Should You Put Filters in Air Vents?

When it comes to improving the air quality in your home, many people wonder if they should place filters in the ventilation holes of their air conditioning system. The answer is no. Instead, you should attach a high-quality, well-fitting filter to the return vent. This will remove particles from the air before they can enter the HVAC system.

It is recommended to have an air filter on each return grille, as long as you choose the one of the correct size and thickness. Filters can help improve the air quality in your home and protect your HVAC equipment from dust, pollen, pet dander, and hair. Many people ask if they can hide return air vent with furniture or a picture. Return air ventilation is essential for your heat pump system and blocking the return air outlet can prevent it from working properly. The heat pump system needs return air to blow air through the vents. Therefore, you must place a filter in the return vent near the return bank connection on the air handling unit.

This filter will keep the air clean and remove particles that lead to poor air quality. Installing a filter in the return vent is an easy way to clean the air inside your home. For most homes, return vent filters are recommended. They generally don't cause any damage to your HVAC system and are easy to install without needing an HVAC technician. However, if there is any type of erosion inside the duct, a vent filter will not work, as air could pass through the area with the opening.

Maintaining clean return air vents will go a long way in helping your heat pump last for many years. When it comes to choosing a filter for your return vent, fiberglass filters are the cheapest option. Pleated filters are better at trapping particles in the air, while HEPA filters are capable of filtering 99.97% of all particles. Air filters can make a big difference in some situations, but they don't always solve air quality problems. While air conditioning and oven units do a decent job of filtering impurities from the air themselves, return vent filters can help by acting as the first line of defense. Many homeowners believe that these filters are meant to remove particles to improve their home's air quality. It's important to choose a filter that is neither too large nor too small for your return vent.

A filter that is too large could restrict airflow, while a small filter will allow a lot of unfiltered air to pass through. When air enters your system, it passes through a filter that captures a large amount of particles in the air. Most people find that MERV 8 is the highest recommended rating for ventilation filters. You can attach these filters to your return vent using Velcro strips so they stay in place until you're ready to remove and replace them. Some people want to place filters in their return grilles to prevent dust from accumulating inside their return air ducts.

However, using a higher efficiency filter can be more beneficial as it is denser and requires more power from your unit to draw air through it. In addition to the filter that is inserted into the return duct to filter air before it reaches the interior components of your HVAC system, homeowners also have the option of using ventilation filters.

Kristy Letman
Kristy Letman

Typical music practitioner. Professional beer enthusiast. Hipster-friendly pop culture buff. Proud travel geek. Proud social media fan.

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