HVAC and allergens in the home

The standard residential HVAC system (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system) has a fiberglass filter that protects the heating and cooling unit, but little else. And if you have problems with pollen, mold spores, dust mite debris, smog, pet dander, smoke or dust than you need a home air filter to protect your health as well as your home appliances. Luckily there are many commercial air cleaners and filters that will help remove these allergens and pollutants from your home.

It is not entirely essential that you buy a new filter to get better indoor air control, though this is the most thorough solution. Although you won’t get the same degree of air quality, one could cheaply improve indoor air quality by simply changing and cleaning the furnace air filter every 1 to 3 months. However, not every filter is the same. It is important to know where and how to find the best air filters. But first, you must locate your furnace in order to determine what size and type of filter you require.

Start by looking in the mechanical room or wherever the heating/cooling equipment resides. The furnace could be anywhere in your house—the closet, the basement, or attic—so if you don’t know where it is, turn your thermostat on and just follow the sound of the system fan.

Once you have found the furnace, the filter should be on the side, but if the filter resides inside the fan, you may have to remove an access panel. Filters are sometimes found in return air grilles, though this is not very common. The grille has a hinged face with an enclosure where the filter rests. These are found in the ceiling and in the wall.

Finding out the type or size of your filter is not necessarily going to be easy. Even though manufacturers typically put the information for the make, model and serial number on the outside of the filter, this information often doesn’t provide much guidance towards choosing an appropriate replacement filter. If you can find normal dimensions on the filter get a tape measure to get the dimensions yourself. Just remember, it is normal for a filter to be undercut up to ½”. So a manufacturer may print 20 X 25 X 1”, when the filter actually is 19 1/2 X 24 1/2 X 7/8”.

Now that you have your new house air filter —turn the power to the furnace off. Most filters have an air flow arrow to help you know which direction the filter should be inserted. Changing the filters should be as easy as pulling the old one out and sliding the new one in. Some air cleaners though require a new filter to be assembled.

Just check out Indoor Air Quality Source for several other indoor air quality control ideas as well as commercial air cleaners, purifiers, and furnace maintenance products.