Will Furnace Work with the Wrong Size Filter?

Using an improperly sized air filter for your furnace can reduce its efficiency and cause numerous problems with its HVAC system - from lower indoor air quality to higher energy bills.

Will Furnace Work with the Wrong Size Filter?

If you use an improperly sized air filter or install it incorrectly, the filter won't be able to effectively prevent dust from accumulating on the motors and fans of the system. This can lead to a dirty oven that can't work properly and all that waste could end up damaging the internal components of the system. Using an improperly sized air filter won't necessarily damage your HVAC system, at least not immediately. However, it does have an impact.

Using the wrong size reduces the efficiency of your heating and cooling system, which can add up quickly and become a more obvious problem that you're likely to notice on your next utility bill. The biggest concern when using an improperly sized air filter is that it may not effectively prevent dust accumulation on the motors and fans of your HVAC system. This makes the oven dirty, which could affect its performance or damage the internal components of the system, resulting in costly repairs or replacements. Check the size of your existing air filter before buying a replacement air filter.

If you buy a filter that is too large, it won't slide properly into the slot. It's easy to dismiss the higher energy bills in South Carolina as a sign of the times. However, an incorrect air filter can reduce air conditioning efficiency and increase heating and cooling costs. If the filter is too dense, the heater or air conditioner may have to run longer to counteract the increase in air resistance.

A filter that is too small allows contaminants to build up on critical components, affecting performance. The right filter will improve your health and comfort without having to pay your utility bills through the roof. Using incorrectly sized oven filters causes all kinds of problems. Homeowners should always use the correct furnace filter sizes to protect their home comfort, indoor air quality and reduce HVAC costs.

Oven filter sizes are important for maintaining energy efficiency. Using incorrectly sized oven filters causes all kinds of problems that cost homeowners time and money. Heating and air conditioning technicians can accurately assess home goals, indoor air quality and lifestyle to obtain the perfect filter sizes. Using an incorrect air filter can cause numerous problems with the HVAC system, including lower indoor air quality.

In these cases, you have more flexibility in selecting the size of the filter, since you can choose one that is longer than the size of the opening. If the old oven filter has already been discarded, see the oven's user manual for this information. If the filter is smaller than it should be, it won't cover the entire space, allowing dust and other contaminants to pass through the space. If you think it's OK to run the heating system without a filter until you get one that fits in your oven correctly, then you should reconsider your opinion because it's absolutely not OK.

If your current furnace only allows furnace filter sizes with a depth of one inch, HVAC contractors can modify it to fit larger sizes. If you're wondering what happens when you use an incorrect size air filter, air quality isn't the only thing you need to worry about. If you can't find a standard size filter within that parameter, you'll need to order a custom-sized air filter. If you're not sure what size filter you need, check the manufacturer's specifications or ask your HVAC technician to help you choose the right product.

While an incorrect air filter won't necessarily damage your heating and cooling system itself, at least not right away, it does reduce its efficiency - something you'll notice on your utility bills - and may not effectively prevent dust from accumulating on its motors and blowers. Typically, oven filters with a thickness or depth of up to one inch should be replaced once every one to three months. One of the main problems with ovens is using a wrong size filter - something that sometimes happens when someone comes over to change your filter.