Hey everyone! I just moved into a new home and I'm tackling some basic maintenance tasks. One of the things I need to deal with is the air filter for our HVAC system, specifically the one for the ceiling intake. The previous owners had a 16x25x1 filter installed, but it seems way too big since the vent itself is only about a quarter of that size. I'm curious about the best practice here: Should I place the filter on top of the cover to maximize surface area, or just position it right over the vent? I know both approaches might work, but I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my filters. What do you think?
2 Answers
As long as your MERV rating is suitable, just go with what works for you. The requirement for the ceiling intake filter mainly depends on the duct size behind the vent. Going bigger doesn’t really impact functionality at all.
I’m a bit puzzled by your description, but typically, you want a filter that matches the opening size. It's possible the previous owner got the larger filters because they were cheaper, who knows?
I wanted to share a clearer picture but couldn’t upload in this group. The ceiling opening is about 26x26 and goes about 16 inches deep into the ceiling, while the existing vent opening is smaller. My thought is that if I go with a bigger filter, it should last longer. Changing it is a bit of a hassle, so a longer-lasting filter would be ideal. Hope that clarifies things!