I didn't like heating the heat exchanger. Dust is satisfactorily under control with MERV 5.
MERV 5 is perfect
@@adamsteele6148 Thanks. Was wondering what others think since marketing, I believe, is excessive or slightly fear mongering.
@@louf7178 my heat pump quit whining the moment I replaced my merv 11 with merv 5 in the dead of winter when the system works the hardest
@@adamsteele6148 Excellent. I really like to warn people against higher filter efficiencies, but that gets rejected because of hyper-health concerns (not undesirable). There are drawbacks that typical residential equipment isn't built to withstand - mainly higher air restriction leading to lower airflow leading to high heat exchanger temperatures or possibly evaporator coil freezing. And the cost of running higher filter efficiencies. (Telling the truth, I've even vacuumed my filter instead of buying a new one each time, and it seems to be fine.)
What do u know.. about a Hercules made gas, gravity furnace ? Circa
1950s ??
No filter !
I switched from MERV 13 to cheap filters. No change in my health but my electric bill went down by $75 a month.
you want the cheapest MERV pleated filters, like a 5. If you pulled out the filter, fiberglass, or washable, then your wrong for doing that.
I change my filter once a month, whether it needs it or not.
And this is why they nicknamed you the village idiot for not understanding why things are done. Do you also bring your car in for monthly oil changes, whether "they need it or not" ROFL, just wow.....
It is actually false that the high merv filters are restrictive. You can look up tests showing their airflow is actually the same as cheap filters. Yes, they capture more particulates and need to be changed regularly, which leads to cost vs. benefit discussions. But it is false that they are restrictive.
If you can't figure out which why the airflow goes, call a pro, if you are intelligent enough to use a phone
Our furnace filter is 20-25-4 but that’s little tight : should we use 3 inch filter ?
How do you know which filter to use? Mine has a side thing that says Honeywell electric air filter. What do I do with that?