Furnace Filters

**Cookie** · 10-01-2011, 10:47 AM

I thought I would share this place I found online. I haven't ordered yet one, so, I can't actually vouch for it, but, I am going to order one.

If you suscribe to get their newsletter, they send you a 10% off code for your first order.

My filter can't be bought in a regular HD, or Lowes, so, I have to pay for it at the heating place, which is 35 bucks. Here it is 26, plus, 10% off.

http://www.homecomfortdepot.com/

**leejosepho** · 10-01-2011, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Cookie

My filter can't be bought in a regular HD, or Lowes, so, I have to pay for it at the heating place, which is 35 bucks ...

That is akin to printer manufacturers wanting to sell proprietary ink cartridges. The last furnace expert who did an annual inspection on our furnace told us to throw the high-dollar, permanent and washable one his own company had initially sold my in-laws away and just buy cheapies both to save money and to get better flow ... and if I were you, I would find a way to make one of those fit!

**Cookie** · 10-01-2011, 08:01 PM

It sure is the right price. A better price at least. And, they got the size, it is a 16x26x5 Lennox. I have been using a shop vac on this same one for 2 years! The inside is wearing thin, lol, and probably not doing a darn thing. I was ready to take it to a car wash.

I bet no one, has used a furnace filter as long as I have. I turned the furnace on today, and even though I used the shop vac in the ducts and registers, it smell dusty in here, the cat was coughing. First he was turning blue and shaking, now, started to cough. He sits in a box by the register in the diningroom. It is nice when you have company for dinner. Everyone looks in this box, and there is sleeping a 23 year old cat, just waiting for the heat to come on to warm his old bones. The younger cat, Thomas, says to let him freeze. But, I tell Bob, " I won't let you freeze or cough." So it is time. To break down and get a new filter.

I got this small health problem, where I am supposed to stay in temps above 51F, or else... When, it got down to 51F in here, and I started getting dizzy, ( don't go there), and saw Bob, turning blue, I knew... I had to do it. I had to turn it on. Very reluctantly so. I hate it when I hear that furnace turn on. I hear money being made for the gas company. It sounds like their cash register to me.

But, if I don't do it. It can be bad. I got frost bite one year on my finger, nearly losing it. And, I had gloves on yet. Frost bite. It is unheard of in my area.

I got a cold antibody Hemolytic Anemia. My red blood cells pop in my bone marrow when I get too cold. I am always checking the temp, to the point where people think I am a weatherman. The gas company thinks and actually, said to me, that my gas bill is too high for one person, and a son. It is better than the alternative.

**SteveW** · 10-02-2011, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by leejosepho

That is akin to printer manufacturers wanting to sell proprietary ink cartridges. The last furnace expert who did an annual inspection on our furnace told us to throw the high-dollar, permanent and washable one his own company had initially sold my in-laws away and just buy cheapies both to save money and to get better flow ... and if I were you, I would find a way to make one of those fit!

At another DIY site I look at, where there are a lot of HVAC pros, they seem to agree that washable furnace filters are not good. They have many anecdotes of finding filthy A-coils when washable filters are used. One of the pros said to find an inexpensive MERV 8 filter (readily available at HD) and replace every month. That's what I've been doing.

The high efficiency, expensive replaceable filters can be too restrictive esp when dirty.

**Cookie** · 10-02-2011, 07:44 AM

I didn't know their was such a thing Steve! I was just kidding,

The cheapest I found mine due to the odd size was on that site. No one carries it.

**leejosepho** · 10-02-2011, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Cookie

... it is a 16x26x5 ...

The only thing odd about that size is its 5" thickness, and five 1" cheapies (or two 2" and one 1") would stack together and fit in there just fine ... and if you wish, you could use a slightly better grade on top (assuming up-draft) to catch finer particles possibly missed by the others.

My wife and I also have a cat and a dusty house, and we have yet to have a filter last more than three months whether running AC or heat.

**Cookie** · 10-02-2011, 07:30 PM

I have thought about doing that but, when you add up the money spent on the big one, then, the cheapies, it is still the amount of buying the one for 35 at the heating place. So, I might as well, just send for the 26 dollar one, and call it good.

I have inspected some houses and saw all kinds of weird things in people's furnaces, lol. I might start taking pictures for the fun of it. It isn't too dusty anymore, I figure just being turned on. I don't have air, the furnace is on only for heat. And, boy, did it cold fast. brrrrrr... This filter is supposed to be replaced every 6 months, this one is on borrowed time.

**ballvalve** · 10-02-2011, 08:17 PM

If you want to CLEAN your air, spring for an electric, electrostatic air cleaner. Builds into the ductwork, really works.

Some have automated wash down cycles. Otherwise even the 1$ filter can be washed a few times easily.

If you have cats, get a house with radiant heat.

**jadnashua** · 10-03-2011, 03:40 PM

If you stacked multiple 1" filters, you could probably just take the outside (air inlet) one off, drop the rest down, and install a new one on the top. The first time, see how 'deep' in the stack the dirt went, and keep using those that aren't bad, and put the new ones on the top of the stack.

**nukeman** · 10-03-2011, 04:15 PM

I wouldn't stack filters. Most 1" pleated ones are already restrictive when new. Stacking them up means now the pressure drop is 5x worse. This means several things:

- A/C coils can freeze up
- heat pump/AC efficiency decreases
- gas/electric furnace might trip on high outlet temperature (less air flow means more temperature rise for fixed BTU/hr or kw)
- variable speed air handlers will try to increase blower speed to reach target air flow (and probably never reach it). This means a louder system, uses more power, and wears the blower out faster

The thick pleated filters are superior as they have less pressure drop than a single 1" pleated filter even with them being several times thicker. This is because they have a much greater filtration area. This also means that they can be used longer and still have an acceptable pressure drop.

**jadnashua** · 10-03-2011, 04:43 PM

If you did stack them, you'd not want to use real high performance ones!

With your health issues, an electrostatic one might be worth looking into. But, check out what, if any, ozone it may produce...that can be a nasty irritant, which I'm sure you don't need.

**Cookie** · 10-03-2011, 05:58 PM

I looked at HD to buy them to stack just one, 1inch next to the 16/25/4, and I measured the opening on the furnace against the measurement of the one inch. It won't fit. If you were to measure your filter, as I did in the store, ( to the amusement of a man watching) you would see that the 16/25/4 is not exactly, a 4 inch... the 1inch filter is not exactly a one-inch.

So, it blew that.

Back to ordering it. Besides, I wasn't really saving much at all.... it came to about the same, as buying it at the heating place. So, this way, I can save a few bucks online. I will do that. It just is not a typical size.

Thank you by the way, for thinking of my health issues, most people don't, and, I appreciate it alot, when someone, anyone does.