Having your HVAC equipment running as smoothly and efficiently as it should is a priority for anyone wanting their home to be at the precise temperature year-round. Your property may experience higher energy costs and increased energy consumption as a result of an inefficient HVAC system. Your bottom line may also take a significant hit if your HVAC system needs frequent maintenance or breaks down.There are a number of methods you can keep your HVAC system in good working order, whether it is keeping you cool and comfortable or only needs a quick tune-up. To achieve this, having the right size air filter and changing it frequently can give you reliable results. However, to install the right size filter, say a 17x21x1 air filter, it is important to be familiar with your unit and know the correct size to get. Here are some ideas on how to have accurate information before you go out and buy a filter that may be too large or small for your HVAC.
Never Rely on Instinct
If you do not know the right measurements for your filter, do not rely on your instinct when buying a new one. Chances are, you will get the wrong one. You may think you can gauge it when it is in front of you but you may be surprised to know how many different filter sizes there are, many of which may be almost but not quite the size you need.
If you buy the wrong one, you may want to get some scissors and cut a filter that is too large to make it fit. That is never recommended because you will destroy it and leave gaps that will allow contaminants to pass through. The same will happen with a filter that is too small.
Know Your Filter´s Dimensions
Finding the correct air filter size for your AC unit might be difficult with the variety of sizes available. There are literally tens of thousands of different air filter sizes, and HVAC manufacturers have an incentive to make it as difficult as they can so you’re forced to buy their expensive replacements. The easiest way to discover the right size filter is to start by checking the filter that is currently in your equipment. Most filters will have their measurements printed right on their side. Most filters are labeled with two size measures located on the filter’s side. There is frequently a ‘nominal’ size written in large font, followed by an adjacent ‘real’ size written in smaller print. Although it is the simplest and most obvious method, not all filters have size specifications listed on them. In this situation, you will need to take a few manual measurements to determine the size of your filter. If the numbers are not too clear or are not there at all, here is what to do:
Measure Your Filter
The next step is to get out your reliable tape measure if the size is not indicated on the side of your air filter. Dimensions for air filters are written this way: length, width, and depth. Use your tape measure and get those three numbers in the right order.
When you go to buy one armed with this information, you may find that the filter you are looking at says “nominal size”. Others may say “actual size”. This is because many filters are not cut accurately. However, your equipment should allow filters to fit even if they are off by a small amount, say 1/8” smaller than advertised.
Check the Owner’s Manual
If, after measuring as carefully as possible, you are still having doubts as to the right size filter for your equipment, the best way to get accurate information is to check the owner’s manual. If you do not have the manual, contacting the manufacturer directly is also a good way to proceed. They can help you figure out what model number you have and from there go on to tell you the right size filter you need.
Once you have uncovered the right information, you can feel confident you will not end up buying a filter that will have to end up being thrown away. Make it a point to write down the filter’s measurements, so that you will have them on hand for next time.
Images by Mike Baker – The Courtyard House by Life Spaces Group. See the full story on ARCHISCENE
