Question
Do a little homework on warranties, pricing, and problems. My wholesale
cost
for a 3 ton, 4 cassette Mitsubishi mini-split heat pump is considerably
higher than a 15 SEER conventional system including ductwork. Just because
it looks good on paper, doesn’t mean that its going to be better, or last
longer, or cost less less to install. Then there is a small problem of
technologies… the higher tech the system is, the fewer choices your
going
to have for finding a tech that is actually qualified on it, and knows
what
he is doing with it. OTOH, if you got more dollars than sense…
But you didn’t take issue with is statement that the installed cost would
be
about the same.
I’m not saying don’t go with the mini-split, I’m just saying that you
better
have a tech that has had the training, and understands the digitaly
controlled, variable frequency inverter drives that are used on them.
I’m only trying to clarify the issues.  I have a choice between adding a
(single) mini-split unit and extending one of my air handlers.  The air
handler is actually in the area I want to add (an attic), but the
mini-splits
look quite attractive, for many reasons.

Answers
For a single room like a closed in porch, or a garage turned into a shop, a
mini-split heat pump is the cats meow. but…. if you already have a system
of sufficinet capacity, and do a little duct re-design(zone) and balancing,
you will have a servicable system. or if you only going to do a “bonus room”
in the attic, then do the mini-split. Either way you need to talk to your
local, competent, licensed, insured, HVAC professional. I can’t *see* it
through the computer screen to be able to recommend what will be the most
benificial, and cost effective for your application.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question: which way does this go?…i have a 14×25x10 air filter (furnace)?
for my home a/c. it is long-rectangular,some kind of metal wrapping on one side and is paper on the other.which way is it suppose to go in?with the metal side up? (facing into the unit) thanks tomcat and john for your answers..have a good one!!

• Answer:The metal grid should be on the inside as it prevents the paper or other material from coming loose and going inside your fan. Usually there is an arrow on the side showing air flow direction.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:Which direction does Rheem / Ruud furnace air filter go ? I see arrows, just not sure which way to put them.?
I know it goes in the direction of air flow, but I am a single mother and I am not quite sure which direction that is. I have a horizontal Ruud / Rheem Furnace Air Handler combo in my attic. The filter compartment is located to the far left of the unit and to the left of it is all of the air duct flow silver stuff. Does the filter arrows point toward the actual unit (right) or toward the air ducts and insulation (left) ? Thanks, I know I sound like an idiot….. In other words do the arrows on the filter point toward the metal Ruud unit or away from the unit? If it were standing vertically instead of horizontally, the air filter would be on the bottom. Since it is laying side-ways, it is to the far left. So away from the unit, or towards it ? I have gotten 2 conflicting answers already. Answer 1 and 3 are opposite ( in my opinion)

• Answer:Either you have the most bizarre filter housing I’ve ever heard of or you can’t describe it properly. A simple rule of thumb is to point the arrow at the air handler itself. If the filter housing is to the left of the unit, make sure the arrows point to the right. ———– Read the edit. The arrows on the filter should definitely point towards the unit, as I’ve already told you.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:I took the air filter out of my furnace and didn’t pay attention to the air flow arrows, which way does it go?
back in? Does the air flow into or out of the furnace? Dumb question of the day

• Answer:The air actually flows THOUGH the furnace. The filter is on the intake side. The arrows should point toward the furnace.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:Furnace Filter?
I hope I am not sounding to stupid, however, I have just moved into a different house & I need to change the furnace filter. Which way does the arrow on the filter go? Does the pleated side go towards the furnace or away.

• Answer:The arrow indicates the direction of airflow. On the ‘better’ filters, there is metal screening of some type on the back of the filter, helping to increase the filter’s resistance to the force of the air being sucked through it. Not having your filter in front of me, I would say that the pleats face AWAY from the furnace. The filter keeps dust, etc., from being sucked into the motor and dust from being shot back out through the registers/vents.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:which way do you put an air filter in a gas furnace. How do u know which way the air flow is going?

• Answer:Point the directional indicator arrow on the filter itself towards the furnace blower motor.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:How do you know which way the air flow is to install the filter?
I have a Ruud furnace and don’t know how to install my purafilter-which way should the arrow go? Up or facing down?

• Answer:The arrows should point in the direction of the air flow. If air is drawn through the filter then the arrows should point towards the housing the filter fits into. In most cases the would be up or inward.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:Help! Just moved to a second floor condo and have a horrible smell in my ductwork that smells like my neighbor
My condo is on the second floor with a “semi private” basement, meaning i go out my front door to the hall, down steps and then to my basement which is through a locked door. My heating system is loacted inthe basement and my cold air return system is simply in wall with no ductwork, just directed with the studs. My downstairs neighbor smells horrible and it appears that our cold air returns are on the same wall and I beleive are shared. I can smell him in the cold air return and when I turn on my heat his smell pours out of my vents. I have two questions. First, is it legal for a condo in Pennsylvania to share cold air returns? Second, please give me ideas of how to fix this problem!!! Is there something I can install at the furnace to filter out his smell? Also if the cold air return is between the studs, does that mean it should be open all the way to the basement which would allow me to drop my own ductowk in and route it directly to the basement? Please help!!!

• Answer:I don’t think sharing duct work is up to code. Call your city inspector. You could have a dead critter in the duct work too, like a mouse. One mouse can smell up a pretty good area. You can hire duct work cleaners. It is a good idea anyway as it gets rid of the years of accumulation of old dust and mites.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:HVAC Guys – replacing fuel oil tank?
I’m replacing my fuel oil tank. It has two 3/8″ lines coming out of the top of tank running to the pump on the furnace. One enters the pump at the bottom of the pump, the other at the side of the pump. Both lines, once removed, appear to go almost all the way to bottom of tank. One must be a supply line to the furnace, is the other also a supply line, or a return? If its a return, how do I determine which is which? There is no external filter to indicate which may be a supply, but I would like to install one while I’m doing the exchange of tanks. Any advise greatly appreciated. Thanks!

• Answer:Yes one is the return. To test the lines pull one of the lines out of the tank and see if it drawls or blows back. When reinstalling the lines keep them about 2″ from the bottom of the tank even if you install a filter.

Associated Which Way Do Furnace Filters Go Question:Landlord issues and I want to move…?
He’s the kind of guy that won’t just accept 30 days notice. He’ll want to come out and inspect every nook and cranny of the house, and talk about why we want to move and tell us what it is we need to do before hand. This is in no way a “fine” house. It’s very old, sinks leak, toilet doesn’t work right, drains don’t go down right….since we moved in. He’s always “gonna” send someone out, but never does. Windows were painted shut when we moved in, there aren’t any screens. But when things go wrong and we absolutely have to break down (which isn’t often) and call him it’s always our fault. If the air goes out it’s because we don’t change the filter enough, if the toilet messes up, our kids did it. Hot water heater started smoking, we must have let water get in the opening. He doesn’t want us running the furnace all the time because if something happens he has to pay to repair it, so we HAVE to plastic the windows on a nights notice. Anyways we’re just really tired of it. Anyways we are on a month to month lease (for the past year) and the landlord has security and last months rent – if we don’t ask for either back and just move one day is there anything he can really do? I’m sure our nosy neighbors will call him when they see the pods dropped off, but if he just comes over (which he will) can we just ask him to leave? I would love to be able to talk with him about it we’ve always had great rental refrences – but it seems out of the question. Am I still obligated to pay rent? Doesn’t him keeping my last qualify? Yes the security is as much as the rent. Yes I am current on the rent – the house minus 2 years normal wear and tear is in the same condition as when we moved in. I wasn’t going to leave and not let him know we moved until he discovered it, (if it happened not to be the exact time we were loading) I was going to call and inform him he was welcome to keep the money he had, and that we had sent the keys to his PO Box. He does have the last months rent – as long as he knew we were gone and was welcome to do as he wanted w/ the house again isn’t that technically my 30 days w/ payment?

• Answer:No You CANNOT turn him away. He has every right to inspect, ask you why your moving and tell you what you need to do to satisfactorily leave his property. That is his right as a landlord and any one that does not do that when a tenant moves out is not very smart. Since you are on a month to month, there is not much he could do if you just split, other than give you a really bad rental reference. If there are any damages above your deposit, then he can sue you for that. Even if you have money paid- it is still wrong and very rude to just split on someone, no matter how much of a jerk they are.

Question

Are you looking for a whole house cleaner that installs on your  furnace
or
individual units for rooms?  I have one installed on my furnaces called
Spaceguard which was recommended by my pulmonologist for the area I live
which
is the Midwest. Do not buy the ozone or ionic type of cleaners.  Hepa
filters
are the best for folks with asthma.  Good Luck.

Answers
Barry here of http://www.aircleaners.com  The spaceguard is a good filter
,but it is major overkill to put a HEPA air cleaner into a furnace or A/C
system. First of all the system will still shoot dust out of the ductwork
into your rooms unless the ductwork and the air handler unit  is brand new.
Even a good proper air duct cleaning job cant get 100% of the dust and mung
out of the system. Second of all these space guard systems as well as any
other furnace filter, is only drawing the air from the air return area where
it is located, which can be 100 feet away from your other rooms. The point
here is the space guard filter cannot clean the dust and allergens out of
any room that is apart from the air return.These rooms still take in dust
and allergens from outside,the carpet,air ducts going into the room ect…
The space guard will help to keep your furnace system from getting any more
dirt in it. and will catch the free flowing  dust going into the air return.
BUT a good pleated air filter or a good self charging  electrostatic air
filter will  do almost as well at ten times less money and future expense,
since these spaceguard type filters will require costly pre-filter
replacements to protect the HEPA filter behind it and the units themselves
are expensieve. Your best bet is to put a good pleated or electrostatic air
filter into your air return area and get a good HEPA air cleaner by Austin
Air Systems or Care 2000- and put it in your bedroom or required area to
remove the allergens in the area or areas the the HEPA air cleaner or air
cleaners are operating in. This Is your best bet !!!!!!!  <swc…@aol.com>
wrote in message news:20000202110659.27275.00000792@ng-ft1.aol.com…

Question
Wow, one from wal-mart has 5 year warranty and Elctrostatic, approved for
hepa standards and approved for hospitals……hmm…I guess I was
wrong…one for $100 must be better because it costs more…
I gues that guy down the street with the $100,000 2 seater benz has a better
car than my 4×4 blazer because it coses more…$100,000. and he can’t drive
it in the winter…hmmm….strange..

Answers
I don’t think so, I paid $100 for one of the same size when I got a new
furnace. The ones you buy from heating installers are a different type,
supposed to use electrostatic charge to trap particles and they’re not “face
loading.” I also have another washable filter that’s the Wal-Mart type and
it was nowhere near $100.

My research showed that electrostatic filters work as promised, but I must
say it’s a PITA to clean them.

Associated How To Clean Electrostatic Furnace Filter Question: How can I remove and replace an old “electrostatic” air cleaner?
My furnace has a Honeywell electrostatic air cleaner (black magic air cleaner, witchcraft air cleaner? It doesn’t seem to do anything). I am pretty sure that this thing is not effective at all. My question is; is there any way that I can remove and replace this with a standard pleated air cleaner by myself (without the aid of a $8000 dollar an hour HVAC contractor)? Is there pre made filter boxes available that aren’t real expensive? I am mechanically inclined too, just not hugely knowledable in the HVAC department.

• Answer:A lot of the Honeywell electrostatic air cleaner can be replaced with a 20X25 media air filter typically 5″ Merv rated at about 10 to 16. The filter cost around $35 and needs to be replaced about every 6 months to a year depending on how many hours the unit runs and the conditions of the area. Repair of the unit can be expensive typically up to $1000. Honeywell as well as other manufactures make filters to replace the electronic elements. These filters are nearly just as efficient as the electronic air cleaner.

Question

We just recently moved into our first home, and are thus experiencing the
initial shock at the cost of heating the place in this Canadian winter!

Our furnace room is a relatively warm place in the basement of course. This
may be a stupid question, but is it acceptable to leave the furnace room
door open to provide a bit of warmth to the rest of the basement? While the
door isn’t fireproof or anything, I’m concerned that leaving the door open
could cause the furnace to draw air from the rest of the house, sucking in
more cold air from outside.

Am I out to lunch here? Advice please!

Answers
Wow, that’s pretty efficient heating costs for an entire year. Probably gas
is a bit cheaper than oil though, isn’t it? We’re in Halifax and are using
oil for our heat and hot water. For the past three months or so, we’re
averaging about $225 a month for oil. Our house is two story, finished
basement, withabout 1200 square feet of living space. The place is a little
over 30 years old, so it probably isn’t the most energy efficient home on
the planet. The furnace is leased, and has a high-efficiency burner, and no
electric heat. We’re very new to the home ownership thing, having only moved
in here in late August, so we’re still learning how to do stuff. I
appreciate all the advice! Now I’m going to have to investigate the furnace
filters…sad to say, I’ve never even looked at them. Ya learn something new
every day! To keep heating costs down: caulk all seams on the outside of the house,
and
the sill plate in the basement as well as all wires and pipes that go up
through the first floor from the basement (and any openings through the
ceiling/top plates into the attic). Have storm windows or thermopane glass
and leakproof seals on the windows. Insulate the walls and ceiling to the
max. Seal door openings and sills. Change the furnace to a high efficiency
gas or oil whichever fuel you are using. Do not use electric heat or
heaters. Keep good quality filters in your furnace and change very
frequently to reduce resistance to airflow.

I am located just north of Toronto, my gas bill for last heating season
was
$980.00 CAD for the year to heat the house and hot water, including rental
costs of the water heater. This is for a 2000 sq. ft. bungalow with a
finished and heated basement.
Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question: Is it ok to put less expensive 1″ furnace filters in high efficiency furnaces.?
Ideally I would like to change my filter monthly but the thicker filters for the high efficiency furnaces run more than $30.00 each. Will it hurt to use 1″ filters or possibly even double them up. Those are about $1.00 I think.

• Answer:The only problem is the amount of air pressure that the blower sends thru the filter. Some cheaper filter may not be able to stay together with the higher air flow. There would also be the question of the size of the particals that the cheaper filter will allow to pass through it versus the 30.00 filter. The best idea would be to call the manfacturer of the filter and ask them their opinion

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question: Is it true that High Efficiency furnaces/air conditioners run better with the cheaper air filters?
Was told that the air filters with a lower MERV rating allow the furnace/air conditioner to get air more easily and makes them run more efficiently. Said the higher rated filters trap more pollutants (dust, animal dander, etc), but that cuts down on the amount of air which makes the furnace/air conditioner work harder (cost more to run). Trane Hi Efficiency Furnace(92%) and air conditioner (13 SEER)

• Answer:better to use the better filters by not filtering the air, more of this material can penetrate and potentially clog your evaporator/i.e. reduce its efficiency that being said, no matter what filters you use they should be checked regularly because once dirty will cause the compressor to work harder shortening its life

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:Do high efficiency Air Conditioning filters installed at the furnace require any other airflow modifications?
Increase Intake CFM due to high static pressure?

• Answer:No modifications can normally be made to blower speed in that the blower should run at its highest speed in the cooling mode. Just remember not to neglect your filter, because a high efficiency filter traps smaller particles of dust and debris, and may clog up sooner.

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:Which is better. A high efficiency, polyester filter with a wire frame for a furnace, or a paper frame filter?
I now have an electronic air filter that is getting corroded and it is expensive to replace. It is a pain to clean so I want to just replace the filter with a new one every 6 months.

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best high efficiency furnace filters Answer!

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:type of furnace filter?
i have a goodman furnace and when i use a high efficiency air filter it becomes clogged within 7-10 days.the furnace is a 80% afue. which filters could i use.

• Answer:Sounds like a pretty dusty environment. Get a permanent filter. Here’s just an example: http://www.healthyhomefilters.com/electrostatic-washable.html If you go permanent, you will have to buy two so that you have a filter while the other is drying, but they will be the last filters you buy for that unit. BTW, 80% isn’t considered high efficiency. HVAC guys don’t use that term until efficiency hits 90%.

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:Anyone have a Carrier furnace that won’t always go on in the winter?
I have a two stage high efficiency Carrier furnace installed in 2000 that we’ve been having trouble with every winter. The furnace will intermittently stop running and won’t come on unless the front cover to the furnace is pushed or the thermostat is clicked off and then on (the latter doesn’t always work though and we have to go push the door anyway). We change the air filters every month, and even had the thermostat (programmable) changed twice, the last time by a service tech. Nothing seems to work. The manufacturer said that since the furnace kicks on when the door is pushed or the thermostat is turned off and then on, its a thermostat problem. The manufacturer of the thermostat (Honeywell) says that the thermostat is working properly and that its the furnace that is the issue. Anyone got any ideas to fix this furnace since these two companies aren’t being any help? Thanks in advance!

• Answer:If it’s the switch behind the blower-compartment door, you can run a simple check by temporarily bypassing the switch and leaving it out of the circuit. But, from what you say, your intermittent defect may not be the switch. If proper operation is restored by switching the thermostat off and on, that is an indication of a lockout condition – which occurs after the computer detects an operational problem. Your furnace probably has a diagnostic LED light that normally indicates an area that needs to be investigated when the computer locks out. The HVAC tech should focus on pressure switches, loose connections, and resettable limit switches. Your frustration is understandable. Intermittents are nightmares to the techs also. They don’t want to be your house guest for however many weeks it takes the furnace to malfunction again. The next time this occurs do nothing. Call a heating company immediately. If you fiddle with the thermostat or furnace you may reset the CPU. In doing so you will erase the trouble code, thus denying vital information to the tech. Good luck.

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:Gas furnace cycle time?
Carrier high efficiency gas furnace.The ind.blower comes on and runs for 30 sec then the burner lights and main blower comes on.Runs for 9 min then burner shuts off.Fan shuts off 2 min.later. 14 min later the cycle starts over. Have honeywell prog. thermostat set at 68 deg.(outside temp is 18) Inside temp gauge never changes. New furnace filter.No blocked vents.No open windows or drafts. Is this a normal cycle?

• Answer:Sounds like a perfectly normal cycle to me…When I’m doing fuel consumption audits on homes I use 30% or 35% of the time as a rough estimate of how much a furnace runs if I don’t have an actual time. Depending on how well insulated your home is and what the outside air temperature is, 15 to 25 minutes is a pretty average cycle.

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:furnace problem – electric ignition gas furnace will not stay on more than 3-5 minutes. New thermostat…?
I can’t contact my landlord until morning, and our furnace is not working properly. It’s currently 10 degrees F outside, any help would be appreciated! Our furnace was acting up by only coming on if the filter door was opened and the ignition switched was pushed in. After having it looked at by a heating technician, he determined it was our old mercury thermostat. He replaced the thermostat last night with a digital one and the furnace worked fine until about 2 hours ago, when it shut off while the house was at only 65 degrees and we had the thermostat set for 71 degrees. When working properly, our high-efficiency furnace makes a slight buzzing noise, signaling that it is ready to start up if needed. With this new situation, when the heater shuts off it doesn’t make any noise at all. It is definitely not the thermostat, as the new one and the old one had no effect on this result of the furnace turning off after 3-5 minutes. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! I have tried setting the heat higher – it is now set at 80 degrees – and that does not kick the furnace on. Thanks for the idea, though!!! themrmik: Thanks, i bet you’re right on with that. It makes so much sense.

• Answer:if your system is ten years or less in age you probably have an induced draft system. meaning the exhaust gasses are pushed out by way of a small fan motor. if the flue system is incorrect,(very very frequently the problem) when it gets really cold it is not able to push the cold heavy air our of the flue upon initial start up. trips the safety and shuts down. reset the safety a manual process and when you get the interior space warm maintain it above 65 f. to reduce the safety trip. the colder it gets out side the more heavy cold air will accumulate in the flue, burner system between cycles. sorry but there was nothing wrong with the thermostat. good luck tmm

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:Spiders in the heating ducts?
I recently bought a home, and before the winter I had my furnace inspected. The Heating and Cooling guy was impressed with our furnace. It’s one of those really high efficiency energy star furnaces that cost a ton of money. He explained that most furnaces take the air in the basement and recycle the air, but our furnace pulls air from the outside, filters it and then pushes the air through the house. We recently turned our furnace off since the weather has been nice, and since that time I’ve noticed about 5 spiders coming through the exchange vent in the living room. What can I do to stop this from happening? John T-when you say “cycling the unit”, what do you mean? Thanks Jack Bauer-you save the day once again. The company that cleans my chimney is an air duct cleaning company, maybe I should talk to them about doing that.

• Answer:You might want to consider getting your ducts cleaned. The problem might not be that they are getting sucked in from outside-but that they are already in and nesting inside your ducts. This companies website talks a little about it: http://www.edsheatingandcooling.com/air_duct_cleaning.htm

Associated High Efficiency Furnace Filters Question:How can I troubleshoot a Honeywell thermostat for a furnace? It stays cold (60) even if we have it programmed ?
at 68 or 70? The furnace is (High efficiency gas heat) Lennox and just put a new filter in. Everything is about 6 years old, so its still relatively new. I know there is a website for troubleshooting thermostats, but want an opinion here too. We tried programming it and also “hold temp”. Neither one works really. The furnace cycles on for a minute or two only. Sometimes it doesnt even ‘blow the heat’. I dont really want to call for a “pro” if I dont have to, who can afford it? Any ideas? I also put new batteries in the programmable thermostat.

• Answer:It’s probably not the thermostat that is causing the problem. Sounds like the furnace is trying to run, but is getting cut out on some safety device. Depending on the furnace there are many different proving devices that could be cleaned and/checked. one thing you can do is take the cover off the tstat and take an alligator clip and jump from red to white this should bypass the tstat. if you still have no heat then it’s probably not the thermostat

Question
Anyone know of site that has information about the new furnace tax credit
that is in easy to understand language? I found the Department of Energy
site, but is there a better one.
Answers
Actually, I would call up an accountant and see what they have to say.
There’s only so much that they will allow to claim the tax return, but
I think you can use it towards the next year.
Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Do you need to replace both furnace and air conditioner to get federal tax credit?
Do you need to replace both furnace and air conditioner to get federal tax credit? We are replacing a split air conditioner, whole system, and was hoping to not buy a furnace since it is working fine.

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best furnace tax credit Answer!

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Can I take any kind of a tax credit for my new gas furnace, central air conditioner, and the duct work.?
The furnace is only 80% efficient and the air conditioner is rated at a 13 seer. I’m pretty sure I already know the answer to this question, but want to double check just to make sure. From what I’ve found the furnace has to be 95% and the air conditioner has to have a seer rating of 15. My other question though is would the duct work qualify for the insulation credit? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

• Answer:You don’t qualify. End of story.

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:To get the tax credit for a 95% furnace, is it true you have to purchase and install before end of year?
Or just purchase the furnace…? I won’t be able to install this until January….so what’s the deal.
BestAnswer:USA answer, but I’m certain this is a USA question. Placed in service means you have to install it to claim it. January 2010 isn’t good enough.

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Can i file for tax credit if previous owner installed a 95% HE furnace since he didn’t file it?
I placed a bid on home the other day. the owner had rjust eplaced the furnace with one that is eligible for the tax credit. fars i know, he didn’t file for the tax credits. if i end up buying the house, i get the receipts and if he didn’t file for the tax credits, will it be lawful for me to file and receive the tax credits? thanks

• Answer:Yes, that would be fraud. Deductions are based on what you paid. Not someone else.

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:How do I get tax credit for a new high efficiancy furnace?

• Answer:You need to file a IRS form 5695 to get the credit. (see line 52) All receipts are needed. Certain labor costs cannot be claimed. http://www.tax-easy.com/solar-tax-credit

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:I just Got a New Furnace and A/C Installed that qualifies for tax credit. Can I get it now?
Or do I need to wait until I file my taxes next year tro: I know I have to file it with my taxes, but I know someone who bought a house last year and was able to get the Home Buyers tax credit without waiting

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best furnace tax credit Answer!

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Where Can We Donate a Commercial Oil Fired Furnace (5000Sq f+) For A Tax Credit?

• Answer:A church or school yet to be built might be able to use it. You might need to talk to a representative of the Charity or their architect. Possibly Habitat for Humanity.

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:i installed a new furnace. WHere can I write it off as a tax credit on my taxes?

• Answer:Check the IRS web site. If you just installed the unit. It may apply to your taxes for 2007 which are due next April. ~

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Is a new central air conditioner system eligible for the 2010 tax credits if I don’t also replace my furnace?
I am planning to replace my central air conditioner compressor and cased coil with a 14.5 seer/410A rating. Would this be eligible for the 30% tax credit?

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best furnace tax credit Answer!

Associated Furnace Tax Credi Question:Are we eligible for the high efficiency energy tax credit?
I’m buying a home on June 21, 2010. I want to replace the furnace and a/c with a high efficiency unit in order to get in on the federal tax credit for the year. If I replace these units (with my own money) prior to closing, will I still be eligible (since I don’t technically own it yet)? If you answer this question, please provide a link of some sort as support to your reasoning. Thank you.

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best furnace tax credit Answer!

Question
I am trying to research manufacturers of dual fuel outdoor heaters.
Specifically, I’m interested in wood / oil combo’s.

And in particular, I would like to locate a manufacturer I stumbled upon a
couple months ago that I was most interested in ( as it is relatively
‘local’ by our geographic standards ), but it seems I didn’t save the link,
and I can’t get a search to find it. As I recall, located in Kapuskasing
(sp?) or perhaps Hearst or Timmins … North Eastern Ontario / Hwy 11
corridor … somewhere around there.

Anyone have an idea of this company.

Any other sources would be welcome …

So far, I’ve got

http://www.centralboiler.com/home.html

http://www.heatmor.com/dualfuel.htm

http://www.waterstove.com/

http://www.mahoningoutdoorfurnaces.com/mahodf.htm

Thanks
Answers
Heatsource has a dual fuel unit (www.heatsource1.com). I have a unit that
is wood and waste-oil combination. Very good unit and a good company based
out of Beatrice, Nebraska. They use an oil burner from Inov8
(www.inov8-intl.com), again a good company to work with.
Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:I am looking for a good furnace manufacturer.?
I have a gas furnace what features should I be looking for?

• Answer:I would recommend trane

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:What’s the best furnace and a/c equipment available these days?
We’re getting a new furnace installed and it seems all the vendors are offering different brand equipment. In order of preference, what are the best furnace and a/c manufacturers these days?

• Answer:that’s a difficult question. one thing is to get a new unit, regardless of brand, with the highest SEER you can afford. i would want a unit with a scroll compressor. if you live in a milder climate i would also want a heat pump. now as far as brand, it’s hard to say. trane is probably the industry leader. lennox makes a quality unit. however, they all basicly use the same components as american standard and such. the most important thing is to use a really good contractor. whatever brand you buy, the install is the key!!!!

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:Need manufacturer name for furnace in 1999 Prowler 721C?
Igniter board has no output. Can’t find model/serial on furnace. Need to know manufacturer to purchase proper board.

• Answer:They are made by Fleetwood.

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:we r looking for manufacturers of oil quenched vertical vacuum furnace. well will somebody give guidance?

• Answer:http://www.themonty.com/Vacuum%20Furnace.htm

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:Anyone have a Carrier furnace that won’t always go on in the winter?
I have a two stage high efficiency Carrier furnace installed in 2000 that we’ve been having trouble with every winter. The furnace will intermittently stop running and won’t come on unless the front cover to the furnace is pushed or the thermostat is clicked off and then on (the latter doesn’t always work though and we have to go push the door anyway). We change the air filters every month, and even had the thermostat (programmable) changed twice, the last time by a service tech. Nothing seems to work. The manufacturer said that since the furnace kicks on when the door is pushed or the thermostat is turned off and then on, its a thermostat problem. The manufacturer of the thermostat (Honeywell) says that the thermostat is working properly and that its the furnace that is the issue. Anyone got any ideas to fix this furnace since these two companies aren’t being any help? Thanks in advance!

• Answer:If it’s the switch behind the blower-compartment door, you can run a simple check by temporarily bypassing the switch and leaving it out of the circuit. But, from what you say, your intermittent defect may not be the switch. If proper operation is restored by switching the thermostat off and on, that is an indication of a lockout condition – which occurs after the computer detects an operational problem. Your furnace probably has a diagnostic LED light that normally indicates an area that needs to be investigated when the computer locks out. The HVAC tech should focus on pressure switches, loose connections, and resettable limit switches. Your frustration is understandable. Intermittents are nightmares to the techs also. They don’t want to be your house guest for however many weeks it takes the furnace to malfunction again. The next time this occurs do nothing. Call a heating company immediately. If you fiddle with the thermostat or furnace you may reset the CPU. In doing so you will erase the trouble code, thus denying vital information to the tech. Good luck.

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:the name of the furnace manufacturer for a rooftop unit model # DAYA -F036N090C?
the name of the furnace manufacturer for a rooftop unit model #DAYA-F036n090C

• Answer:The brand previously known as Evcon is now known as Coleman. Coleman manufactures residential and light commercial air conditioners, heat pumps and gas and oil furnaces. The Coleman brand of heating and cooling equipment is marketed under license by York UPG and headquartered in the United States.

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:Tappan furnace short cycles?
I own a Tappan G6RA-096C-16 furnace. It was in the house when I purchased it. I have replaced the flame sensor and that does not seem to be the problem. I set the thermostat to call for heat and the furnace will run. Then it shuts down and the red light blinks one time, which signifies limit circuit open. This also has an AC condensing unit attached to the top. I believe it is the same manufacturer as my furnace model C3BL-028C-A. When the furnace is on it gets hot to the touch. I don’t know what the problem is. The blower is on and all else seems to function properly, filters have been replaced. It seems sometimes that the furnace is not blowing to its full potential. Could there be something blocking the ducts? How would one clean it? Or is it just a bad sensor somewhere? Any help is appreciated. I have checked the cold air return. It does not seem to be blocked. The unit runs for approximately 5-10 minutes, prior to shutting down.

• Answer:The answer is simple, but the fix is not. The coil inside your furnace has collected with dust. This reduces the air flow and will trip out your limit switch. A professional would be your best bet to get this cleaned. If you tried to do this yourself and kinked or worse broke the copper tubing you’ll have major problems. I don’t think it is, but it could also be a plugged secondary heat exchanger, but that wouldn’t account for a low air flow. Best of luck!

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:Who makes the best geothermal furnace and why?
I am in the process of getting quotes for a horizontal, closed loop system and need to know which brands of systems are the most reliable and time tested. Each contractor seems to push different manufacturers. I will be using the system for hot water also. I will have no gas or oil backup.

• Answer:It depends on type of installation. Horizontal Ground Closed Loops, Vertical Ground Closed Loops, Pond Closed Loops The length of the loop depends upon a number of factors, including the type of loop configuration used; your home’s heating and air conditioning load; local soil conditions and landscaping; and the severity of your climate. Larger homes requiring more heating or air conditioning generally need larger loops than smaller homes. Homes in climates where temperatures are extreme also generally require larger loops. ~ The name Lennox is synonymous with heating and cooling equipment. Lennox heat pumps are one of their most popular products. The company sells units to residential and commercial customers. ~ Carrier geothermal heat pumps ~ YORK: Formerly a dvision of Borg-Warner, York International is now spun off. York also makes Fraser-Johnson, Luxaire, Moncrief, Winchester, Coleman-Evcon, AirPro

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:furnace filter manufacturer in england?

• Answer:it does not matter where it was made as long as it is the same size.

Associated Furnace Manufacturers Question:why do the burners on my furnace turn then right back off?
It is a 10 year old Carrier. It has three self igniting burners. Just started doing this about three days ago. I already ruled out the thermostat with the manufacturer.

• Answer:NO NO it is not a thermocouple. You have a flu draft issue. This is a safety measure that causes the burners to shut off. The pressure switch is shutting the burners off. Check you flu gas pipe and make sure it is not plugged. Also make sure it has pitch to evacuate the gases.

Question

My HVAC guy told me my 70’s model Fedders electric furnace needed to be

replaced because the 2 of the 3 elements were inoperable and were obsolete.

So

I got 3 universal repair kits and some extra ceramic insulators and rebuilt

the

elemeats and intalled them.  BUT–now they don’t all come on at once each

time it starts up and then the fan only stayed on for a few seconds.  I

adjusted the inside adjustment thing in the thermostat, moving it to a higher

number.  Dunno what this means, but the fan now will stay on for a minute or

two.

Is there an easy way to check or adjust the sequencers?.  Should I just go

ahead and replace them? Should I replace the ancient thermostat?

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Answers

buy a cord of wood and throw it into the fireplace.  whats that you say?  no

fireplace?  well there ya go, you sound like the handyman type, build one.

After ya got a nice hot fire going and the house is toasty warm, invite your

hvac guy back over  for a glass of milk and a plate of fresh home baked

chocolate chip cookies.

Dont like that advise?  how about this: forget spendin money to fix or replace

your electric furnace and spend your winter months in Rio de Janeiro.

Send a post card from there to your hvac guy.

Associated Fedders Furnace Question:

where to get a Fedders’ furnace fan motor?all you need is the frame # and rpm, +serial # & voltage it can be cross referenced

Associated Fedders Furnace Question:

Furnace parts…best online warehouse?Im looking for places that sell motor fans that are serviceable for FEDDERS furnaces. We have a huge, old FEDDERS that needs a new motor. We are not sure when the model was made. Maybe 70s I think, idk. What is the best warehouse on the internet? Thanks

• They are all about the same. I would try locally first like Graingers, Johnstone Supply, or u can get purchase one from any Heating and A/C contractor in your area. You will need the Model Number from the furnace. On Fedders take the metal cover off that’s in front of the burners. Look on the inside left of the furnace and you will see the data tag with all the info you need. If possible remove the motor and take it with you so you are sure it is a match. This is a common motor so any where you try should have it.

Associated Fedders Furnace Question:

Need information on various through the wall heating and air conditioning units.?A putting up a 30X50 near Lake of Ozarks in Missouri. 20X30 will be living quarters and we need to find a way to heat and air condition the place without doing a complete furnace and AC unit along with ducting. Have looked at a lot of places on internet and many have AC with heat, and it looks like I will need between 18K and 20K BTU even with 2X6 walls and R 19 insulation. Anyone have experience with AC with Heat units (similar to those found in motels, but that don’t run continuously, and that do run 220v with thermostat? Have seen specs, etc., on Fridgidaire, GE, Fedders, etc., but cannot get a decent price on them even on internet, and shipping raises the costs even more. Advice? Experience with similar units? Appreciated. Thanks.

• If I am correct I think the a/c heater combo your looking for is not going to be found the last one my boss bought was about $275.00 so they are not going to be cheap most a/c heaters will shut off by themselfs if you set it to

Question
Are there any markings on the transistors and regulators? How do you know
the HV diodes are good? Would it be possible to trace the circuit – how
complex can it be? .

I would start with the Qs as failure items.

Answers
Thanks much for your comeback. This PS is pretty simple. Kinda like a
TV HV ckt. All the transistor and VR can markings aren’t there.
I think they were washed off before a conformal coating (dipped) was
applied.

I’ve done some checking since the original post.
The output stage is driving the ‘flyback type’ transformer.
The unit puts out 8 KV of DC, but it is not cleaning the air. Till
last week it did a fine job for several years.

Air cleaners go snap in normal operation. Those arcs are not at all
as robust as they should be. That is, if I short the HV, just a weak
snap not a lusty snap occurs.

I measured the current into the air cleaner collector cell: with no
air movement its about 20 microamps.
Therefore the cell is not sucking excessive current. Additionally,
the voltage across the cell is 8 KV DC.

I’d need to pull the unit and get a better idea, but, the HV side of
the transformer seems to go to two HV diodes which are in series.
Maybe its a voltage doubler.

I said the “HV diodes are okay” based on front to back ohmmeter
readings, but HV diodes don’t always act like garden variety diodes.

My current hypotheses:
One solid state HV diode is bad.
Both are bad.
The ceramic HV caps are leaky.
If that is not IT, I’m not sure what else to suspect.

I’d appreciate a best guess.

The PS is (apparently) manufactured by a company called Electro-Air
for Sears replacement business.

Question
I used to be able to find 3M Filterete furnace
filters really easy. this year I can’t seem to
find em anywhere. Did they quit making them?
Where do you buy yours?

Also…. what’s your opinion of them? Are they
the best filter to use for someone with allergies?
Answers
My local home supply house carries them (Chase Pitkin, Roch. NY)

They appear to be one of several options for “upgrade” filters. I have
no idea if the hype matches reality.

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: Where is the best place to buy furnace filters and whole house humidifier pads online?
I need a 26″ x 20″ x 5″ media air filter and a humidifier pad for a Honeywell Enviracare 225A whole house humidifier. I have been unsuccessful at finding these at my local home Depot and Wal Mart.

• Answer:www.Johnstonesupply.com

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: Where do I buy the slots where my furnace filters go?
I have this furnace that came with my house. It had a large filter in place when I moved in, but when I went to replace it, I could not find a filter to fit. The size measures about 24 X 15.5 X 4. a friend said there should be metal slots there where 1″ fliter can be placed. Is that something I can buy, or do I have to spend the extra money and have a custom filter made?

• Answer:Just slide a standard width filter into the present slot and don’t worry about it. Cut it down and tape the edges if you need to. The extra gap won’t hurt anything.

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: where to buy 24×24x1 furnace filters in/or near DeLand, FL?

• Answer:go to walmart.

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: I bought filtrate furnace filters for my central heating and air unit but I don’t know which side is up (the?
:wire look or the plain white look) My husband put it in, and he doesn’t usually pay attention…so, the wrapper was thrown away. He put it in, wire down toward the unit and the plain white is facing up toward me.

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best buy furnace filters Answer!

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: What’s a better furnace filter to buy, a washable metal one or disposable fiber ones?
I bought the former on the advice of one HVAC company but now another tells me that disposable ones are better. The one I have is labelled “electrostatic”, if that matters. Perhaps a dumb question: do I need one when the A/C is going (summer) or just when the furnace is heating?
BestAnswer:I would buy the disposable ones they can be as good as you want the more expensive ones take out smaller particles.the best ones are electric.Where you clean them once a year.The washable metal I wouldnt use,

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: where can i buy a 16×20x4 furnace filter in the 60112 area?

• Answer:Hey You can get them online too if you cant find your size in any hardware store,failing that,any heating andf cooling professional should carry filters in that size,however it will probably cost a little more that way

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: Can I stack 4 1 inch furnace filters together to make a 4 inch filter?
I went to replace my furnace filter and discovered it’s a 4in thick beast of one. I went to go buy one to replace it and it costs over $30.00 to replace it. I was wondering if I can just stack 4 1inch filters on top of each other to replace it. Or maybe you know of a way to clean my old one to make it work. I’m very frustrated, please help.

• Answer: This Question has not been answered yet! Send us Your best buy furnace filters Answer!

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: Where can I buy a “slot cover” for a furnace?
My house inspector says I need a “slot cover” on the furnace filter in the return duct. Where can I buy one? I’ve tried looking everywhere, but I can’t even find evidence that “slot covers” exist. I’m currently covering the hole in the duct with duct tape.

• Answer:You need to go to lowes or home depot. Measure the opening and find a paper filter which needs to be changed every month or two and a metal cover which protects the filter and keeps anyone “children” from falling in. Any associate at these stores can show you where to find these items.

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: Is there a comparison between MERV ratings for furnace filters and CADR rat tings for air purifiers?
Looking to buy an air purifier and was trying to compare/find the difference between MERV ratings on a furnace filter and CADR ratings for an Air Purifier.

• Answer:MERV: Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, commonly known as MERV Rating is a measurement scale designed to rate the effectiveness of air filters. The scale is designed to represent the worst case performance of a filter when dealing with particles in the range of 0.3 to 10 microns. The MERV rating is from 1 to 16. Higher MERV ratings correspond to a greater percentage of particles captured on each pass. CADR: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) indicates the volume of filtered air delivered by an air cleaner. CADR also determines how well an air cleaner reduces pollutants such as tobacco smoke, pollen and dust. The higher the tobacco smoke, pollen and dust numbers, the faster the unit filters the air.

Associated Buy Furnace Filters Question: How do I know what furnace filter is best to buy?

• Answer:You pretty much get what you pay for in filters. If you have a lot of dust in your house or have allergies, go ahead and buy the 3M filtre. It lasts 3 months. Regular filters should be changed monthly, so the price isn’t that mush higher.

Question

I’m in the A/C & Htg. business.  Electrostatic filters tend to restrict
air flow.  I question whether they work.  Electronic air cleaners are good but
oftentimes are tough to install because of space limitations.  I have had
a Honeywell in my home for over 20 yrs. and am well-satisfied.  I use it
downstream from a std. fiberglass filter which catches the big stuff.
Anyone have any comments on this subject.  3M has some really expensive
ones with some pretty strong claims.  Does anyone think that these are
just as good (or better) than electronic air cleaners?
I had an electronic air cleaner in my last home and found it a pain to
clean.  And, to be honest, I don’t think it did that good of a job.
Thanks,

Answers

So am I, and I dont understand your comments about electrostatic filters.
Its been proven time and time again that a good electrostatic filter, with a
proper return system, causes no problems and creates a solution for many. We
include one with EVERY new installation, and have never had problem one with
charge conditions, lack of airflow, or motor overamping, as I assume are the
problems that you are talking about.
We have one here, and I can tell a difference in the quality of the
air…fiberglass filters are not worth the materials they are made from.
The 3M filters are good, however, expensive. For a few dollars more, I would
invest in a perm type, 3 stage electrostatic, with a 5 or 10 year warranty.
Take it out every 30 days, clean it, let it dry a few moments, reinstall,
and forget about if for 30 more. By he time you buy a few 3M filters, you
will have bought about 3 to 4 of the permanent ones.

As far as electronic filters go, they still are the best, but I would not
consider using a fiberglass filter in front of one. Thats what the
prefilters are for, and if someone can afford one, its well worth the
investment. Space limitations are only in the mind. You can find four to 6
inches to mount one in any new installation, and I have never had a problem
adding one to an existing system. The trick is knowing where to put it…and
having an electrician that is good enough to understand your installs.

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: Home Depot and Lowe’s only had the poorly rated 3M Filtrete furnace filters, where can I get good ones? I want to know where to get the best furnace filters. All the local stores in Denver only have junk filters. Anyone know where the best furnace filters at a lower price?

• Answer:The Pure Air Store is one of the largest dealers of furnace filters… I have been purchasing mine for a year and they do tests and case studies with their filters… They clean better than any other furnace filter, plus they always run promotions. Here is a link to their website http://site.thepureairstore.com/The_Best_Furnace_Filter.html Good Luck!

Associated 3m furnace filters Question:I bought a standard 16″ x 25″ x 1″ 3m ultra air furnace filter that wont fit my furnace, please help? I live in an apartment and the furnace uses disposable fiberglass filter. I suffer from allergies hence I bought the ultra allergen 3m filter which is 16″ x 25″ x 1″. It does not fit the furnace as it seems to be too THICK. I could not find any filter that is less than 1″ thick. Is there any way I can fit the ultra allergen filter (I bought the carboard frame type). Is it possible to remove the carboard frame, will it still work? The thickness 1″ seems to be the problem, how do I work around it? Just to give more details, the furnace rails depth is only 1/2″ thick and I am not able to find any ultra allergen air filter that is less than 1″ thick. Where can I find an ultra allergen filter that is 1/2″ thick.

• Answer:If the old filter was a 16×25x1 then it should fit, you may have to wiggle it a little bit here and there. just be patient. due to the many many different ways a filter can be installed in a system it’s hard to give you a good answer. It shouldn’t be a problem to crush the outside cardboard frame, but try not to flatten out the pleated area of the filter.. also this filter will get dirty fast due to the very small particals it is designed to catch, so check it often…. an extra benefit is you won’t have to dust as much around the house with this filter….. good luck

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: How Often Should I Change My Furnace Filter? I went out and bought a really good disposable 3M Hepa furnace filter a few months ago that cost about $20. I also have an Oreck XL air cleaner that seems to work well with cigar and cooking odors. Should I really buy the most expensive filter and how often should it be changed?

• Answer:Well that depends on what the environment is like in your home! Generally, I would recommend every 3 months- even perhaps sooner especially if you’re using your system quite often. As for the type of filter to use, I like pleated with a Merv 7 – 11 rating. Supplementing with the Oreck XL is a good move too,….I have 3 in my home and they work great!!

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: Can I place a 1″ furnace filter in a slot designed for a 6″? I have an old Carrier electronic air filter, which is garbage and wanted to replace it with a solid filter. The slot is actually 6″ high. I have just purchased a 5″ which fits perfectly, however it costs $70 each, and was wondering if I could just place a 1″ 3M filtrete filter after the 5″ is used.

• Answer:dont be too quick to change from the 5″ to a 1″….the 5″ will last 6-12 months because of its much greater surface area,wont clog as quickly..the 1″ filters need replaced every2-3 months…..fyi,home depot sells a filter thats designed to replace air cleaner cells…they are around 4″ thick or so….come in 16″ x 25″,,,,20″ x 20″,,,,and 20″ x 25″,,,i think they only cost $30-$40…….to answer your qustion,,yes you can use a 1″ as long as it is secure,,doesnt move around,allowing air to go around it instead of through it……….dan

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: Are the Higher Quality Central Air/Furnace Filters better than the cheaper blue ones? Before I moved into my new home I noticed that the blinds had little to no dust on them. The A/C was running during the several visits I made before closing on the home. Then we moved in, replaced the filter with those generic blue ones and I’ve noticed alot more dust. I understand that actual people (us) are living in the home now and could cause dust, and that 70% of airborne particles are human skin, but do those 3M, Honeywell, etc… filters prevent that? I just want to see other peoples’ experience with them before I shell out 20 bucks on filters that may or may not do anything. Thanks everyone! That’s kinda what I figured but wasn’t really sure. I’m going to swing by Lowe’s on the way home. Dusting all the time is annoying.

• Answer:Well, I had my AC unit fully replaced brand new last year. I’ve been using the expensive filters, and they picked up the dust very good. The guy fixing the unit said those cheap blue ones were actually better for the Central Air Unit because the expensive ones reduce the flow of air causing the unit to go bad a bit quicker, since it’s thicker. So that made sense to me. I got a box of those see-through blue ones and Have been using them ever since.

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: Can I use a 1250 3m Filtrete Ultra Allergen Filter in a High Velocity Furnace? I had a problem last night. I came home after one week with my new Honeywell 8500 programmable thermostat and the furnace wasn’t running as it was supposed to be. The last error on the furnace was an inductor airflow error. Is it possible that the new thermostat’s algorithm has the furnace cycles per minute higher than my previous cheapo honeywell thermostat? I was reading over the furnace manual and it said to use “high velocity” filters only. I was thinking that more CPM combined with the wrong filter may have caused the furnace pressure to become imbalanced. After I reset the furnace, everything has been running fine today. I don’t see “high velocity” anywhere on this 3m 1250 micron filter. It only says “reduction filter”.

• Answer:I would use a less micron filter in your application. The 1250 allergen filter has caused me problems with most customers systems that have installed in them. Once removed and a little less micron filter is used, all the problems went away. High velocity systems are very sensitive to air flow

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: How often should I need to change my furnace/central air filter? My furnace and central air share the same ducts. How often should I change the filter? (I use the 3M Filtrete brand). The home inspector said once every 3 months, the guy who installed the central air said once a month.

• Answer:The installer was correct. You need to replace the filter every month. Air conditioning systems are very low pressure systems. That is, the air flow through the various ductwork has a very low driving force. For comparison, when you talk about pressure in a balloon, you are measuring in pounds per square inch. In a household airconditioning system, you are talking about ounce of water pressure per square inch. This is a very small pressure drop, so dust accumlation on your filter will quickly reduce the flowrate. Two things can happen when the air filter is plugged…. The airflow across the cooling coils will become very low and the air will get very cold, causing water to drop out into the drain system. This can cause your drain system to become overwhelmed and you will get leakage out of the attic AC unit and onto your cieling. The other thing is, it can overload your AC system and cause premature failure. Buy the cheap whispy air filters 3 per pack and replace them every month. I use my yahoo calender to send me an email reminder automatically every month.

Associated 3m furnace filters Question:3M Filtrete air filters?We put a Filtrete filter in our furnace. I am concerned it is restricting the air flow, therefore cutting efficiency and increasing costs. And causing undo wear on the fan. I cannot seem to find independent reviews online. Any opinions?

• Answer:Well if you don’t filter out the unwanted soot and dust your efficiency will be much worse than putting a good filter. A good filter is better for your health also. http://www.coned.com/newsroom/news/pr20100107.asp Here’s more energy saving info http://www.coned.com/customercentral/energysavingtips.asp

Associated 3m furnace filters Question:Truck-mounted or portable air duct cleaning?Which is really the best method? What gets the ducts cleanest? Also, some companies now offer the installation (for about $400) of in-line UV light (which kills mold, bacteria). Does anyone have one of these units? Does it help you? Note: Change the 3M disposable furnace filter every 3 months, & ductwork is 10 years old & has been cleaned twice before, but not by truck-mount method. aswkingfish: It seems like a lot of expense and time to find & buy a portable air-monitoring device and go through all you describe. One method must be better than the other & I hope to choose from anecdotal input from people who have perhaps tried both. Travis – an electronic ionizing air cleaner..the kind that uses ozone to clean…ground-level ozone is horrible for asthmatics (my daughter, as you surmised), but UV light is what hospitals use to decrease bacteria/dust mites. And I don’t believe it’s a hoax, because when I had it done after the 1st 4 years in this house, there was a lot of dust that came out of my ducts. I watched them work.

• Answer:TRAVIS HAS IT RIGHT. MOSTLY I AGREE. I HAVE A HOUSE AND REDID THE DUCTS IN 1980 WITH BETTER INSULATED FLEXDUCT. THAT WAS TO IMPROVE ON MY EFFICIENCY. I DID NOT NEED MY ORIGINAL 20 YR OLD DUCTS CLEANED AND RIGHT NOW I KNOW I DON’T NEED MY 27 YR OLD DUCTS CLEANED. I HAVE THE UV GERMICIDAL LIGHT INSTALLED. I AM ABOUT TO PULL IT AND PUT IN A LATER AND MORE POWERFUL MODEL–I BELIEVE IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD POWERFUL ONE AND GET REPLACEMENT LAMPS WITH IT. THE LAMPS ARE GOOD FOR ABOUT 1 OR MAYBE 2 YRS IF YOU STRETCH IT. DO SOME READING ON THE DIFFERENT ONES AND DETERMINE IF THE ONE OFFERED IS GOOD OR JUST THE CHEAPEST. TRY THE PUBLIC LIBRARY RESEARCH PEOPLE IF THERE IS ONE IN YOUR CITY AND IF NOT TRY CONSUMER REPORTS FOR HELP. I AM A RETIRED A/C GUY.. IF YOU HAVE DUST IN YOUR DUCTS YOU MAY HAVE RETURN AIR LEAKS IN YOUR DUCTWORK. IT WILL USUALLY PAY TO ASK YOUR A/C GUY TO CHECK GOOD FOR ANY LEAKS IN THE DUCTS. THE LAST I READ,THE ESTIMATED AVERAGE LOSS DUE TO DUCT AIR LEAKS WAS OVER 30%. I AM GOING TO CHANGE MY DUCTS THIS WINTER AND PUT IN THE THICKER INSULATED ONES TO LOWER MY A/C COST OF OPERATION.

Associated 3m furnace filters Question: Does air travelling via a simple fan through an electrostatic filter (like Filtrete) get ionized? Just to clarify a prior question, I had; I’ve heard that ionized air can be potentially harmful (i.e. free radicals) so I want to avoid air cleaners that ionize air. The 3M Filtrete electrostatic polyolefin-based filters (very common in furnace filters, and now as part of a standalone air purifier) are pre-charged with a static charge to attract dirt, dust, and particles of inflowing air. My question is, as non-ionized (regular) air travels through the filter (via a simple fan, there is no ionizer involved) is there any way that it could pick up any of the charge on the electrostatic filter, or that the air can become somewhat ionized in any way or form after it leaves the filter? Now, AFAIK, air doesn’t conduct charges well, so my guess would be no, but I’d like to have an expert opinion.

• Answer:No, this isn’t possible. The static charge is basically “fixed”. If it were possible, it would discharge pretty quickly in the bag, well before you purchased and installed it.