A/C tech question

[ProjectBazza]

Can I ask a different question about HVAC systems here? If not go ahead and delete.
With my last system I had to take the return grate off the wall in the hallway and climb in while standing on a kitchen chair, dang near to my waist to reach and replace the filters, I had (2) 12x20x1 filters in there set in the plenum like a "V". A royal pain. And getting stuck by self tapping screws that protrude thru the plenum, in the process was less fun.
with this new setup they put in a new filter housing between the furnace cabinet and the plenum that I can get to from inside the utility room now (much easier access) but the new filters are like 25" square and like 4" thick. The old ones were like a couple of bucks each, the new ones are like $30.
The guy who put this system in did leave me a couple of spare new filters with the job how often do these type filters have to be replaced? I pulled it out a couple of times and it still looked new so I left the one put in with the new furnace alone. PS. It's been several years since we had the dogs, we don't have any now but we still have the 2 cats which we've always had a couple of those with the dogs

Air filters in your home may be viewed much like the air filter in your car in that if they look clean, run ‘em! Yes, you “should “ change them out every so often, but again- that’s like a car filter. Are you running the fan 24/7? (Do you drive your car down dusty and dirty roads?) Do you have pets? Are your ducts clean? Do you leave the windows open, and if so, how clean is the outdoor air? Have you been doing any sanding in the house? (I could go on and on with variables that affect replacement intervals.)

The only way to truly know if a filter needs changing is to have the Specs on it, and change it when the pressure drop reaches a certain level, according to the Manufacturer. (IOW, you gotta be a little anal about it…)

That 4” filter is going to last much longer than those 1” filters you used to have, so pull it out every so often and have a look. If it’s clean, put ‘er back. And when it looks dirty (3 months? 6 months? A year?), get a new one.

Do you put the mileage, or the date, on your oil filters when you change oil in your vehicle? Same thing here. Take a Sharpie and right the date on the plenum when it gets changed out. This way you’ll get a feel for the replacement interval after a while.

Jim

 

[abdywgn]

Don, that would have been a good video for America's Funniest! Reminds me of one I changed at the church where I worked. Squeeze in here, get this panel open, ended up grabbing the old one and pulling it out past the blower motor/access door in the front of the furnace. It had a sidewall return grate with slats missing. I think there were a half dozen paper plates in there. People must have thought it was a garbage return.