What Size Air Filter Do I Need For My Air Conditioner

When was the last time y'all inverse the air filter in your furnace?

Choosing the right furnace filter size for your dwelling house is very of import. It will assist maintain your furnace'southward efficiency and go along your home'due south air make clean.

In this article, I'll go over how to discover out what size furnace filter you demand. I'll besides requite you a few tips and tricks when information technology comes to changing your furnace's air filter.

How to find your furnace filter size – iii different ways

When yous change furnace filters, the first matter you want to do is know what size furnace filter you have. The furnace filter needs to be able to fit snugly into its slot.

If the filter is likewise big, and then it won't fit into the filter slot and y'all won't exist able to put the cover dorsum on. This can cause dirty air to infiltrate the inside of your furnace (and domicile).

If the filter is too small, then there will be a gap around the air filter. This allows muddy air to get around the filter. It's nigh like having no filter at all.

Worse even so, a modest filter won't completely fit into the filter slot. The filter might implode and get stuck in your blower bike, causing a bunch of impairment.

Below I'll go over iii different methods of finding your furnace filter'due south size. And so no matter what situation you're in, you'll exist able to effigy what size filter goes in your furnace.

Check the former air filter for its size

The first (and easiest) manner to effigy out your furnace filter's size is to check your old air filter for its size.

Most air filters have their size printed on the side of the frame. The length, width, and depth of the filter are measured in inches. For example, it will say something like "16x25x1", where sixteen" is the length, 25" is the width, and 1" is the depth.

Once y'all know the old air filter's size, you can hands go and buy a new filter with the same dimensions.

Measure the sometime air filter

If your old air filter doesn't have the measurements printed on its side, so you can measure the filter.

Use a measuring tape to measure the length, width, and depth of the air filter. Keep in listen that the actual size of the air filter will be smaller than the nominal size of the air filter.

For instance, an air filter with a nominal size of 16"x25"x1" will have an actual size of 15-½"x24-½"x3/four".

Basically, when yous take measurements of an air filter, y'all just need to round up to the nearest inch to find the dimensions of the filter that you need to purchase.

Instructions on how to measure an air filter

Measure air register or air filter slot

If all else fails, then you can always measure the slot that the air filter goes in. You'll need to practice this if your furnace is missing its air filter and you lot don't know what size the air filter is supposed to be.

Keep in mind that the air filter slot will be the actual air filter size. And then the filter slot will measure a trivial bit smaller than the size of the air filter that you demand to purchase.

Air filter MERV rating

Knowing the size of your air filter is only 1 piece of the puzzle. The other thing that you need to know is the MERV rating that you should apply.

The air filter's MERV rating is a measurement of how effective an air filter is at removing particles from the air. A higher MERV rating ways that an air filter is more constructive at removing smaller particles from the air.

To learn more about air filter MERV ratings, check out my article below:

Where is the furnace filter located?

The air filter on a furnace is usually located in the return air intake at the furnace. Expect for where the render duct connects to your furnace, and there should be a plate that covers the slot that the air filter goes in.

Some homes have HVAC systems that practise not take air filters at the air treatment unit. Instead, the air filter is located at the render vent inside the dwelling house.

If your furnace has an air filter at the return vent, so changing the filter is easy since it can exist done from the inside of your home. Y'all just need to brand sure that yous can reach the return vent safely to swap out the filter.

For more than information near return vent filters, check out my article beneath:

Can you lot stack air filters to make them fit?

No, you lot should non stack air filters to brand them fit in a larger slot.

If you stack air filters, you will greatly reduce airflow through your furnace. This will reduce airflow and make your furnace work much harder to estrus up your home.

In the long term, this can actually burn down out your blower motor since it will struggle to blow air through your system.

Instead of stacking filters, yous should become the correct filter size to begin with. This ensures that you lot won't restrict too much airflow through your furnace and keep everything running smoothly.