# Electric Furnace Filter is broken - what are my options?



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

Turn off the power to the air filter & push in the grounding button if you have one.
Are the main cells really dirty? If so clean them.
Pull the pre screens and the main cells out of it. Check if you have any broken or missing high tension lines. If you do, very carefully check if any of those pieces of wire are stuck between your collecter plates. Look to see if any of your collecter plates are touching each other or the frame.
Make sure that the prescreens are not bent and able to push against the collecter plates when reinstalled.
If your unit is composed of two main cells, try putting each one back in seperately just on it's own to see if the air cleaner will work.
Let us know what you find out.


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

I have never been a fan of EAC's.....they create ozone, a known irritant for people with breathing issues. If it has quit working it most likely has a bad power pack and these are very expensive to replace. Most of the 4 inch wide merv 10 filters will fit into most EAC cabinets. these can be bought at most Box stores for $25 dollars, and as long as your house is not a pig pen, they will last up to a year.you could be looking at up to $400 to $500 to repair your old EAC.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

how said:


> Turn off the power to the air filter & push in the grounding button if you have one.
> Are the main cells really dirty? If so clean them.
> Pull the pre screens and the main cells out of it. Check if you have any broken or missing high tension lines. If you do, very carefully check if any of those pieces of wire are stuck between your collecter plates. Look to see if any of your collecter plates are touching each other or the frame.
> Make sure that the prescreens are not bent and able to push against the collecter plates when reinstalled.
> ...


The cells don't seem to be overly dirty but I will clean them regardless. Is it safe to clean them in water?

Im not sure what high tension lines are or what they look like but the only thing in there are two little metal nubs at the top, that I guess are contact points for the cells and provides them electricity.

I pulled out the prescreen and tried each cell on its own and so far, one of them works on its own. It seems really finicky right now - I have to turn the switch on a couple times before the Performace Indicator light is turned on. If I put the second cell in, it doesn't work. Does the filter only turn on when the furnace intakes air? or does it work continuously?


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

Hey Harley
Many electronic air cleaners have a built in jumper on their board that can be snipped to reduce the ozone ( and drop some of it's effectiveness but still keep it above an allergy filter) if someone complains. Up here it is what the hospitals use in parrallel with UV units. There is nothing to match an electronic air cleaner for efficiency and unrestrained air flow but they can be a pain in the ass. They do require a careful touch when being cleaned and unless they are cleaned regularly they become useless (like any other filter). For people with serious lung and allergy conditions they are good. For most of us unafflicted folks, we wouldn't notice the difference between an EAC and a regular filter.
If one of my customers has an EAC power pack failure, *doesn't have a* *medical condition related to air purity*, then I just suggest putting in a regular air filter with a block to keep it in place and I have never had anyone call me back to replace the power pack.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

harleyrider said:


> If it has quit working it most likely has a bad power pack and these are very expensive to replace. Most of the 4 inch wide merv 10 filters will fit into most EAC cabinets.


This sounds like my best option if I can't get it working. If I understand correctly, I would remove both cells and replace them with a filter instead.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

If the EAC will work with one cell then the power pack is probably OK. The 
cell that will not work in the EAC is the one to inspect carefully. The high tension lines are the fine wires that run up & down (farthest from the furnace)in the cell. If one or more is missing (they are evenly spaced) then there is a good chance that you have pieces inside of it grounding out the unit.
The main cells are best cleaned in a dishwasher. The prescreens should be hand rinsed instead. The main cells might need to be cleaned one at a time depending on the size of the dishwasher. You can also use a laundry tub full of straight hot water and a small bit of soap. Sloosh them up and down with the collecter plates in the horizontal position like you are using a butter churner. (I'm really giving away my age now). If you accidently bend any of those collecter plates your EAC problems will get more complex. Put them back in the EAC when dry and let us know what's happening.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I just checked on the EAC, and after I got it to turn on, it has since turned itself off. I toggled the ON/OFF switch about 5 times and I heard alot of sparks and it came on again. 

I looked at the high tension lines, and all of them are in place. 

I'm going to give the cells a clean. Unfortunately I don't have a dishwasher so I guess the laundry room sink will suffice. Do I need to scrub them? Or will swishing them around be OK?


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

The swooshing will do it. If you are getting a lot of sparking then see if you can see where the arcing is occuring by looking through the furnace blower door.* Never touch any part of the cells when the EAC is operating.* 7,000 Volts on many of them.
Some EAC's are set up on an air switch that only powers the EAC when the furnace is running. In that case you'll need to tape the furnace door switch closed and see if opening the furnace door just a bit when the furnace is running will give you a view of where the arcing is happening. Then turn off the EAC and press the ground button and pull out the cell and look where the arcing was happening. If you hold the cell up to the light you will probably see two of the collecter plates too close to each other or the EAC frame. You need to gently move them apart but this is more a work of art than of mechanics. Often if you move one part of a collecter plate it will deform another part of it but I don't think you have anything to lose in trying. Remember that any spiders blown against the EAC will also cause sparking but that usually only lasts a minute or so. The random EAC sparking in a clean system usually takes 5-10 minutes of operating time too stablize.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

There wasn't a lot of sparking, it sparked 2 or 3 times. And it doesn't always spark, only occasionally when I turn it on. 

One of the cells is soaking in the tub now but I only have room to clean one at a time. Once both cells are cleaned and dried (which may not be until tomorrow morning) I'll test them again. I think when I was testing them with both in the cabinet, the two cells may have been touching each other - does this have any affect on them?


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

That old school unit is finally dying. It has capacitors and what looks like old tv tubes in the power supply which finally die from old age like a 20 yr old tube tv. See if a 4 or 5" pleated filter will fit and use that instead.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

yuri said:


> That old school unit is finally dying. It has capacitors and what looks like old tv tubes in the power supply which finally die from old age like a 20 yr old tube tv. See if a 4 or 5" pleated filter will fit and use that instead.


Would I be removing the two cells and filling the cabinet with a 4 or 5" pleated filter instead?


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

the bigger the better. put the 2 cells on the floor and measure the dimensions. see if there is a track inside and measure it's width too.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

It doesn't matter if the two cells touch. The Sparking is the normal if it is only occasional. 
In full defiance of the HVAC gods of today, I rant with another beer in my hand.

That old school technology has given somebody some of the highest air filtration possible for their air stream without increasing the heating bills for at least 20 years..
Measure the difference in the temp rise of a furnace with an EAC compared to a 4 - 5 " pleated filter. Measure the difference again when the 4-5 " pleated filter is dirty if half way through the year. Add that loss of furnace efficiency and heat related parts wear to the cost of those filters over 20 years and I'm not sure our new filter techology is an improvement. It is easier on the furnace tech's who don't have the patience to deal with an EAC, who can just off load the filter cleaning onto the customers & makes the stock holders of filter production companies happy but I'm not sure it is a real quality of life improvement or as cost effective as the old school.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

After cleaning the cells, I reinserted them back into the cabinet but it didn't change much. I can't get the EAC to turn on and the few times that I did, I couldn't get it to stay on. The cells seem like they are still in good shape - nothing bent or broken and nothing that seems to be grounding it.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

You can turn off the breaker that controls the EAC. Press in the grounding button. Open up the box on top to expose the internal wiring. If you see a broken or loose electrical connection you can repair it. If not its time to pull the main cells and throw in a regular air filter with a brick to keep it in place or go for a 4 - 5 " wide filter.


----------



## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

harleyrider said:


> I have never been a fan of EAC's.....they create ozone, a known irritant for people with breathing issues. If it has quit working it most likely has a bad power pack and these are very expensive to replace. Most of the 4 inch wide merv 10 filters will fit into most EAC cabinets. these can be bought at most Box stores for $25 dollars, and as long as your house is not a pig pen, they will last up to a year.you could be looking at up to $400 to $500 to repair your old EAC.


Ozone is only a concern if you grossly over size the EAC. 
With the exception of just few installations, all of the EAC I have seen are properly installed.

You can shop the internet and find repair parts super cheap if you need to repair the EAC

EAC are what are considered life long equipment investment. Our local EAC repair facility gets way less than 500 bucks to repair a unit.

You will have up keep on the EAC just as any piece of home comfort equipment, but the market is priced so that in most cases you can repair the EAC provided you aren't dealing with gougers.


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

how said:


> It doesn't matter if the two cells touch. The Sparking is the normal if it is only occasional.
> In full defiance of the HVAC gods of today, I rant with another beer in my hand.
> 
> That old school technology has given somebody some of the highest air filtration possible for their air stream without increasing the heating bills for at least 20 years..
> Measure the difference in the temp rise of a furnace with an EAC compared to a 4 - 5 " pleated filter. Measure the difference again when the 4-5 " pleated filter is dirty if half way through the year. Add that loss of furnace efficiency and heat related parts wear to the cost of those filters over 20 years and I'm not sure our new filter techology is an improvement. It is easier on the furnace tech's who don't have the patience to deal with an EAC, who can just off load the filter cleaning onto the customers & makes the stock holders of filter production companies happy but I'm not sure it is a real quality of life improvement or as cost effective as the old school.


You must REALLY like them. :yes::laughing: I took a course from Honeywell on them and the instructor showed us a bell curve describing the loss of efficiency/effectiveness. Day 1 and clean = 95% effective. Day 7 and the cells and ionizing wires have white ash/schmutz on them and the efficiency drops like a stone in a pond. Add to the fact that less than 5% of the owners know how or properly clean them and they don't work well at all. They give off ozone which smells like smog and we stopped selling them for all of the above reasons.


----------



## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

Shop the internet for best filter deal. Suppliers I've researched in the past.

http://www.atlantasupply.com/

http://www.filters4life.com/

http://www.hvacsolutionsdirect.com/

http://www.simplyfilters.com/

http://www.filtersusa.com/

http://www.arnoldservice.com/


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

hvac5646 said:


> Ozone is only a concern if you grossly over size the EAC.
> With the exception of just few installations, all of the EAC I have seen are properly installed.
> 
> You can shop the internet and find repair parts super cheap if you need to repair the EAC
> ...


ALL EAC'S PRODUCE OZONE.
Here is the EPA's official take on ozone in the home and the use of EAC's

"
Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the gas ozone. Often the vendors of ozone generators make statements and distribute material that lead the public to believe that these devices are always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution. For almost a century, health professionals have refuted these claims (Sawyer, et. al 1913; Salls, 1927; Boeniger, 1995; American Lung Association, 1997; Al-Ahmady, 1997). The purpose of this document is to provide accurate information regarding the use of ozone-generating devices in indoor occupied spaces. This information is based on the most credible scientific evidence currently available.
Some vendors suggest that these devices have been approved by the federal government for use in occupied spaces. To the contrary,* NO* agency of the federal government has approved these devices for use in occupied spaces. Because of these claims, and because ozone can cause health problems at high concentrations, several federal government agencies have worked in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to produce this public information document.
Top of page
*What is Ozone?*
Ozone is a molecule composed of three atoms of oxygen. Two atoms of oxygen form the basic oxygen molecule--the oxygen we breathe that is essential to life. The third oxygen atom can detach from the ozone molecule, and re-attach to molecules of other substances, thereby altering their chemical composition. It is this ability to react with other substances that forms the basis of manufacturers’ claims.
Top of page
*How is Ozone Harmful?*
The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs (see - "Ozone and Your Health" - www.epa.gov/airnow/brochure.html). Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and, throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures (US EPA, 1996a, 1996b).
*EPA's Final Non-attainment Designations for 8-Hour Ozone*
On April 15, 2004 EPA designated as "non-attainment" areas throughout the country that exceeded the health-based standards for 8-hour ozone. The designations process plays an important role in letting the public know whether air quality in a given area is healthy. Once designations take effect, they also become an important component of state, tribal and local governments' efforts to control ground-level ozone. www.epa.gov/ozonedesignations/

Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone.


----------



## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

harleyrider said:


> ALL EAC'S PRODUCE OZONE.
> Here is the EPA's official take on ozone in the home and the use of EAC's
> 
> "
> ...


Use all the stilted reports you want.

properly sized EAC don't produce excessive ozone ....simple as that.

I have used Electro air for years , mostly the SST-14. I can smell ozone as well as the next guy and i never smelled any ozone on any of my installs. 
Everybody should have an ozone meter s


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Just a reminder---this is a forum filled with homeowners---they (and the rest of us) don't want the personalities of the pros shoved down their throats---

Be decent to each other---I've had it with the public fights-----Mike----


----------



## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

hvac5646 said:


> EAC are what are considered life long equipment investment. Our local EAC repair facility gets way less than 500 bucks to repair a unit.
> 
> You will have up keep on the EAC just as any piece of home comfort equipment, but the market is priced so that in most cases you can repair the EAC provided you aren't dealing with gougers.



Does this local repair faculty send soneone out to diagnose the EAC. or does the EAC get sent to them?

I'm 200 and some odd bucks (would have to look in my book to know the exact) to come out and diagnose and replace 1 wire.


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

I don't think the general population educated to at least a high school diploma, See's the EPA as an organization that would publish "stilted " reports.....:laughing::no:


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

EAC's unless you are getting them fixed by an independant guy who does not charge $100-150/hr are VERY expensive to fix. We have a Video refit place in Wpg who fixes TVs but by the time you pay a Pro to disconnect and reconnect and drive it there and back it and do the repairs it will be $500-600 or more so VERY few people want to go that route. Some people cannot smell ozone and others are incredibly sensitive to it. We tried those carbon inserts back in the 80's but they only last a month. An EAC is a glorified bug zapper. The ozone gets produced by the arcing of mr bug or dust particle as it passes the ionizing wire and cells. Has nothing to do with the sizing as 90 % or more of the units we sold were 16x25 and a very few larger 20x25s. I am not saying don't repair it I just don't think it is worthwhile. Back in the old school days that was the best filtration system we had but now with Merv 16 filters and UV lights and ECM motors we can do a MUCH better job.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I decided to give it another shot this morning but same scenario - I can get it to stay on for only 10-15 mins before it shuts itself off. I'm beginning to think its a power or wiring issue.

If I decide to remove the cells and replace them with a 5" pleated filter, are there any drawbacks to this system compared to a working EAC? Is this the sort of filter I'm looking for http://www.homedepot.ca/product/2-pack-4filter-20x25-m8-2pk/983869


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

those will work and look like a merv 10 and actually that is a VERY good price as you are buying 2. I sell them for $40 and up each. you need to take very accurate measurements and it is possible to crunch/squash them a bit to fit if necessary. you should check the temp rise thru the furnace with them as they can be a bit restrictive in some applications. if you can find a merv 7 or 8 that may be better. stick a metal cooking thermometer 1-2 feet downstream from the hot air plenum and subtract the house or return temp and compare it to the rating info sticker inside the furnace ie: 35-65 degF allowable temp rise.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

The ozone level can be reduced with a quick modification of the board and making sure that the unit is only energized when the fan is operating.
Yuri is right that everyone has a different degree of sensitivity to ozone and so the EAC is not right for everyone. In my situation I am only dealing with EAC's that have already been installed and lived with so I only need to maintain, repair or disconnect them according to a customers varied needs. 
In all honesty, my only customers that notice a difference between an EAC and the allergy filters are ones that have serious sensitivities to dust. If they don't have a medical sensitivity they often do just fine with a cheap $3.00 1" filter.
We can all find studys that will state just about anything but at this point in time I put most of my trust in my customers experiences. This goes for EAC, comfort levels of equipment, efficiency according to heating bills, etc


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

The ozone level can be reduced with a quick modification of the board and making sure that the unit is only energized when the fan is operating.
Yuri is right that everyone has a different degree of sensitivity to ozone and so the EAC is not right for everyone. In my situation I am only dealing with EAC's that have already been installed and lived with so I only need to maintain, repair or disconnect them according to a customers varied needs. 
In all honesty, my only customers that notice a difference between an EAC and the allergy filters are ones that have serious sensitivities to dust.
We can all find studys that will state just about anything but at this point in time I put most of my trust in my customers experiences. This goes for EAC, comfort levels of equipment, efficiency according to heating bills, etc


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

yuri said:


> you should check the temp rise thru the furnace with them as they can be a bit restrictive in some applications. stick a metal cooking thermometer 1-2 feet downstream from the hot air plenum and subtract the house or return temp and compare it to the rating info sticker inside the furnace ie: 35-65 degF allowable temp rise.


I'm not sure I understand this. Will adding a filter reduce the effectiveness or efficiency of my furnace?

Also, should I bother with prefilters if I get a pleated filter for the cabinet? The prefilters I have now are very thin...almost like grease traps for kitchen stove ranges.


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

the furnace is designed to move a certain amount cfm( cubic feet/minute) of air with an ideal large properly sized set of ducts. problems occur when the ducts are undersized etc or you add a filter which restricts too much air. an eac restricts very little air so we don't want to have you overheat your furnace if your ducts are small or the ac coil dirty. your setup may work now with the eac but with a filter may have a problem ( less than 10% chance of that but it should be tested). those prefilters will restrict too much air so I would remove them. has nothing to do with efficiency, just keeping the furnace working within its design parameters.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

Those pre filters are coarse and are less effective at stopping anything other than spiders and coarse dust compared to the cheapest of air filters. I'd chuck the pre filters when you put in your new filter.

PS (Just in case)
It should be noted that the led light on the EAC can start to fail & flicker and that is often confused as a sign that the EAC is not working. The easiest test for seeing if the EAC is really not working is if the ground button still causes a crackeling sound when pushed in when the furnace and the EAC "on" are on.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I dont think my model has a ground button (at least not on the front). I can only see the on/off switch and the performance indicator light. Not much else on the top or back either.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

The ground button would be on the front or not at all. Was the EAC dirty when you washed it?


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

It wasn't overly dirty, there were dust bunnies but nothing major. To be honest, after I washed it, it looked almost the same as before.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

If the EAC is crackling when the performance light is off, then the problem may just be in the led light. If it crackles, then it's working whether the light is on or not.
Because many EAC are wired through a sail or pressure switch (so they only come on when the fan does) we usually verify that the feed lines into the EAC are getting a stable 120V. (especially when the EAC operation seems intermitant). Meaning that the problem can be from an unstable power supply rather than a faulty EAC.
Do you have an electrical meter?


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

Unfortunately, I dont have an electrical meter. Is there another way to test if its working? It could very well be the LED because I have heard it sparking even though the light was off. Sometimes the light comes on but only for a few minutes. I just rocked the on/off switch back and forth a few times and when I do, the Performance light flickers - it seems like theres a faulty connection or wire somewhere?


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

If that unit is crackeling when the led is off, then the led itself is faulty.
If you want to test it, when the furnace is blowing, when the EAC power switch is on but the LED is not lit, have someone sprinkle a half pint of light collected dust so that it gets pulled into the main house return air grill. If the EAC starts to then crackle, its working. If no crackeling it's not working.

There are other faster ways of testing without a meter but I think that info might lead others into taking unexpected dirt naps.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I've heard it spark when I flipped the switch on, but only for a few seconds. I've never heard it crackle while the EAC has been running for some time. I'm not sure how I'm going to get my hands on half a pint of dust - will dog fur work? cause I got loads of that. And I just open one of the intake vents and pour it down the duct? How do I know its going to make its way to the EAC?


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

ComfortablyNumb said:


> I've heard it spark when I flipped the switch on, but only for a few seconds. I've never heard it crackle while the EAC has been running for some time. I'm not sure how I'm going to get my hands on half a pint of dust - will dog fur work? cause I got loads of that. And I just open one of the intake vents and pour it down the duct? How do I know its going to make its way to the EAC?


 You haven't given up on that EAC yet?:no: Your wasting your time, and in the mean time your evaporator and or secondary heat exchanger is sucking up all that dirt and dog hair. what does the blower wheel look like? resemble this :









In my years (30 +) i have found that EAC' and residential home owners just dont get along.The blower wheel in that picture was after a EAC, does it look like it stopped the dirt? And yet people who use the 4 inch wide filters usallaly 25 deep and 20 tall, have sparkling clean blower wheels ......tells me that a paper media, changed regularly works better then a ozone producing, energy eating EAC. Just my thoughts.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

When any sizeable dust particals goes through the EAC it makes a zapping sound if its working. If you are wondering if the EAC is actually working when perhaps the indicater light is just faulty then allowing some dust to go through it when the led has gone off will then will answer that question.
Your return air grill is a vaccum cleaner when the furnace is blowing. Any normal house dust should be light enough to be sucked into it and sent through to the EAC. (no dog hair)
According to some folks here, a house with an EAC should have piles of available dust where ever you look but there you are with an EAC and a spotless home.

Harley has a point in that if an EAC or a paper filter isn't cleaned or replaced when it should be.. there is no dust collection going on. With a paper filter such a mistake causes the furnace to overheat and shut down. With an EAC it just takes longer for the furnace to overheat.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I think the EAC is just not working anymore (not just a faulty switch/LED) because my house is quite dusty yet I hear no cracking sounds when the unit is on. And let's not forget that its 22 years old. If using a pleated filter does the same job, I don't see a reason not to try it. I'm going to check out some filters tonight. Should I look for one that fits my cabinet the best?


----------



## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

pleated filters load up fast. they claim to last 90 days but they get so plugged before than they can cause the furnace to over heat and trip on safety.

Just make sure that does not happen to you. I have several customers who change them after only 30 days.


----------



## how (Feb 26, 2011)

You either get a wide filter that fits or slide a 1" one in with something that stops the filter from falling back when the blower is off and leaving a space for dirt to get around it. (A brick will work).
You should first turn off the furnace breaker (or whatever breaker powers the EAC) and disconnect and marret the EAC power supply so that the exposed cell terminals are no longer powered.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

hvac5646 said:


> pleated filters load up fast. they claim to last 90 days but they get so plugged before than they can cause the furnace to over heat and trip on safety.
> 
> *Just make sure that does not happen to you*. I have several customers who change them after only 30 days.


What can I do to make sure they last as long as possible?


----------



## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

ComfortablyNumb said:


> What can I do to make sure they last as long as possible?


I would just change them every 30 days. The amount of safe time before they plug too much is impossible to be certain of. Every 30 days seems to work and most of my customers report that the filter face is very dirty by then.


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

I want give much thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread, you have all helped me out tremendously. Your advice has been excellent and I even learned some new things along the way! Cheers!


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

ComfortablyNumb said:


> What can I do to make sure they last as long as possible?


 ALL 1 inch wide filters reguardless of what the package may say, are only good for 30 days of use.you need to measure the inside of the EAC cabinet, then find a corresponding sized filter.don't expect to find one thats exact..........your either going to be a 16 x 25 4 or a 20 x 25 x 4 or possibly 20x 20 x 4


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

ComfortablyNumb said:


> What can I do to make sure they last as long as possible?



get your ductwork cleaned by a high quality duct cleaner or the robotic duct cleaners. do not use the el cheapo companies as they do a dog and pony show and have small weak vacuums. keep your house clean and cleanup after the pets (hair).


----------



## hvac5646 (May 1, 2011)

Just an aside: With every customer who switches to a pleated filter I do a temp rise with a clean filter in place. Many furnaces run too hot on the temp rise for a pleated filter to be used. 

Sometimes this does not deter the HO and they end up causing premature damage and component failure of the furnace. Then try to explain why the warranty won't cover a repair.....


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

Hey guys, I finally had time to get a filter so I got the closest fit possible - 16x25x4 but its a bit to tall and about 2 inches too long. Can I force it in? Trim it to make it fit?


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

is there any mechanical structure inside of the eac that you can remove to make it fit?....such as guide pins?


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

Just took a look in the cabinet and I don't see anything that can be removed.


----------



## yuri (Nov 29, 2008)

unfortunately the only eacs that PROPERLY fit a filter are the Honeywell ones. I would recommend that you get the eac removed and replaced with a proper filter box like the Lennox healthy climate one or whatever other fits. The problem with just sticking a filter in is that there is usually a 1/2 to 1" gap around it and the eac on a lot of them and dust gets by.

http://www.lennox.com/products/indoor-air-quality-systems/HC10/


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

Good advise from yuri.....the other option is to have a filter box fabricated and installed with some sort of door on it, we have done them in the past........very pricey


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

What if I cut it to fit properly?


----------



## harleyrider (Feb 20, 2007)

you will lose the integrity of the filter


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

If I choose to remove the EAC and replace is with a standard filter like yuri suggested, is it an easy job? 

Does anyone know any stores around the Toronto/York Region area that has a selection of furnace filters? What would you guys recommend? ARe they expensive?


----------



## Jano (Jan 20, 2012)

Whats the best way to tell if the cells are the problem or if it's the power board


----------



## ComfortablyNumb (Jan 14, 2012)

Jano said:


> Whats the best way to tell if the cells are the problem or if it's the power board


I would say electrical meter...


----------

