Free printable guide

Choosing the Right Air Filter

Find the highest MERV your system can take, buy the right size every time, and change it before it causes trouble. Page 2 gets you an answer in about two minutes.

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  • 11 printable pages
  • Sent by email
The cover of the air filter guide

What’s inside

11 printable pages

Each page stands on its own, so you can print just the one you need. Print the change log again when it fills up.

MERV 8

The safe pick when you don’t know what your system can handle. Page 2 shows you in two minutes whether yours can go higher.

  1. Page 2

    The 2-minute decision path

    Four questions to the highest MERV your system can take.

  2. Page 3

    My System card

    Fill it in once and tape it to the unit.

  3. Page 4

    Find your system info

    What to look for in the manual, and how to tell your blower motor type.

  4. Page 5

    Find every filter and get the size right

    Where they hide, and why “16x25x1” isn’t 16 x 25 x 1.

  5. Page 6

    At the store

    MPR and FPR to MERV, what each MERV catches, and the frame label.

  6. Page 7

    Filter types, honestly

    Fiberglass, pleated, washable, thick media and HEPA.

  7. Page 8

    Change it right, and how often

    Six steps, and how to find your own interval.

  8. Page 9

    Your situation

    Pets, allergies, wildfire smoke, renovation dust, the fan left On, a new home.

  9. Page 10

    Troubleshooting

    Ice, short cycling, whistling, dust lines and water by the unit.

  10. Page 11

    Change log

    A page of rows to track each change.

The videos

Two videos that go with it

Page 2 has a QR code to the air filter video. And if there’s water around the indoor unit but no ice, the troubleshooting page sends you to the drain line video, because that’s a clogged drain, not the filter.

Jeremy at the open return air grille by his stairs, about to change the air filter.

Who’s it from

I’m Jeremy. I figure things out around the house so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Homeowner, not a contractor. I put this together the way I do every job on the channel: research the options, find the smarter way, then do it on my own house.

Where the numbers come from is listed on the last page, including the EPA, ASHRAE, the US Department of Energy and its national labs, Energy Star, the CDC and the makers’ own manuals and labels.

Questions

Before you sign up

Is it really free?

Yes. Signing up also gets you a short email each week with that week’s two videos. Unsubscribe any time.

How does it arrive?

By email. First you’ll get one email asking you to confirm your address. Click the link in it and the guide follows as a PDF.

Can I print it?

That’s what it’s made for: letter-size pages (8.5 x 11) you can print at home. Or keep the PDF on your phone.

Do I need my system’s model number?

It helps, but you don’t need it. With no manual, page 2 still gets you there: page 4 shows how to tell your blower motor by looking. And MERV 8 is the safe pick while you’re not sure.

It didn’t arrive. What now?

Give it a few minutes, then check Spam or Promotions. Still nothing? Send me a note.

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