Filters filters & more filters. Let's talk about filters & your HVAC system. How do they affect airflow? The videos long. I know, but its full of great info! #hvac #filters #dehartplumbing
Very helpful, I was looking for a way to cover vents in apartment that is blowing so much dust it's nuts and found this video. Glad I am in the know so when I go buy I always look for this kind . This is what I bought last time and furnace runs better than previous but the crazy dust blowing around house is something else. Thank-you
no one is talking about how dirty the evaporator coil is going to be after using those cheap little flimsy filters. What this man does not talk about is that the filters are meant to protect the system. The filters are not designed for air purification, but rather protect the evaporator coil. Although, indoor air quality is important, we cannot overlook, the regular maintenance of the HVAC system. As cheaper filters are being used evaporator coil’s will get substantially dirtier than ever before. Yes, you will be cool and yes, you will need to hire a professional to clean your evaporator coil faster than expected.
@@adambergmann7716 Yep if what that person was saying was true then there would have been a drastically reduced amount of calls for cleaning evaporator coils after fancy filters came out and that simply wasn't the case
Thank you sir. I always thought my furnace was to small for my house because certain vents had little air coming out, especially my daughters room I have to put a heater in the winter. Went out bought that fibreglass filter and my god what a difference. When it’s time for a new furnace I will get them to install the 4 inch filter housing. Thanks man👍
So true, I noticed a restrictive air flow with that type of filter, so we had it serviced, and I suggested to put in the thinner air filter I immediately noticed a better central A/C air flow, and I can breath better
This happened to me. One day my furnace just stopped working. It stopped trying to kick in aka ignite the burners so no heat. I called my HVAC guy, and after the 3rd check of the system codes, he found out it was the safety mechanism shut off due to decreased airflow and it had not automatically reset. After it had stopped working, I had realized I didn't change the filter for a couple months, it was the cheapest 1 inch simple pleated filter. I removed it, vacuumed the heck out of it, but it still wouldn't kick on. Anyway, he had to tap on it to get it to reset, then it kicked on. He asked about the filter and I told him what happened. Then he told me to get the exact same type of filter you suggested, the simple fiber ones. Here I thought I was doing better for my furnace and myself but I just caused myself, my wallet, and my furnace more problems. Lesson learned. Thank you and I hope this helps prevent more problems for others.
'it was the cheapest 1 inch simple pleated filter' Realize, if the material is the same, pleats = more surface area, so equals even less restrictive than a flat surface. That's simply basic math surface area, so there is no debating it, same material pleats are better not worse.
Love how direct and honest your presentation is. I fell into the allergen MERV rating advertising trap. Thought I was being smart. Never understood why my electric bill was always higher than my peer group (according to the electric company).
Everything in the video is spot-on! Also, the purpose of a furnace filter is to keep the furnace clean. It's not intended to improve the air quality of your house although filter manufacturers market them as such to be able to sell them for more profit. If you need to improve the air quality in your house then you need a dedicated air purifier with a Hepa filter.
Out of all the videos about air filters, this is the only one I can find with a guy who actualy is honest and knows what's his taking about. First off, he know what he's talking about, this is his profession. All these non havac people telling you about how great merv 8, merv 13 filters are, probably flush flushable wipes down the toilet too. 2nd, as a hvac tech, he's not selling anything. Think about it. Wouldn't it be better for him to tell you to use a higher merv rated filter, so your system breaks, so he can charge you 200 bucks to replace a buck 50 limit switch. If I lived in this company's area, I would use them for any hvac problems I had, just knowing from this video, they're not b.s.ing me. Great video man.
ummmm, been an HVAC tech for 10 years. most of us reccomend a Merv 8 as the sweet spot standard. below Merv 6 and you're gonna trash your coils with gunk. above 10 and it gets really restrictive. Merv 8 isn't that restrictive unless you have a garbage return system.
I've been using the Merv 8 dust lock and ultra poly in the metal frame in my house for over 10 years (Merv 8poly has twice the airflow that the standard Merv 8 pleat has) I made sure to use weather stripping around the frame to keep our any air bypass from going around the filter . I have been 8n the air filter industry for over two and a half decades and recommend poly over pleat all the time at certain accounts. I have seen people buy in to the highest Merv rating that can even HEPA in some cases their system and I try not to make them feel bad for doing so. I will now just send them this video in the future.
thanks ...for recommending something regular people know nothing about and can't find any meaningful information. enjoy your 8 ultra poly wolly dust buster, i guess?
I used a Merv 7 for awhile & noticed my system was running a long time because of little air flow, switched to a cheap basic filter & now it only runs a few minutes summer and winter. And it also kills me that on the expense filter packaging it says it's a 3 month filter, that's crazy, that will most definitely burn up the blower motor.
Or he works in a field where he has to get into spaces that are uniquely full of built up irritants and allergens and pollutants from god knows how long every day, and then move stuff around in there.
hi! I have an older Thermo Pride low boy furnace. It takes 20x20x1 filters but I don;'t know what MERV rating to get. I don't see anything about it in the manual - in fact, I think it originally came with a washable filter from the way it describes washing it. I'm not the original owner so I believe the original filter is long gone. Thank you!
So option 1 i use a no restriction air filter which will then allow the coil to get covered and filled with dust, dander etc requring frequent servicing as it will reduce efficiency pretty fast, or i can get a pleated filter which restricts the airflow some but protects the coil. Seems more logical to get a lower merv pleated change out frequently. $120 in filters a year is better than a $250 service call fee and $300 a coil cleaning fee yearly.
I just realized the house I bought didn't have a filter in the one return our system has. And I wondered if they removed it because it was choking the airflow. But glad I saw this video. I'll get a 1$ filter because there's large dust balls floating in the vents when the ac comes on lol
Yeah removing the filter is such a bad thing to do . Not because dust gets in your ducks the worst part about it is it plugs the A coil , which is your cooling coil. If that gets plugged that is costly problem. The filter does more than just stop dust in the air it stops dust getting into your components of your furnace. What a stupid move by the previous owner.
@@shawngill909 Had a professional check my HVAC system and he said there's no filters because I have an electronic filter near the main fan area which handles filtration. Makes sense now.
@@rainbomg No but I think its just dust that eventually gathered together into a ball. It looked scary at first like a rat was jumping up and down in the vent lol, but it was just this big dust bunny that was blowing in the wind
@@50kTha! I had that in the bathroom vent when I first moved into my current place. Its still there, it looks like a little piece of paper. I can’t reach it. That’s interesting tho, about your electronic filter… so you never have to change it out?
Thanks for making this video! I've been using the $2 dollar filter. I try to change the cheaper one monthly, but misses a month. I found the filter became flumsy and bent on me (I have a strong vacume). I actually lost heat so i shut it off. The next morning it worked. I'll pick up a filter tomorrow. Anyway, would you suggest a thicker filter, due to the strong vacume.
Been using merv 13 filters on our house's original 22 year old HAVC system since its beginning, and have not needed to do any unscheduled repairs to it(furnace, a/c, blower motor). I DO change the filter monthly, and of course, I do NOT know how efficiently it has run these past 22 years, but have been happy with the cooling/heating of it. I guess hospitals have a whole different level of HVAC systems which allow very high filtration, while keeping the air flow going. THAT'S what I want.
hospitals use pleated filters in front of hepa filters , sometimes before the cooling coils and after the fan ,to catch dust from the fan belts etc. In order to move air thru the air handler the size of the motor is increased , from say ,10 horsepower to 15 or 20 horse power. they also use many more filters per air handler say 20 or 30.
What are your thoughts on the K and N merv 11... HVAC washable filter???? I noticed my system is a bit louder with airflow when I installed compared to my cheap $5.00 Merv 8 filter.
Hello. Thoroughly enjoyed your detailed video. I don't know what to use for this old floor air intake. My Central is new but they never told me about filters because it was installed through a previous landlord. Please advise if you can. I opened it up and saw this yuk!!! It's in my square hallway floor. See pictures please. Thank you!!
Great video full of good information. I live in hot South Texas. I notice that two years using 1" x 20 x 20" k&n washable filters both on my HVAC room door filter and another in the unit, I'm starting to hear condensation running down the pipes way more often than usual. So I decided to take them out and replaced them with merv 1 fiberglass filters, one on the door and two in the unit that have two slots. Wow! The amount of air flow is incredible. Do you recommend this or should I take one of the filters on the unit out? Thanks in advance.
So my wife has asthma and is allergic to alot of stuff. I live in a townhome and i put merv 12 air filters in my unit and it helps alot. I understand airflow but health is important as well. So in my situation a merv 5-8 is not in the cards.
What's the brand, material and MERV rating of that flat filter with what looks like synthetic or poly material you suggested in your video? It looks better (bit more dense) than the see-thru cheap fiberglass MERV 1-2 filters.
I have an apartment and I cannot find a 16x12x1 filter anywhere! Which filter should I get and where in the heck do I get it from? Thank you for the help
What self-rinsing DIY evap/condensor cleaner do you recommend and how often should you use it? I've used NuCalgon and Simply Green, results were ok. Thank you sir.
Thank you. I bought a merv 9? filter after recently having my furnace fixed. The hvac guy removed our cheap filter (was in upside down) and said let it air out. He never said why. But I thought buying a more expensive filter would help.
I saw another video where a guy said not to use the fancy pleated filters too.. My question is, my system has space for the thicker filters like 4" or whatever, but should I just use the thinner one?
My system take a carrier filxxfnc0017. This space is quite large and I am not sure which filter to get since the size is non negotiable. Should I get the lowest merv?
I'm in an old old house that my grandmother put in a new hvac system in around 2008 to me the duct looks crappy and is wet all the time I know ductwork didn't get changed from just having a furnace! Not to mention it's surrounded by 100% dirt...is there a way I could see how much of a filter I can run without hurting my unit myself? As of now it has a 25x16x1 filter in it..I'm really handy how hard would it be to put one of them 25x16x5 filter cases in or would it be better to have the ductwork work sealed and or new put in and then worry about the filter? How could I figure out the most merv rated filter I could use until then ? Ran a 12 once no go in a month! Any thoughts would help thank you
Love it. If you only have 1 return air duct it's a major red flag! Especially if you arent in a custom built home. Insist that your HVAC tech tests static pressure!! Over 0.50 total static is a fail for 90% of systems! More than half the systems we replace need to have a 2nd return air duct and grill installed to fix airflow issues!
Thank you for all your great vids. I was wondering if you can ever have too much return ducting. After watching your videos, I checked my external static and found 3.5 and 3.5 for a total of 7 in WC . Filter drop is .18 INWC ( 5 inch air bear) and a\c coil drop is .21INWC. ( 2.5 ton N coil.) The temp rise is 70 degrees in heat mode. Rheem says 40-70 rise is okay , so I'm at the high end of acceptable . Shooting for 55 degree rise. I'm thinking I might need more returns and supplies but don't want to over duct it. Any help or advice? Also, when is was installed they added one 10' and one 8 inch flexible return duct. this is a 70,000 BTU Rheem 95% that replaced a 115,000 Ruud 95% furnace. Thank you
If you have a 3 ton system (1,200 CFM's) you need two 14" round flex returns. There are duct calculators a good HVAC professional will use. A 4 ton system needs two 16" round return ducts.
Our new house has a unit in the attic and and unit in the basement. The attic unit has the cheap filters in the returns, and the basement has that big box filter you showed. When the AC company walked the system though with us he pretty much told us what you said about the cheaper filters, so we stayed with them. We forgot to ask about the box filter in the basement. Should we stay with that? How ofter do you change that filter?
Good presentation. Have a question. Maybe you can give recommendation. I'm very limited on space. My system in an upflow in closet. Using a filter base which can hold 1 or 2 inch filter. Would a 2 inch pleated be a better choice to get more surface area ? I know you recommend the 4 to 5 inch filters but space is not allowing for.
Yes it will be a better choice and it is made stronger than the 1" and has less of a chance of collapsing. You can actually order a metal frame and use either pleat inserts or poly inserts . Poly will give you more airflow with the same Merv rating depending on the type you decide to use. I know American air filter makes the 2" poly disposable like the 1" in the video and so does the company I work for
Lots of HVAC shops & techs think that the cheap fiberglass filters are not good enough - way too wide open. I can even see-thru them to watch TV - and looking at one closely, how can it trap any dust particles? Lots of folks are suggesting entry-level MERV 4-6 filters minimum versus the see-thru MERV 2 cheap fiberglass filters. A cheap MERV 4-6 poly filter like in this video that the guy showed (...is probably a MERV 4) or an inexpensive MERV 6-8 pleated filter and replace every month.
@@Kenster-man I've been using the fiberglass filters in my home hvac for the last 20 years and there is no dust/dirt build up on my evap coil, blower motor, or ductwork. Many hvac techs don't like the fiberglass filters because they get far fewer service calls so they don't make any $$.
@@thulsa5218 I wonder if this is affected by region? It’s gotta be, right? Like, maybe certain areas have less potential allergens in the air in the first place? I also think the fact that you actually change yours monthly is a big help, bc a lot of ppl don’t do this. When I moved into my previous apartment, after asking them a ton of times to change the air filter the guy came to do it but said he didn’t have a key to the little door to get to it, so then all this waiting for the key and long story short, I finally got so annoyed I just took the door off it’s hinges and when I opened the thing, the filter had fallen down because it was so heavy full of debris. It was one of those green cheap ones, too. Can you imagine?
No! A dirty filter will have lower amperage draw. A clean filter will have a higher amperage draw. A furnace blower is a "pump". When the pump moves more material the load increases. When same pump moves less material the load decreases. So, -clean filter = more air => higher amp load -dirty filter = less air => lower amp load.
My furnace has a safety shut off switch which kicks off in a reduced air situation. It's supposed to be self resetting but it didn't reset. The HVAC pro had to tap on it to get it to reset, explained to me the filter situation, and I've been using the simple fiber filters ever since.
Restricted flow will not create a load on blower motor. Your furnace blower is a "pump". When you increase the load on a pump the amperage draw increases. When you decrease the load the amperage draw decreases. More air = more load Less air = less load. The biggest negative when decreasing air flow in a furnace blower is the possibility of overheating the motor because of lack of air movement re: motor cooling. Anyone not agreeing, please get out your amp meter and compare a new filter to a dirty filter. For a furnace to "shut off" because of low air flow, the furnace has built in protection for "heat rise". If not enuf air is passing thru furnace the heat rise protection will shut furnace off.
QUESTION: I don't understand how air filters can be directional? They have an installation arrow on them, but why? Ditto for the pleated cabin air filter in my car which, when I replaced it, I couldn't remember which way it came out and the retainer wasn't marked.
One is for the return duct and one is for the supply duct. The arrow goes innthe direction of airflow. So if you feel air coming from.the vent then the arrow should be pointed down towards the room it is supplying air to. If you feel no air coming through when the unit is on, then it is returning air to the system to recirculate. In this case the arrow should be pointing up tor2ards the attic. Hope that explains it
I believe it's because there is metal netting holding the shape "downwind." If it were on the other side, the filter would billow in the direction of the air flow.
I understand the scientific reasoning explained here? But what about using a filter that filters out dust, pollen, pet dander and dust mites? The packaging does not mention the MERV rating. This filter I'm describing is a purafilter 2000. What MERV rating is it?? It says to change every 3 mos.
I just put in a Merv 11 replacing the cheap green ones. We have carpet and allergies..I'll give it a month to see if we have any changes. So if the 11 doesn't pan out, can anyone suggest another number for me? Thanks, this is very informative. Funny, back in the day my grandparents always had a box of the cheap ones.
You can't use your imagination or sensory skills to know if there's anything changing. 99.9% of the time you're restricting air flow affecting your system efficiency and don't even realize it. It often doesn't make a large enough difference on your utility bill to alert you unless it's severe. It needs to be checked via Is total external static pressure.
My apartment Maintenance Man is trying to tell us that the Filtrete allergy filter is bad and will harm the furance I have always used them and never heard this before . also the Cooling coils in here make the apartment smell like Mildew and they will not even clean them for anyone . So had to get a air cleaner for my Mom in her apt .She is highly allergic to Mold and Mildew smells
OK, so I've been using the accordion 20x20x1 filters for the past 10 years in the Las Vegas area. Never heard about MERV until today. My unit froze and we are waiting for it to defrost so the tech can figure out why it froze. If I don't have carpets, pets, or smoking in the house, do I want MERV 7 and lower? So far, I only know I had 11 MERV for the last 3 months. Never knew about it to look.
@@itzjustkay1972 I noticed the biggest change in air quality when I started running an air purifier. Not one of those ionic ones, but a hepa one. Due to an old rental with a serious mold problem I developed a sensitivity that, at 30, gave me my first real idea of what my asthmatic mother has gone through when her allergies affect her. So, someone loaned me an air purifier when I was there and then after I moved I started noticing that I’d become short of breath sometimes, so I got myself an air cleaner. (A good one) There is a _noticeable_ difference in the air quality in my home, and what’s most noticeable to me is that I _never_ have to dust, like, EVER in the rooms with the air cleaners in them. There is one room without one and I still get a little bit of dust there, but not as much. I think it’s more cost effective in the long term and much more noticeably improved on the short term to get a good, hepa, air cleaner and use cheaper, simpler filters that won’t stress your HVAC. bc there will be allergens in the vents, in the registers, in all these places PAST the filter anyway. If you have allergies I think you’ll truly notice an improvement if you try that. (And if you’re not vacuuming twice a week or more with a closed air cycle hepa filter vacuum I’d recommend that as well! I have recs on products if you’re interested, they pretty much line up with what wirecutter says tho)
Question. I have an older trane system that takes 3 - 10x20x1 filters placed in this shape /\/. Can i just use 1 bigger filter placed in at an angle like this / instead?
1" filters shouldn't be available in high merv ratings. My furnace was .8" WC static pressure with a brand new pleated Kirkland 1" filter. My furnace was oversized and cracked the heat exchanger. New variable speed furnace properly sized with a 5" filter brought my static pressure to .3" WC. Lawrence speaks the truth.
Hi Dehart. Quick question for you. So basically what you said in this video is 100 percent correct. I just had a new air conditioner installed at my house and the 14 x 20 x 1, merv 8 pleated filter was causing the evaporator coil to freeze up. The HVAC company put a 16 x 20, x 1 fiberglass filter in my HVAC system which resulted in the system NOT freeing up. I am now considering having the ductwork changed to accommodate a 16 x 25 x 4 pleated merv 8 filter. My question is do you think a 16 x 25 x 4 pleated filter will allow more or less air then a 16 x 20 x 1 fiberglass filter? I understand the pleated and thicker filter (16 x 25 x 4) will have way more surface area, but after taking into consideration the higher merv rating of the pleated filter do you think I will still get better air flow compared to the fiberglass filter? Thank you. -David
It normally takes a 4 inch pleated merv 8 filter to give the same air flow as a 1 inch fiberglass filter. But the air quality will be hugely improved with the 4 inch filter.
I live an apt and the apt maintenance is so lazy. I could care less if I damage their equipment at this point. I am using the allergen ones arm & hammer. Need it for all my pets. Every time I walk by someone that works for maintenance, just tries to walk by me and doesn't say hello. Gross. They also take months to attend to my needs.
so many factor that make filter flow slow... dirty, high density, .. which one u want to make important, so gust changed it often nothing will caused by filter.
Yeah but don't buy those green ones those are super cheap and they allow way too much to go through find the ones that look almost cotton'ish white and you good.
Question am putting merv 8 filter , should I change to a higher number maybe 13 when allergy season comes and back to 8 when less allergie season.Also is it ok to put 2 cups of Clorox bleach down the tube every month when I change my filter ,this was recommended by ac tech who installed my ac.
Ah you end the endless debate about what filter is “best”. Throw a cheapo spunglass in there for no restriction and have your evaporator and heat exchanger (if you have a furnace) every 6 months or go for 4”+ pleated filter and have low restriction, clean air and coil.
Just don't buy those green ones they sell at stores. The white ones like his even if they are not the exact same style as long as they are cotton looking white style you good.
I can't believe you didn't consider looking at castle filters there's a best filter on the market of an understand why keep seeing me with no consideration of the castle filter
HHC - How to choose the best filter for my AC unit by HobaicaHobaica Services: (HVAC), Duct, AC | Plumber - Separative sewer, Drain cleaning, Water heating | Electrician, Distribution board, Electrical | Wine Cellar - Repair, Replacement, Installation
It makes perfect sense that "simpler" thinner filters have a better airflow.. Thank you !
Very helpful, I was looking for a way to cover vents in apartment that is blowing so much dust it's nuts and found this video. Glad I am in the know so when I go buy I always look for this kind . This is what I bought last time and furnace runs better than previous but the crazy dust blowing around house is something else. Thank-you
More is not always better! of anything! You know your stuff! Great information!
no one is talking about how dirty the evaporator coil is going to be after using those cheap little flimsy filters. What this man does not talk about is that the filters are meant to protect the system. The filters are not designed for air purification, but rather protect the evaporator coil. Although, indoor air quality is important, we cannot overlook, the regular maintenance of the HVAC system. As cheaper filters are being used evaporator coil’s will get substantially dirtier than ever before. Yes, you will be cool and yes, you will need to hire a professional to clean your evaporator coil faster than expected.
Evap coils can clean themselves usually by condensation running down the coil pulling dirt and dust with it.
@@adambergmann7716 🤦🏽♂️ fakenews🤦🏽♂️
@@adambergmann7716 Yep if what that person was saying was true then there would have been a drastically reduced amount of calls for cleaning evaporator coils after fancy filters came out and that simply wasn't the case
Nonsense.
Thank you sir. I always thought my furnace was to small for my house because certain vents had little air coming out, especially my daughters room I have to put a heater in the winter. Went out bought that fibreglass filter and my god what a difference. When it’s time for a new furnace I will get them to install the 4 inch filter housing. Thanks man👍
Thanks for your professional teaching to protect my system and save money.
Thank you Lawrence for the sharing your good common sense!
So true, I noticed a restrictive air flow with that type of filter, so we had it serviced, and I suggested to put in the thinner air filter I immediately noticed a better central A/C air flow, and I can breath better
This happened to me. One day my furnace just stopped working. It stopped trying to kick in aka ignite the burners so no heat. I called my HVAC guy, and after the 3rd check of the system codes, he found out it was the safety mechanism shut off due to decreased airflow and it had not automatically reset. After it had stopped working, I had realized I didn't change the filter for a couple months, it was the cheapest 1 inch simple pleated filter. I removed it, vacuumed the heck out of it, but it still wouldn't kick on. Anyway, he had to tap on it to get it to reset, then it kicked on. He asked about the filter and I told him what happened. Then he told me to get the exact same type of filter you suggested, the simple fiber ones. Here I thought I was doing better for my furnace and myself but I just caused myself, my wallet, and my furnace more problems. Lesson learned. Thank you and I hope this helps prevent more problems for others.
'it was the cheapest 1 inch simple pleated filter' Realize, if the material is the same, pleats = more surface area, so equals even less restrictive than a flat surface. That's simply basic math surface area, so there is no debating it, same material pleats are better not worse.
instead of buying cheap filter, why not buy one of those mini pleat merv 8s? nordic pure make them.
Love how direct and honest your presentation is. I fell into the allergen MERV rating advertising trap. Thought I was being smart. Never understood why my electric bill was always higher than my peer group (according to the electric company).
That was a great example . Thanks for showing this
Everything in the video is spot-on!
Also, the purpose of a furnace filter is to keep the furnace clean. It's not intended to improve the air quality of your house although filter manufacturers market them as such to be able to sell them for more profit. If you need to improve the air quality in your house then you need a dedicated air purifier with a Hepa filter.
Out of all the videos about air filters, this is the only one I can find with a guy who actualy is honest and knows what's his taking about. First off, he know what he's talking about, this is his profession. All these non havac people telling you about how great merv 8, merv 13 filters are, probably flush flushable wipes down the toilet too. 2nd, as a hvac tech, he's not selling anything. Think about it. Wouldn't it be better for him to tell you to use a higher merv rated filter, so your system breaks, so he can charge you 200 bucks to replace a buck 50 limit switch. If I lived in this company's area, I would use them for any hvac problems I had, just knowing from this video, they're not b.s.ing me. Great video man.
get his number and take him out on a date already. Maybe you’ll have kids with him too
ummmm, been an HVAC tech for 10 years. most of us reccomend a Merv 8 as the sweet spot standard. below Merv 6 and you're gonna trash your coils with gunk. above 10 and it gets really restrictive. Merv 8 isn't that restrictive unless you have a garbage return system.
Perfect explanation.. Thanks for a great post
I've been using the Merv 8 dust lock and ultra poly in the metal frame in my house for over 10 years (Merv 8poly has twice the airflow that the standard Merv 8 pleat has) I made sure to use weather stripping around the frame to keep our any air bypass from going around the filter . I have been 8n the air filter industry for over two and a half decades and recommend poly over pleat all the time at certain accounts. I have seen people buy in to the highest Merv rating that can even HEPA in some cases their system and I try not to make them feel bad for doing so. I will now just send them this video in the future.
What brand and where do you buy your MERV 8 Poly filter?
thanks ...for recommending something regular people know nothing about and can't find any meaningful information. enjoy your 8 ultra poly wolly dust buster, i guess?
@@Kenster-man I work for a filter company that makes filters for numerous places. I know tri-dim filter corp has them along with American Air Filter
@@trippplefive a simple Google search can help you .
@@Kenster-man Google ZORO they have it in bulk rolls in different sizes.
Very helpful. Thank you.
thanks chris. I left a tip in your van down by the river
I live in the Central Valley California where it can be in 100s all summer long. I was told by a HVAC guy to use fiberglass filter and did ever since.
Did it improve your AC system in terms of achieving your desired temperature
Thank you that is good information
Our newly built home company who put in our HVAC system has free filter Fridays, so these are the thinner filters have a much better airflow
I used a Merv 7 for awhile & noticed my system was running a long time because of little air flow, switched to a cheap basic filter & now it only runs a few minutes summer and winter.
And it also kills me that on the expense filter packaging it says it's a 3 month filter, that's crazy, that will most definitely burn up the blower motor.
Guilty. Going to the hardware store tomorrow and buying cheap filters
1 yrs later did u
@@CCCC-tq8yo I did. Bought a whole years worth of filters for less than one of the expensive filters that were over working my system.
Good talk in simple language we can understand . One of your points though was the 5" pleated filter is not restrictive if I understood correctly ?
the coughing in the end means he needed a high merv anti-allergenic filter
Or he smokes like a chimney.
Or he works in a field where he has to get into spaces that are uniquely full of built up irritants and allergens and pollutants from god knows how long every day, and then move stuff around in there.
hi! I have an older Thermo Pride low boy furnace. It takes 20x20x1 filters but I don;'t know what MERV rating to get. I don't see anything about it in the manual - in fact, I think it originally came with a washable filter from the way it describes washing it. I'm not the original owner so I believe the original filter is long gone. Thank you!
Great info
good shit brother. This is what I was looking for!
💯% spot on!!
So option 1 i use a no restriction air filter which will then allow the coil to get covered and filled with dust, dander etc requring frequent servicing as it will reduce efficiency pretty fast, or i can get a pleated filter which restricts the airflow some but protects the coil. Seems more logical to get a lower merv pleated change out frequently. $120 in filters a year is better than a $250 service call fee and $300 a coil cleaning fee yearly.
High air flow fiberglass filters in my AC unit dirties the coils in the air handler ! Lowering the efficiency of the unit !
I just realized the house I bought didn't have a filter in the one return our system has. And I wondered if they removed it because it was choking the airflow. But glad I saw this video. I'll get a 1$ filter because there's large dust balls floating in the vents when the ac comes on lol
Yeah removing the filter is such a bad thing to do . Not because dust gets in your ducks the worst part about it is it plugs the A coil , which is your cooling coil. If that gets plugged that is costly problem. The filter does more than just stop dust in the air it stops dust getting into your components of your furnace. What a stupid move by the previous owner.
@@shawngill909 Had a professional check my HVAC system and he said there's no filters because I have an electronic filter near the main fan area which handles filtration. Makes sense now.
@@50kT I’ve never heard of that, did he happen to explain why you had the dust balls coming out of the vent?
@@rainbomg No but I think its just dust that eventually gathered together into a ball. It looked scary at first like a rat was jumping up and down in the vent lol, but it was just this big dust bunny that was blowing in the wind
@@50kTha! I had that in the bathroom vent when I first moved into my current place. Its still there, it looks like a little piece of paper. I can’t reach it. That’s interesting tho, about your electronic filter… so you never have to change it out?
Thank you!
I use the cheap thin green filters 👍
The opening shots and closing shots of this vid are fantastic.
QUESTIONS how does a bathroom fan work? Where’s that moist air going?
It depends. Some are vented to a soffit or a roof jack. Some are just thrown up to vent in the attic.
Thank you.
Thanks for making this video! I've been using the $2 dollar filter. I try to change the cheaper one monthly, but misses a month. I found the filter became flumsy and bent on me (I have a strong vacume). I actually lost heat so i shut it off. The next morning it worked. I'll pick up a filter tomorrow. Anyway, would you suggest a thicker filter, due to the strong vacume.
Been using merv 13 filters on our house's original 22 year old HAVC system since its beginning, and have not needed to do any unscheduled repairs to it(furnace, a/c, blower motor). I DO change the filter monthly, and of course, I do NOT know how efficiently it has run these past 22 years, but have been happy with the cooling/heating of it. I guess hospitals have a whole different level of HVAC systems which allow very high filtration, while keeping the air flow going. THAT'S what I want.
hospitals use pleated filters in front of hepa filters , sometimes before the cooling coils and after the fan ,to catch dust from the fan belts etc. In order to move air thru the air handler the size of the motor is increased , from say ,10 horsepower to 15 or 20 horse power. they also use many more filters per air handler say 20 or 30.
What are your thoughts on the K and N merv 11... HVAC washable filter???? I noticed my system is a bit louder with airflow when I installed compared to my cheap $5.00 Merv 8 filter.
Hello. Thoroughly enjoyed your detailed video. I don't know what to use for this old floor air intake. My Central is new but they never told me about filters because it was installed through a previous landlord. Please advise if you can. I opened it up and saw this yuk!!! It's in my square hallway floor. See pictures please. Thank you!!
Tried to add pics
Thank you!!
Great video full of good information. I live in hot South Texas. I notice that two years using 1" x 20 x 20" k&n washable filters both on my HVAC room door filter and another in the unit, I'm starting to hear condensation running down the pipes way more often than usual. So I decided to take them out and replaced them with merv 1 fiberglass filters, one on the door and two in the unit that have two slots. Wow! The amount of air flow is incredible. Do you recommend this or should I take one of the filters on the unit out? Thanks in advance.
What do you think of the k&n hvac filter?
So my wife has asthma and is allergic to alot of stuff. I live in a townhome and i put merv 12 air filters in my unit and it helps alot. I understand airflow but health is important as well. So in my situation a merv 5-8 is not in the cards.
What's the brand, material and MERV rating of that flat filter with what looks like synthetic or poly material you suggested in your video? It looks better (bit more dense) than the see-thru cheap fiberglass MERV 1-2 filters.
“The professional that might be at your house” 😂😂😂😂😂
before air buyfilter 8 Merv, if I order upgrade Filtrete 1900 will good ?
I have a Magix pak which filter do I use currently I'm using the second 1 u showwd
Thanks bro
I have an apartment and I cannot find a 16x12x1 filter anywhere! Which filter should I get and where in the heck do I get it from? Thank you for the help
Doesn’t the fiberglass filters. Cause more build up of dirt inside. ? Would a 300 filtrete be good. For a upgrade ?
What self-rinsing DIY evap/condensor cleaner do you recommend and how often should you use it? I've used NuCalgon and Simply Green, results were ok. Thank you sir.
Are the filters you can rinse off good or bad?
Should you put a filter (cheap one you mentioned) in air input and the hvac filter as well?
Wondering , are washable pre filters worth it?
Thank you. I bought a merv 9? filter after recently having my furnace fixed. The hvac guy removed our cheap filter (was in upside down) and said let it air out. He never said why. But I thought buying a more expensive filter would help.
what is a puresept filter? What is a merv rating for a puresept filter?
Is the cheap basic koch filter polyester or fiberglass?
I saw another video where a guy said not to use the fancy pleated filters too.. My question is, my system has space for the thicker filters like 4" or whatever, but should I just use the thinner one?
My system take a carrier filxxfnc0017. This space is quite large and I am not sure which filter to get since the size is non negotiable. Should I get the lowest merv?
I'm in an old old house that my grandmother put in a new hvac system in around 2008 to me the duct looks crappy and is wet all the time I know ductwork didn't get changed from just having a furnace! Not to mention it's surrounded by 100% dirt...is there a way I could see how much of a filter I can run without hurting my unit myself? As of now it has a 25x16x1 filter in it..I'm really handy how hard would it be to put one of them 25x16x5 filter cases in or would it be better to have the ductwork work sealed and or new put in and then worry about the filter? How could I figure out the most merv rated filter I could use until then ? Ran a 12 once no go in a month! Any thoughts would help thank you
You might have a leaky duct system on the return side of the unit sucking in dirt from the attic.
Love it. If you only have 1 return air duct it's a major red flag! Especially if you arent in a custom built home. Insist that your HVAC tech tests static pressure!! Over 0.50 total static is a fail for 90% of systems! More than half the systems we replace need to have a 2nd return air duct and grill installed to fix airflow issues!
So those cheap filter. Replace every 30 days or 90 days?
Better airflow , more dirt flow ?
3M (Filtrete) makes 1" Merv 13 filters with lots of pleats. Can you recommend those?
That seems to be the exception.
Please recommend a fiberglass filter.
4 inch pleated filters have "smaller pores" but much more surface area.
Thank you for all your great vids.
I was wondering if you can ever have too much return ducting.
After watching your videos, I checked my external static and found 3.5 and 3.5 for a total of 7 in WC .
Filter drop is .18 INWC ( 5 inch air bear) and a\c coil drop is .21INWC. ( 2.5 ton N coil.)
The temp rise is 70 degrees in heat mode. Rheem says 40-70 rise is okay , so I'm at the high end of acceptable . Shooting for 55 degree rise.
I'm thinking I might need more returns and supplies but don't want to over duct it. Any help or advice? Also, when is was installed they added one 10' and one 8 inch flexible return duct.
this is a 70,000 BTU Rheem 95% that replaced a 115,000 Ruud 95% furnace. Thank you
If you have a 3 ton system (1,200 CFM's) you need two 14" round flex returns. There are duct calculators a good HVAC professional will use. A 4 ton system needs two 16" round return ducts.
A 10" and an 8" isn't even close to enough return air ductwork.
Our new house has a unit in the attic and and unit in the basement. The attic unit has the cheap filters in the returns, and the basement has that big box filter you showed. When the AC company walked the system though with us he pretty much told us what you said about the cheaper filters, so we stayed with them. We forgot to ask about the box filter in the basement. Should we stay with that? How ofter do you change that filter?
You could pull out the 5" filter and put in a 1" filter.
What if you put in 4 1" fiberglass filters and add a new one each month taking out the dirty one?
Good presentation. Have a question. Maybe you can give recommendation.
I'm very limited on space. My system in an upflow in closet. Using a filter base which can hold 1 or 2 inch filter. Would a 2 inch pleated be a better choice to get more surface area ? I know you recommend the 4 to 5 inch filters but space is not allowing for.
Yes def use a 2 inch merv 8 if possible. They have a lower pressure drop than 1 inch filters.
Yes it will be a better choice and it is made stronger than the 1" and has less of a chance of collapsing. You can actually order a metal frame and use either pleat inserts or poly inserts . Poly will give you more airflow with the same Merv rating depending on the type you decide to use. I know American air filter makes the 2" poly disposable like the 1" in the video and so does the company I work for
Damn I just bought a fpr 9!
Are the fiberglass filters changed every 30 days adequate to protect the equipment, including the evaporator coil?
Yes they are. Spraying them on both sides of the filter with Endust or Lemon Pledge helps capture the dust even more.
@@thulsa5218 Thank you! I've been doing just that!
Lots of HVAC shops & techs think that the cheap fiberglass filters are not good enough - way too wide open. I can even see-thru them to watch TV - and looking at one closely, how can it trap any dust particles? Lots of folks are suggesting entry-level MERV 4-6 filters minimum versus the see-thru MERV 2 cheap fiberglass filters. A cheap MERV 4-6 poly filter like in this video that the guy showed (...is probably a MERV 4) or an inexpensive MERV 6-8 pleated filter and replace every month.
@@Kenster-man I've been using the fiberglass filters in my home hvac for the last 20 years and there is no dust/dirt build up on my evap coil, blower motor, or ductwork. Many hvac techs don't like the fiberglass filters because they get far fewer service calls so they don't make any $$.
@@thulsa5218 I wonder if this is affected by region? It’s gotta be, right? Like, maybe certain areas have less potential allergens in the air in the first place?
I also think the fact that you actually change yours monthly is a big help, bc a lot of ppl don’t do this. When I moved into my previous apartment, after asking them a ton of times to change the air filter the guy came to do it but said he didn’t have a key to the little door to get to it, so then all this waiting for the key and long story short, I finally got so annoyed I just took the door off it’s hinges and when I opened the thing, the filter had fallen down because it was so heavy full of debris. It was one of those green cheap ones, too. Can you imagine?
does a restrictive filter cause a load on the air circulator motor?? i think the amp draw will remain the same
No!
A dirty filter will have lower amperage draw.
A clean filter will have a higher amperage draw.
A furnace blower is a "pump".
When the pump moves more material the load increases. When same pump moves less material the load decreases.
So,
-clean filter = more air => higher amp load
-dirty filter = less air => lower amp load.
What do I do when the cheaper filter does not have the arrow to tell me which way to put it
You can put it either way sir. its non directional flowing
Will the cheaper air filter make the ac coils and motor more dirty and last less by letting in a lot more dust in the system ?
Yes, and it requires service calls to clean.
@@TropicalGardenGuy Thank you
Yes.
So your telling me a majority of the systems are not sized properly? I can't wait till I need a tech for service.
Can restricted air flow cause the burning of fuses in the unit? Because it's working so hard?
My furnace has a safety shut off switch which kicks off in a reduced air situation. It's supposed to be self resetting but it didn't reset. The HVAC pro had to tap on it to get it to reset, explained to me the filter situation, and I've been using the simple fiber filters ever since.
Restricted flow will not create a load on blower motor.
Your furnace blower is a "pump".
When you increase the load on a pump the amperage draw increases. When you decrease the load the amperage draw decreases.
More air = more load
Less air = less load.
The biggest negative when decreasing air flow in a furnace blower is the possibility of overheating the motor because of lack of air movement re: motor cooling.
Anyone not agreeing, please get out your amp meter and compare a new filter to a dirty filter.
For a furnace to "shut off" because of low air flow, the furnace has built in protection for "heat rise".
If not enuf air is passing thru furnace the heat rise protection will shut furnace off.
QUESTION: I don't understand how air filters can be directional? They have an installation arrow on them, but why? Ditto for the pleated cabin air filter in my car which, when I replaced it, I couldn't remember which way it came out and the retainer wasn't marked.
One is for the return duct and one is for the supply duct.
The arrow goes innthe direction of airflow.
So if you feel air coming from.the vent then the arrow should be pointed down towards the room it is supplying air to.
If you feel no air coming through when the unit is on, then it is returning air to the system to recirculate. In this case the arrow should be pointing up tor2ards the attic.
Hope that explains it
I believe it's because there is metal netting holding the shape "downwind." If it were on the other side, the filter would billow in the direction of the air flow.
Can I turn off the airflow in room rooms I’m not using?
I read somewhere that if you do it, it created more work for your system oddly.
Who has the best price on the 5 inch filter?
I have the cheaper one and they've been charging me a $100 for 12 of them so where do I get the cheaper ones
What other size filter can I use for my ac which is 17x19x1? I cant find that size anywhere.
It’s probably 16 x 18 or 18 x 20
@@rainbomg thank you.
What filter is best for people with severe allergies?
Ask your HVAC person about a UV light. I just had one added to my AC.
I understand the scientific reasoning explained here? But what about using a filter that filters out dust, pollen, pet dander and dust mites? The packaging does not mention the MERV rating.
This filter I'm describing is a purafilter 2000. What MERV rating is it?? It says to change every 3 mos.
I just put in a Merv 11 replacing the cheap green ones. We have carpet and allergies..I'll give it a month to see if we have any changes. So if the 11 doesn't pan out, can anyone suggest another number for me? Thanks, this is very informative. Funny, back in the day my grandparents always had a box of the cheap ones.
You can't use your imagination or sensory skills to know if there's anything changing. 99.9% of the time you're restricting air flow affecting your system efficiency and don't even realize it. It often doesn't make a large enough difference on your utility bill to alert you unless it's severe. It needs to be checked via Is total external static pressure.
My apartment Maintenance Man is trying to tell us that the Filtrete allergy filter is bad and will harm the furance I have always used them and never heard this before . also the Cooling coils in here make the apartment smell like Mildew and they will not even clean them for anyone . So had to get a air cleaner for my Mom in her apt .She is highly allergic to Mold and Mildew smells
You said you need adequate static pressure. What is considered adequate?
Check on the data tag of your HVAC equipment. Look for Max Total External Static. It's typically. 5
@@dehartplumbingheatingcooli451 thanks
OK, so I've been using the accordion 20x20x1 filters for the past 10 years in the Las Vegas area. Never heard about MERV until today. My unit froze and we are waiting for it to defrost so the tech can figure out why it froze.
If I don't have carpets, pets, or smoking in the house, do I want MERV 7 and lower? So far, I only know I had 11 MERV for the last 3 months. Never knew about it to look.
Just brought Merv 11 - we have carpets and allergies. How is the 11 working for you?
@@itzjustkay1972 I noticed the biggest change in air quality when I started running an air purifier. Not one of those ionic ones, but a hepa one. Due to an old rental with a serious mold problem I developed a sensitivity that, at 30, gave me my first real idea of what my asthmatic mother has gone through when her allergies affect her. So, someone loaned me an air purifier when I was there and then after I moved I started noticing that I’d become short of breath sometimes, so I got myself an air cleaner. (A good one) There is a _noticeable_ difference in the air quality in my home, and what’s most noticeable to me is that I _never_ have to dust, like, EVER in the rooms with the air cleaners in them. There is one room without one and I still get a little bit of dust there, but not as much. I think it’s more cost effective in the long term and much more noticeably improved on the short term to get a good, hepa, air cleaner and use cheaper, simpler filters that won’t stress your HVAC. bc there will be allergens in the vents, in the registers, in all these places PAST the filter anyway. If you have allergies I think you’ll truly notice an improvement if you try that. (And if you’re not vacuuming twice a week or more with a closed air cycle hepa filter vacuum I’d recommend that as well! I have recs on products if you’re interested, they pretty much line up with what wirecutter says tho)
Question. I have an older trane system that takes 3 - 10x20x1 filters placed in this shape /\/. Can i just use 1 bigger filter placed in at an angle like this / instead?
1" filters shouldn't be available in high merv ratings. My furnace was .8" WC static pressure with a brand new pleated Kirkland 1" filter. My furnace was oversized and cracked the heat exchanger. New variable speed furnace properly sized with a 5" filter brought my static pressure to .3" WC. Lawrence speaks the truth.
If power meters has a $ /per hour meter on it, everyone would use the $2 filters, or upgrade to a 5" inch filter.
Hi Dehart. Quick question for you. So basically what you said in this video is 100 percent correct. I just had a new air conditioner installed at my house and the 14 x 20 x 1, merv 8 pleated filter was causing the evaporator coil to freeze up. The HVAC company put a 16 x 20, x 1 fiberglass filter in my HVAC system which resulted in the system NOT freeing up. I am now considering having the ductwork changed to accommodate a 16 x 25 x 4 pleated merv 8 filter. My question is do you think a 16 x 25 x 4 pleated filter will allow more or less air then a 16 x 20 x 1 fiberglass filter? I understand the pleated and thicker filter (16 x 25 x 4) will have way more surface area, but after taking into consideration the higher merv rating of the pleated filter do you think I will still get better air flow compared to the fiberglass filter? Thank you.
-David
It normally takes a 4 inch pleated merv 8 filter to give the same air flow as a 1 inch fiberglass filter. But the air quality will be hugely improved with the 4 inch filter.
You recommend use a specific filter that's high-flow and inexpensive, but you don't tell me where I can acquire said filter. That's frustrating.
I live an apt and the apt maintenance is so lazy. I could care less if I damage their equipment at this point. I am using the allergen ones arm & hammer. Need it for all my pets.
Every time I walk by someone that works for maintenance, just tries to walk by me and doesn't say hello. Gross.
They also take months to attend to my needs.
so many factor that make filter flow slow... dirty, high density, .. which one u want to make important, so gust changed it often nothing will caused by filter.
my guy said the same thing . no pleated ones . get one you can see through
Yeah but don't buy those green ones those are super cheap and they allow way too much to go through find the ones that look almost cotton'ish white and you good.
Question am putting merv 8 filter , should I change to a higher number maybe 13 when allergy season comes and back to 8 when less allergie season.Also is it ok to put 2 cups of Clorox bleach down the tube every month when I change my filter ,this was recommended by ac tech who installed my ac.
Ah you end the endless debate about what filter is “best”. Throw a cheapo spunglass in there for no restriction and have your evaporator and heat exchanger (if you have a furnace) every 6 months or go for 4”+ pleated filter and have low restriction, clean air and coil.
Just don't buy those green ones they sell at stores. The white ones like his even if they are not the exact same style as long as they are cotton looking white style you good.
I can't believe you didn't consider looking at castle filters there's a best filter on the market of an understand why keep seeing me with no consideration of the castle filter
2:46 that me
When filters work so well they can't get the coronavirus going so they start advertising not to use them😂
Yeah, “they” sure are organized 🙄
you know what else is bad from the blower motor? dust and junk...getting through those cheap non pleated filters
Much cheaper to order filters in bulk, by the case.