Filter Whistle

[RomulanSpy]

TVA sent our family some energy saving doo-dads. One was a filter whistle, which requires inserting into the filter media and it begins to whistle (don't know the song yet) when its around 80% filled.

Good bad or indifferent?

[beenthere]

Never heard of that.

Wonder how annoying it is at 3:00 in the morning.

[RomulanSpy]

Good point.

[perrybucsdad]

Haha.... just like the smoke detectors BEEPing at 3am and trying to find a 9 volt when you are half asleep.

Try inserting it in your a*s and see if it whistles when you pass gas. After burrito night this might be a good thing.

[jrbenny]

The concept...

Air takes path of least resistance. As filter loads with dirt, resistance increases. Eventually, air will pass through the dirty filter indicator.

I haven't used them. Just saw them at a trade show.

[model m-man]

Change the filter when you're supposed to and you'll never hear the whistle.

[perrybucsdad]

Change the filter when you're supposed to and you'll never hear the whistle.

That's the best advice. I just buy the chepo filters and change them on the first of each month. Mark it on your calendar if you need a reminder. Pretty soon, it will be like a habit like changing your underwear.

[Wheelbaron]

Change my under pants??? Into what. Had this pair for less than a year......

[perrybucsdad]

Well then son, make sure you buy the really long lasting filters then.

Does this have anything to do with why there are never returns in a bathroom? Cause Uncle Buba goes to the John to melt some porcelain and the rest of the family gets to enjoy the fine oder from burrito night all though out the house? Or is it more of a safety concern that the fumes do not ignite as they pass over the furnace?

[jrbenny]

Never heard of that.

Wonder how annoying it is at 3:00 in the morning.

Rather be annoyed at 0300 than compressor failure due to lack of airflow.

[BigJon3475]

I can think of some pretty cruel passive aggressive tricks to play on someone. Then when you get caught say.....I was trying to save your HVAC unit....I think it sounds like it might work.

You'll just have to see if they call......or see if they just take the filter out and flip it over.

[adrianf]

There was a local company that at one time sold electrostatic filters that had the whistle already in them. They did a big promo with radio ads and such. And here's the sad part, the typical returns where so undersized that coupled with the pressure drop of the 1" electostatic filter they whistled as soon as they were installed. Needless to say the ad campaign was cut short.

But it may make a good diagnostic tool for elevated velocity through the filter

[beenthere]

Rather be annoyed at 0300 than compressor failure due to lack of airflow.

True.
But bet after the first time it woke most people up at 3 AM, the whistle would be tossed in the trash, or stuffed in a closet somewhere.

[gary_g]

I just buy the chepo filters and change them on the first of each month.

Watch those cheap-o blue spun fiberglass filters. They allow a lot of dirt to pass through and deposit on the indoor coil.

Take care.

[perrybucsdad]

True enough, but I'm trying to keep our HVAC guys in business with an annual maint job.

[t527ed]

whistle not a bad idea as a backup to regular filter changes for those "damn i got busy and forgot all about it times"

by the time the filter gets dirty enough to blow the whistle it should have been replaced weeks ago.

[mackeeg]

I have always used the monthly filters. Hubby bought some better filters and today when I changed them the return in the hallway started to whistle, it never has before. So should I go buy the cheap filters again? Will these hurt the system if left in?

[beenthere]

What brand filter is the new filter.

[mackeeg]

What brand filter is the new filter.

NaturalAire from Home Depot
Merv rating 8

I have alway used those blue cheap ones and never heard a sound.

[beenthere]

Those are normally not an excessively restrictive air filter. Your returns are probably a little small.
Might want to go back to the cheaper filters or you get your return increased.