An Overview of High Efficiency Furnace Filters

High efficiency furnace filters are no doubt effective, but since they can lead to substantial increases in your electricity bills, you just can't afford to install them as part of your centralized heating and cooling system. However, you also can't just ignore the associated benefits. By taking the time to install a higher quality furnace filter, you will be able to realize the full potential of these filters and also realize the most cost-effective manner.

How to Select the Best High Efficiency Furnace Filter

Since quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, it's recommended that you consider a few things before you actually buy a furnace filter. To select the best, compare the protection levels that are usually explained in the product information. The protection levels are expressed in microns, which basically represent the size of air particles that the filter is capable of filtering out. This simply means you should consider only those furnace filters that have the smallest micron ratings, preferably those having 0.1 microns or less. These would be enough to filter out around 99.97 percent of all microscopic particles that might be present in the air.

Shortly after you install a furnace filter, you will start feeling a lot better because the air that you breathe will be free from a wide variety of contaminants. You can then be rest assured, the air around you is completely free from dust mites, pet dander, pollen particles and mold spores. All of which can easily create health problems for you and your family.

Another thing to consider prior to investing in a furnace filter is finding out the size of your room. This is important because certain furnace filters are effective only over a specific predetermined area. For example, say your room is 350 square feet, you will have to look for a filter that has the appropriate capability. The best thing to do is to opt for a furnace filter having a slightly higher configuration. Considering the above example, the filter should have the capacity to clean air over a 450 square foot room.

Last but not the least, you should never forget to take proper care of your furnace filter because its effectiveness depends a lot on how well you follow the maintenance guidelines outlined by the manufacturer. Also, keep changing your filters regularly, preferably every 3 to 6 months because even the best high efficiency furnace filters have a limited workable life.

Bill Whitworth writes furnace filter and other home environment health related articles for Web Products, Inc. A popular Internet destination for furnace filters, air filters, replacement filters, and custom filters. Helping customers improve their home air quality since 1997.

Saving On Furnace Repairs

Furnace repairs are costly - they can easily cost hundreds of dollars. Quite often, the cost of labour is the biggest item on the invoice, if not the only one! Meanwhile, you can significantly reduce or even completely avoid charges for furnace repairs. It's quite easy, but you need to do this before the repairman comes.

Before actually coming to see the furnace, a good technician will try to learn as much as possible about the problem. He should call you and ask you to do a couple of basic checks on the furnace. If the technician gets enough information, he'll come with the part you need to fix the problem, saving himself a trip just to decide what part he needs. Quite often, the problem is just a blocked filter or an accidentally turned off switch - you can find this out right over the phone.

So, when you're speaking to the technician, he'll ask you to do some routine checks. Don't worry, he won't ask you to do anything unsafe or difficult. Let's go through a few possible scenarios.

Q. Do you feel air coming out of the floor registers?

WA. (Wrong Answer) Yes, the air is fine. The technician will come and check the air for you. He may find that the furnace (air handler) switch was off and turn it back on for you. Do you want to pay $100 for that?

RA. (Right Answer) Just a second, I'll check. (After checking a couple of registers) Air flow is as usual, or weaker than usual. (Whichever is the case.) Now, he might be able to figure out what the problem is, just from that simple question.

Q. Is the filter clean?

WA. Yes, it's clean. The technician can come and check the filter for you, but is that really worth $100?

RA. I don't know. My husband usually checks the filter, but he's not home. The technician will explain you where to find the filter, and what to check.

And if your technician doesn't call before coming? Well, you may be dealing with the wrong company. Boris Sherman is a residential heating and air conditioning contractor. His company Cozy World installs furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps in the Greater Toronto Area. Find your air conditioner at http://www.cozyworld.ca/.

How To Maintain An Oil Burning Furnace

Oil burning furnaces need maintenance, more than gas or propane burning furnaces need. My own experience says you can go as long as 3 years without servicing it, but that is not advisable because sometimes the failure that results is severe (electrode insulator cracks, and you get the Bessemer Process on the electrode mount, which is to say, it melts). You are far better off cleaning them annually.

Cleaning and servicing them is no big deal, but it is messy since that soot is tarry and stinky.

Turn off power to the system. Remove the oil burner assembly, which will also have the electrodes on it. How you remove this assembly is very dependent on the particular unit; follow the oil line out of the pump to where it goes into the furnace housing and that will give you a good clue. Often (usually) you have to either remove or hinge back the high voltage transformer to get at this assembly.

When you have the burner out, remove the nozzle and replace it. Make sure you replace it with a nozzle with the same spray pattern, though you can vary the gallons per hour (GPH) rating to rate the furnace up or down in capacity.

Spray patterns are described as either solid, semisolid, or hollow - which refers to the distribution of oil in the spray cone, and have a specific angle which defines the angle of the cone of oil that is shot into the furnace. Solid is the most common pattern in my experience and 85 degrees is the most common angle that I have seen.

Wipe the whole assembly down to get the oil and soot off of it. You will need to position and gap the electrodes, but first do a visual inspection of them. If there are visible cracks in the insulators, replace them. If the ends are eroded and pitted, replace them. If in doubt, replace them.
 

There is a special tool you need to position and gap the electrodes; do not try to do this without that tool. It only costs about $4 at a supply house; I repeat DO NOT TRY TO DO IT WITHOUT THE TOOL!!!! You can have a fire, and in the worst possible case, an explosion that wrecks the furnace if you gap them badly enough. Make sure you gap and position the electrodes to conform to the particular spray pattern of the nozzle.

When you have done all this, take a rag and wipe down the air passages leading into the furnace. Wipe off the squirrel cage on the combustion blower. Wipe off the oil pump, the transformer, and the electrodes on the transformer. Also look for an optical flame sensor (some units have them) and wipe it clean.

Reassemble the furnace and fire it off. The flame should start instantly and quietly - no WHOOMP, no delays followed by a WHOOMP. If it is adjusted right, it will just start, immediately and quietly.

You then need to adjust the air to the flame. Open the inspection port so you can see the flame. Turn down the air until the flame becomes dull yellow and smoky, then increase the air until the smoke just vanishes and the flame "flower" is bright yellow. If the flame "flower" becomes too lean, it will be very bright and tinged with blue. At this point, you are sending too much air in and sending too much heat up the flue. When the inspection port is closed, if the flame roars and the furnace kind of "shudders" a bit, back off the air until that stops, then look again in the inspection port to make sure the flame is not smoky.

When all this is done, allow the furnace to reach operating temperature, then adjust the flue damper. The flue damper should swing freely and not catch, either open or close. If you cannot achieve this, replace it. When you have achieved this, adjust the damper so that it is swinging about half open when the furnace is running and at temp. When the furnace stops and the flue cools, the damper should swing shut on its own.

Beyond this, oil the pump motor, oil the blower motor, change the filters, tighten the belts, replace the oil filter, and you are done. You could also test pump pressure but that does not change unless either tampered with or if the pump is failing; I almost always ignore it.

Although this sounds like a lot, when you get good at it you will do it end to end in 1/2 hour. You will also stink of fuel oil when you are done, so wear old clothes.

Oh yes. Must not forget. You WILL spill a certain small amount of fuel oil over the course of this; have some kitty litter (oil dry) available.

Jim Locker holds advanced degrees in physics, has designed and developed computer systems and software for over 30 years, was a landlord for 20 years running up to a couple of hundred properties, and can build or fix just about anything. He presently works as an independent computer systems consultant and works for Just So Software, Inc. whose site is http://www.softwareforlandlords.com

One Fan to Fire Up the Furnace

 

We live in a high-speed world. We want every thing now. Sadly, the "I want it now" attitude does not working in the field of marketing. Marketing is all cafefully planned, that's why you must assume the position of the bard.

Bards of old traveled the world and weaved their musical webs to whomever would listen. If there were even one person, then the bard would cast his spell. And in the world of music you have to build your fan base one fan at a time.

I remember my first band. I hooked up to sing with this glam rock band a decade ago. We were about to play in the rec room of our dormitory. There were a dozen people and I was excited. It was my first opportunity to play on stage, when the drummer declared, "If there aren't more people, I'm not playing." I was devesated. It awoke me to something a number of bands have...arrogance. And it started me on the bardic path.

Since then, I've made every opportunity to play to individuals. I was down in San Marcos, Texas last year and my partner hadn't yet arrived. A couple came in looking to hear some "Irish" music. I played "An Irish Lullaby" for them. The woman was in tears by the time I ended. Her husband? A music writer for the local paper. Needless to say, we got a spectacular review of our first album!

You see, every person is important. And the more the each individual adores you, the more likely they'll tell their friends and bring them out to shows. And the sad thing is no matter how hard your try to bring a crowd, sometimes they don't come out. So make each show the best it can possibly be for the one or two people in the audience. They will appreciate it, buy your album and tell all their friends.

One devoted fan is worth a hundred casual listeners. And you never know. That one listener could be your ticket to success!

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

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