SpecsyHome and maintenance
Never forget your air filter size again
The old filter goes in the bin along with the only clue to its size. A few months later all that is left is guessing: 20×20×1 or 20×25×1.
- Size
- 20×25×1 in
- MERV
- 11
- Brand
- Filtrete
- Model
- 2200
- Bought at
- Local hardware shop
The size is printed on the thing you just binned
The size is usually printed on the frame of the old filter. And that frame goes in the bin right after the change — months before the information is needed again.
A house can hold several filters: in the ventilation, the air purifier, the extractor hood, the vacuum. Each has its own size, model and type.
So the next change means searching again, measuring again, or risking the wrong purchase.
What to save on a filter card
Better a separate card for each filter, so they never get confused with one another.
- The exact size — as printed on the frame, with the units
- The filtration rating — where it matters for that filter
- The brand and model — of the one that already fitted
- A photo of the old filter or its markings — before it goes in the bin
- Where it was bought and what it cost — to find the same one again and compare the price
- The direction of airflow — where the filter shows it
The filters a home often has
- The ventilation or air conditioning filter
- The air purifier filter
- The kitchen extractor grease filter
- The car cabin filter
- The vacuum HEPA filter
Each has its own parameters, and a single entry saying "filter" is not enough here.
Do this once, at the next change
- Photograph the old filter before you throw it outEvery number you need is already printed on it, and the photo takes a few seconds.
- Save the size and model in SpecsyWrite it exactly, units included — 20×25×1 in and 20×25×1 cm are not remotely the same thing.
- Set the reminder for the next change straight awayThree months, six months, or whatever interval the manufacturer gives — so next time it is not remembered too late.
Questions people ask
Why not just measure the old one?
Nominal filter sizes are rounded. A filter sold as 20×25×1 usually measures about 19.5 by 24.5. Measuring and buying by your measurement is how people end up with the wrong one.
Can Specsy remind me when it is due?
Yes. Put the interval on the card and the reminder arrives on your phone without you thinking about it again.
What if I have several filters of the same type?
Give each card the room name. In the shop you open the room, not the guesswork.