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Indoor Air Pollution

How to Locate Your Home's Air Filters

When your air conditioner's air filter is dirty, it has to work harder. When your unit works harder, it also causes your utility bill to increase. If you have just moved into a new house or are not experienced with changing the air filter, you may be curious about where you can change them. Once you locate your air filters, you will want to change them every three months depending on your air quality, whether or not you have a lot of traffic in your home and other factors.

Changing The Filters in The HVAC Unit

The air filter for your HVAC unit is located near your air conditioning and furnace's air handler. This air handler is a large metal box, and it contains the fan and fan motor of your unit. You will find this unit in a closet, attic, or basement. Once you have found your unit, you will want to look for the air filter slot. This should be a one-inch wide removable cover. If you have a thicker filter, the slot should be thicker. There should already be a filter in the area, confirming you have found the correct location. These filters can be placed horizontally or vertically.

To replace the filter, pull out the old filter and see its size. You will then want to go to your local store and purchase a brand new filter. All you need to do is slide this filter in to replace it.

Changing Filters In The Return Vent

In some cases, you will have a filter in the return vent. The air handler works by pulling air from the house via the return duct system. If your home is large, you will find that you will have an air filter at your air handler and your return vent. You may have more than one return vent in your home, so make sure to locate each one and replace the filter.

To replace the return vent filter, you will want to pull the tab or unscrew the bolt. Remove the old filter and replace it with a new and properly sized filter. Place the cover back on and make sure that you check to ensure that you have replaced the air filters in your home.

Call Us Today

If you have trouble locating your air filters or you want to ensure that your indoor air quality is excellent, please call us at Romano Bros. Heating & Air today. Our team of HVAC professionals will be happy to come out to help you locate all the air filters in your house and ensure that your HVAC system is working well.