Dust particles and other airborne contaminants in your home can make you less comfortable and aggravate allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions. Your HVAC Air Filter plays a big role in keeping your indoor air clean. If it’s not doing the job, here are four possible reasons why.
Dirty Filter
When a filter becomes too dirty, it can no longer remove dust effectively. So the dust in the air eventually coats your HVAC systems components. Much of that stuff can get blown back into your home, reducing indoor air quality. A layer of dust, can cause serious problems. Dust on your furnace firebox can be a fire hazard. Replace your filter now if it looks dirty and clogged like the one pictured above, then change it regularly according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Filter Installed Incorrectly
Filters are designed so that air should flow in only one direction through it. Most filters have arrows printed on the side indicating the correct direction the filter should be installed. A filter facing the wrong way will not capture dust particles very well and which will end up floating in the home’s air instead of being trapped by the filter. When installed correctly the filter arrows should point toward the furnace.
Low Efficiency Filter
That one-inch filter may be cheap, but it’s not doing a whole lot to improve your indoor air quality. Filter performance is measured by Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value or MERV. For many homes a MERV value between 7 and 12 is adequate to remove most dust particles and other contaminants. By using the manufacturer’s recommended MERV value.
No Filter
No filter, of course, means no filtration. For most units, a filter slot is located where the return air duct connects to the furnace. Some systems have the filter placed behind a return air vent, so check wall or ceiling vents.
Remember you can order quality Air Filters from Horne…right from the comfort of your home.
