How To Make A Air Filter Rain Sock

Fundamental air filters help keep your central air conditioner running at peak performance. If yous're unsure virtually these filters, this guide is for yous.

Popular quiz: What's the leading cause of a central air conditioner breakup? Respond: A dirty filter.

Clogged and dusty filters block airflow, cause clay to build up on the evaporator coils and ultimately tin can lead to motor failure. Regularly replacing your air filters is the single most important thing you tin do to keep your central air conditioner running efficiently.

Ready for your crash form on filters? Permit's get started!

What Are Central Air Filters?

A central air conditioner filter is usually fabricated of spun fiberglass or pleated newspaper or cloth, enclosed in a rectangular cardboard frame. Fiberglass filters, the cheapest kind, are most one-inch thick and are common in older systems. Newer primal air conditioner models apply thicker, pleated filters.

Filters clean the air that flows through your home by reducing pollen, bacteria, dust and pet dander. The air is forced through the filter (or filters) and the filter material catches the contaminates before they tin can circulate through your home. These filters as well protect the air conditioner coils and motor from the same pollutants.

Primal Air Filter Sizing

It'due south important to buy the right size filter for a snug fit. Otherwise, air contaminants volition bypass the filter, rendering it useless. Filters come in lots of sizes, then you tin check your electric current filter(southward) or air conditioner manufacturer's site or your possessor'south manual to determine the correct size.

Almost filters brandish their size on the side similar this: 50 10 W x D, pregnant length, width, depth (or thickness). If your filters don't show this, measure information technology to decide the verbal size. Near filters round up their sizes to the nearest whole inch. And then if your filter measures xix-i/two-in. ten nineteen-ane/2-in. x 3/4-in., you'll need a 20-in. x xx-in. ten ane-in. filter.

If you don't have a filter, measure out the slot or vent where the filter will be located. If you alive in an extra-hot climate like Arizona, there are return vents throughout the house, with a filter sized to fit each vent. In other parts of the country, you might just accept 1 primary filter that fits in a slot on the side, top or below your air treatment unit. They're usually located in the garage, basement or utility closet.

Replacing Dirty Air Filter For Air Conditioner System Maintenance C5Media/Getty Images

Key Air Filter Costs and Where To Buy

Air filters are available at home comeback stores as well as retailers like Walmart, Target and Amazon. In that location are a broad range of prices, depending on the size and type of filters you lot need.

Bones fiberglass filters range from about $4 to $eight per filter, while college-rated (pregnant they rank higher on filter performance, more on that below) pleated filters can cost $12 to $xxx per filter. Some systems call for five-inch or six-inch-thick filters which tin can cost upward to around $70 per filter.

While you're shopping, call up: The higher the rating, the more expensive the filter. Here are a few common rating systems:

MERV: The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) was adult past the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). It measures how well the filter performs at trapping specific types of particles. The higher the MERV rating, the higher the efficiency (and the price).

The highest MERV rating isn't ever the best pick. Air filters with the highest MERV ratings have denser and more tightly woven fibers to catch the smallest particles. However, this means the heating, ventilation and air workout (HVAC) system must work harder to motility air through the filter, and not all systems are equipped to handle this.

The all-time MERV rating for your particular HVAC system is one that sufficiently cleans the air in your home without obstructing air flow and straining the motor. Generally, a MERV viii rating is a good place to start. You can go higher if your system is newer.

FPR: The Abode Depot uses Filter Performance Rating (FPR) to charge per unit its brand of filters on a scale of one to 10. The higher the number, the better it filters.

HEPA: HEPA stands for "high efficiency particulate air" and is a blazon of pleated mechanical air filter. HEPA filters efficiently remove grit, pollen, mold, leaner and fine airborne particles. In most cases, you can't replace a standard filter with a true HEPA filter because the ductwork isn't designed for it. The filters may be too large to fit or crusade too much resistance to airflow.

How Often Should You Change Your Key Air Filter?

How ofttimes you utilize your air conditioner and what type of filter(due south) you apply will determine how oftentimes you should modify them. Typically, you should change out cheaper fiberglass filters every 30 days and higher quality pleated filters every 60 to xc days. In the summer when your air conditioner is working extra hard, yous might want to modify them more oft.

Hither are a few signs your filters need to be changed:

Vents look extra dusty;
Dust accumulating nigh the vents on your walls or ceiling;
Loss of cooling power in your Air conditioning system;
System sounds similar it'south straining upon start-up;
Your air conditioner takes longer to absurd the business firm to the desired temperature.

Hither'southward another way to put information technology — if your filters look filthy, it's fourth dimension to change them!

How To Modify a Key Air Filter

The good news is, changing your filter(s) is easy. Hither's how it's done:

Find your filter location(due south). Wait for air return vents ordinarily located on the ceiling or the wall, or a slot adjacent to your unit.
Unhook the latch on the embrace grille.
Remove the quondam filter and dispose of it.
Wipe down the comprehend grille with a microfiber material to remove any dust.
Insert the new filter, ensuring it is facing the right management. An arrow on the filter should point towards the ceiling or wall, or towards your unit.
Close and latch the grille.