By installing the filter upside down, air will have more difficulty flowing through the filter and your air handler will have to work harder to compensate for the loss of airflow. This could lead to higher utility bills and possibly damage your oven or air conditioner. The biggest damage that can result from a filter installed upside down is that it can damage your HVAC system and reduce its lifespan. An AC filter installed upside down will greatly slow down airflow, your oven will have more difficulty operating.
When efficiency decreases, the likelihood of a system failure, such as a refrigerant line leak or a failed compressor, increases. The most common problem you'll face with a rear-facing filter is simple inefficiency. If the oven is forced to blow air through the non-porous end of a filter, more energy will be needed to do so. The blower will overwork and pay more money for your heating. The same goes doubly with an air conditioner that has several filters in place to keep outside contaminants out of the indoor air.
The biggest problem with installing an air filter upside down is that the oven has to work harder to do its job. One side of the filter is more porous than the other. A furnace or central air unit that has to draw air through the non-porous side of a filter loses efficiency and runs longer, requiring more energy because it slows down the flow of air through the heat exchanger, according to Bob Vila. The result is an increase in your utility bill and additional wear and tear on your HVAC system. So what happens if the air filter is improperly installed? Air filters are built to be installed in a certain direction.
Installing the air filter backwards can restrict airflow through the air cleaner, cause the filter structure to fail, and allow dust, dirt, and other debris to pass through the filter and accumulate on the evaporator coil. If the evaporator coil becomes dirty, the system will not operate at optimal efficiency and could clog the condensate discharge line and cause the system to fail. The most common problem you will have if you have an improperly installed filter is decreased efficiency. Since the filter is designed to be efficient when installed in one way only, installing it incorrectly will make your system inefficient. One side of the filter is more porous to allow more air to flow freely.
Therefore, when installing a filter backwards it would mean that your oven has to work harder to get the results you want. This will result in higher utility bills and may cause damage to your oven. You won't feel the effects of this at first, but this inefficiency can build up and lead to furnace system breakage and further repairs. The filter cannot capture dust particles either when air moves through the filter in the wrong direction. The intake air moves downward, so the filter will be located at the top, in the upper blower compartment. Well, as you can imagine, a thin surface of dust accumulates much faster than if the filter were installed in the correct orientation (first the side with larger holes).
For more tips on how to properly install your oven filter, contact your local HVAC specialist at Donald P. Running a filterless oven will allow dirt and dust to enter the oven and ultimately cause damage by clogging up the compressor coils. This means that your oven has to work harder to generate the same airflow, resulting in increased energy costs. There are three basic types of ovens, and the filter is located in different places depending on the oven. Particles are also allowed to accumulate unevenly, causing the oven to work even harder to extract air.
To install it, simply align the arrows as shown and slide the filter frame into the reciprocating bracket on the front or side of your oven. If you ask a service person to install air filters, take a look at how they are placed and where the arrows point. If you take a few minutes to make sure that your home's air filters are positioned correctly, these headaches can simply be avoided. Installing an air filter upside down can restrict airflow through an air cleaner, cause its structure to fail, and allow dust particles and other debris pass through it and accumulate on an evaporator coil. This can lead to decreased efficiency which results in higher utility bills and may even cause damage to your oven.
Whether you're installing an oven filter yourself or having someone else do it for you, make sure that you check how they are placed and that their arrows point towards your fan motor (the direction of airflow). Even with proper maintenance of your home's air filters, you should still have your HVAC system cleaned and serviced at least once a year.
