Find furnace filter in old "octopus" furnace

Stacy Kruger
by Stacy Kruger
I'm renting an apt with an old coal furnace converted to natural gas. I can't find the furnace filter, & landlady is less than 'helpful".
  9 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Oct 26, 2015
    Did you perhaps look at the unit for any numbers for the parts?
  • Shelley Shelley on Oct 27, 2015
    I have a gravity heat furnace in my 1950's house. There IS NO filter so don't worry about it Even though they're old, there isn't much that can go wrong with them.
  • Mary Jennings Meffe Mary Jennings Meffe on Oct 27, 2015
    Shelly is correct. They did not put furnace filters in the coal to gas conversions. They also did not have blowers so there was no place to put a filter. They are nice and warm in winter.
    • LINDON TURNAGE LINDON TURNAGE on Oct 27, 2015
      @Mary Jennings Meffe Ditto from one who is retired from 50 years in HVAC. If you have dust or allergy problems you will have to buy a stand alone filtration system.
  • Marge Marge on Oct 27, 2015
    Or it could be one that slides in and not too visible. Keep checking just in case. Have you contacted local Ace or True Value hardware stores? Some times they have older employees that have been around longer and may be familiar with them. Take a photo and show them your unit. Keep any bills you pay and subtract from your rent.
  • Anne fenske Anne fenske on Oct 28, 2015
    I u have floor rads they have filters u can put in the rads. Our rads are about 3X8 and u pull them out ( nothing holds them in) and open the vent and put in filters. They're like strips of 4x8 batting that catches the excess dust & dirt. They work good. True value should have them or hardware stores that carry other filters.
    • Stacy Kruger Stacy Kruger on Oct 31, 2015
      I have grates in the floor and at baseboards. Half & half. Cold air returns (aka UGLY spider homes - b4 the Raid) & some are heat.
  • What about cold air returns? Do you have a cold air return under a staircase? You could put a filter there to change it once a month to help keep the furnace clean. PS no need to buy expensive filters either- just buy the cheap ones they do the job and save you money. With 2 dogs and 3 cats running in and out I put my filter in my cold air return under the stairs and boy has that helped collect hair
  • Anne fenske Anne fenske on Oct 29, 2015
    Good idea Garden Frog B , more filter is better.. Thanks. We have to change out filters every month, but its sure worth it and sticking vac hose in them, as they just pop out works for me. That filter idea in cool return is my idea of better. Thanks again.
  • Anne fenske Anne fenske on Oct 31, 2015
    U could buy a cheap filter and cut to fit those rads, but wear a mask; sometimes the cheap ones are fiberglass and not good to inhale. Should say on pkg. Some of the old rads have screws that need to be removed. They have a screw driver that has all the different attachments in handle. Very handy, I have 2, awesome. This stuff would keep spiders,etc. out i think. Cut a bit larger so it clings to wood inside. Good luck.