Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Furnace Filter Faux-paux

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InOverMyHead
07-17-06, 06:46 PM
Hi,

I just bought a house and found that it had a Carrier Crusader Furnace in it. As far as I can tell, it was built in 1991 and its model # is 58SSC130-LC.

I located the filter in the chassis, by the blower, and found that filtrete allergy reduction filter (cardboard frame) shoved in and held in place by a steel arm. It did not look OEM for sure.

Any ideas where I can find some info on this unit? I just want to find out what it should really have. I would also like a filter with a high MERV rating.

Thanks

PS - Not too pleased with my home inspector

Grady
07-18-06, 04:52 PM
That steel arm, particularly if U shaped, is probably OEM. I would be very careful of using a high MERV filter. In my experience, they create more problems than they solve. If highly effective filtration is your goal, have a contractor install a 5" media filter. Because of thier surface area, they don't create the air restriction problems of the high MERV 1" filters.
InOverMyHead
07-18-06, 07:11 PM
I thought the arm was probably OEM. I knew the filter was not. I don't know how much expertise is available for a 1991 furnace, but would it be a safe statment to make that the proper filter has some sort of metal frame?

Thanks

Grady
07-19-06, 05:46 PM
Almost never do we see metal framed filters installed as OEM. In fact, few manufacturers even install a filter.