7:0090% of Homeowners Buy the Wrong Air Filter
Free printable guide
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.



What’s inside
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.
Page 2
Four questions to the highest MERV your system can take.
Page 3
Fill it in once and tape it to the unit.
Page 4
What to look for in the manual, and how to tell your blower motor type.
Page 5
Where they hide, and why “16x25x1” isn’t 16 x 25 x 1.
Page 6
MPR and FPR to MERV, what each MERV catches, and the frame label.
Page 7
Fiberglass, pleated, washable, thick media and HEPA.
Page 8
Six steps, and how to find your own interval.
Page 9
Pets, allergies, wildfire smoke, renovation dust, the fan left On, a new home.
Page 10
Ice, short cycling, whistling, dust lines and water by the unit.
Page 11
A page of rows to track each change.
The videos
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.

Who’s it from
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
Yes. Signing up also gets you a short email each week with that week’s two videos. Unsubscribe any time.
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.
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.
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.
Give it a few minutes, then check Spam or Promotions. Still nothing? Send me a note.
Ready?
Free, 11 printable pages, sent to your inbox.
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