Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Air Filter Tips

Purchasing air conditioning filters can be very confusing.

I am often asked “why doesn’t my filter fit properly in my grille?” There are basically two different “sizes” of filters, and purchasing one can be a little confusing. If you read on the cardboard on the outer edge of the filter it might read 18x18, but the actual size of the return grille opening is only 17 ½ x 17 1/2 . Naturally a filter that measures 18 x 18 will not fit in that opening. The first step in getting the right size filter is to measure the opening inside return grille. Most of our new homes will measure to the exact size of the filter you would like to purchase; if not then you must find a filter that has a note on the outer edge that reads 18x18 x 1G. This lets you know that the filter has been under cut to fit the older style return grilles that are very common.



If you are installing the filter in your air handler then you must measure the filter rack that is built into the unit at the time of manufacturing. These should all measure to exact measurements and not have to be undercut.

To learn more about air filters, contact Denny Martin Jr. at 239-774-5501. Denny is a Certified Test & Balance professional. Denny's aim is to provide customers with exactly what is expected in a timely manner, and work is 100% guaranteed.