When it comes to air conditioning and oven filters, understanding the sizes is essential to ensure you find the perfect fit for your home. Air filters have arrows printed on the sides that show how they are supposed to be installed, and these arrows should point in the direction in which the air flows through the system. It is important to note that there is no need for a hermetic seal between the frame and the air cleaner, but it should be quite tight with a small amount of space around the edges. If you need to force the filter into place, you probably need a different size.
The goal is for the filter to slide comfortably in the frame with a little wiggle room, but not too much.The easiest way to identify the size of the AC filter is to remove the existing filter from its slot and examine the filter frame. Round to the nearest inch to create the nominal filter size, which is the measurement you will use when purchasing a filter. This may seem like a small detail, but reducing an air filter to a smaller size can sometimes damage the structural integrity of the filter.Using a properly sized air filter for your HVAC unit is essential to keep your system running smoothly and reap all the benefits your air filter has to offer. These filters offer exceptional filter quality and are commonly found in hospitals or similar areas that require the cleanest air.
Even the smallest window-mounted air conditioner unit will have a filter inside it — by the way, you'll also need to clean or replace them.Washable air filters are reusable versions of normal flat panel or pleated filters, and typically, you'll see filters with a MERV of less than 4 in residential ovens, window-mounted air conditioning units, or as a pre-filter in commercial units that need multiple filters. If you have a HEPA filter installed in your HVAC unit, these filters truly outperform even dedicated air purifiers when it comes to removing particles from the air.High-tech electric purifiers use static electricity to filter particles from the air, like a much more advanced version of an electrostatic filter. Installing several 1-in-a-slot air filters, for example, can cause costly damage to your air conditioning unit, as residential ovens are not equipped to handle this level of airflow restriction.If the filter is not the correct size, either too small or too large, air will flow around the filter instead of through it and, as a result, not all of the air will be filtered out. If you have to jam the air filter to install it, you should try a different brand of oven filter or a custom-sized air filter with a slightly smaller actual size.
In the long run, it's much cheaper to replace the filter on a regular basis rather than having to replace the entire air conditioner.Once you have identified and purchased an appropriately sized AC filter, make sure it fits perfectly. If it does, use the numbers on the sides to choose a replacement every 60 days or as recommended by the manufacturer.
