Regularly changing the filter in your furnace and air conditioner is one of the best ways to avoid both performance and efficiency problems with your systems. But when you begin looking for a new filter, you’ll quickly discover that there are many different types of filters to choose from. How are you supposed to know which filter is right for your system? Today we’re going to help you figure that out by talking about how to buy a new air filter for your furnace and air conditioner!
How to buy a new air filter for your furnace and air conditioner
- Evaluate the performance of your last filter. Many homeowners will continue to use the same type of filter month after month simply out of habit. But what if there is another type of filter out there that will perform better for your particular furnace and air conditioner? Before buying the same filter again, evaluate how good of a job your filter has been doing at protecting your heating and cooling system and keeping your energy bills low.
- Choose the right MERV rating. A MERV rating describes how effective a filter is at removing contaminants from your home’s air. Filters with higher MERV ratings can capture more contaminants, but they are typically made with denser materials that can slow down your system’s airflow. Take a look at your system’s owner’s manual or consult Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning to determine the highest MERV rating that your air handler is designed to perform with. If your system can handle a filter with a higher MERV rating than the one that’s currently installed, consider replacing it with a filter that has a higher rating.
- Make sure to pick the right filter size. the filter you install must be the right size for your system. If a filter is too big, it won’t be able to fit in the slot where it’s supposed to be installed. If your filter is too small, unfiltered air will be able to blow around it. Double-check that the filter you are currently using is the right size (it should fit snuggly in the slot) and markdown its dimensions so that your new filter is the same size.
- Visit Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning’s online filter store. Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning recently added an online filter store to our website that makes it simple for our customers to buy new air filters. This is much easier than going to a store to buy a filter for several reasons. First, you can be confident that all of the filters that we sell are brands and models that we trust. Second, our store provides much more information about each filter than you would get by pulling one off of a shelf at a store and reading its packaging. Third, we will ship your new filters directly to your door so you don’t even have to leave the house!
If you have any questions about how to buy a new air filter, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Louis area air conditioning contractor. We provide service all over the St. Louis area, including towns like Dardenne Prairie, Des Peres, and Frontenac, MO.
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