Today’s inspection revealed the filter placed directly infront of the furnace squirrel cage. Is this acceptable? Part of me says it is, since all the air is naturally going this way any qay. Another part says it is not, simply because A.) I’ve never seen it before, and B.) The area of the filter is greatly reduced which means you’re trying to draw the same amount of air through a smaller space. Has anyone else seen this setup? Any info would be appreciated!
I see it quite often. It’s wrong and a filter rack should be installed. Something should also be done with the duct liner that is breaking down.
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I agree with Jeff. It’s wrong. If the filter were to break down a collapse, where is going first?
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Unfortunately the air return grill for the unit is fixed (secured to the wall) and there’s no filter opening in the duct work. Thanks for the quick feedback and for catching the liner!
I comment on those configurations when I see them. Unfiltered air gets around them and most home owners never look for it to change them. An easy fix (if there’s a single return or two) is to replace the return register cover with one that holds a filter.
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I had my furnace and air handler replaced a year or so ago. The original had a slot in the return duct for a filter. When they replaced it, the air handler didn’t have that, nor did they install one. I have just two return vents for the whole house. On my main floor is a 24x16 and the basement is a regular vent. I converted the main floor vent to hold the filter. No issues so far.
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A filter rack or clips can still be installed inside the furnace cabinet.
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A filter rack, usually 2 metal channels the filters slips into should be installed to hold the filter in place and to prevent the filter from movement. Typically the filter faces the front so as you open the cabinet the filter is facing you.
The installation is wrong, it’s restricting the air flow for one. There is a slot where the duct connect to the furnace, that is where it belongs.
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Hey Marcel, “usually” there is a slot where the duct connects to the furnace. I’ve seen plenty of those, but not in this case.
That just means there are more repairs to be made at the Sellers expense!!
Not great and I’d mention it but not worth dying on a hill screaming about.
Funny story (not really) in my own house years ago - 70s house, bought in 2006. Was busy running my company, had 3 kids in 17 months (twins in there)… basically, wasn’t paying a lot of attention to things I should have. When changing the furnace filter it was often dislodged and had been “blown” out of position and not catching any air. It was on my list but you know how it goes… the cobber’s kids have no shoes.
Anyway, a few years later during the summer I notice the ducting around the indoor A/C coils is deformed and bulging (ice!!!). Turns out so much lint and crap from the lack of a filter had built up on the coils that the system was just choked burned/froze itself up. (Slightly) in my defense the system was already 10 years old when I moved in and likely damaged.
No, I didn’t have the HVAC fully evaluated…anyone remember the conditions in 06? A seller’s market to say the least. Anyway… long, long story short I gained new respect for how important filtration is. I had a buddy/HVAC contractor that replaced the system and when I got home he had the coils in the back of his truck… looked like a wool sweater 
I was quite ashamed
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Matt has the sensible answer. The air flow is restricted by the size of the opening beside the blower fan. Putting the filter next to it doesn’t change that. If the filter is crammed up against the blower cage air inlet no air is “getting around it.” I have never seen a forced air system where the filter was effective enough to prevent dust all over the house. The filter is to protect the air handler not “clean” the house air. An air handler would have to move 2 to 3 times as much air to “clean” it then they actually move.
The arrangement shown is mostly inconvenient, the blower door has to be removed. Make sure the blower safety interlock works and explain it in the report.
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As others have said it’s wrong but appears to me there is or was a filter slot (Indicated by the arrow) and now possibly covered with aluminum tape
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Hey Neil, I covered the message when I set the lower cover there. But someone had written “filter inside furnace 14x25x1” and drew the arrow which you see. I’m glad they did because it saved me time as I would have gone through the house trying to find some obscure, hidden air return holding a filter. The duct work butts up to the furnace and there was no filter slot present.
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To throw it out there, there is more than one way to retain the filter.
So, I have a few basic statements (there is always more)
Dirty, Missing, Incorrect size, Inadequate retention or no retention, Dislodged, Damaged
Its wrong as shown in pics. Should have a slot in RA duct outside furnace or filter rack slides inside blower cabinet (hi/lo). In lieu of that sometimes there is a central RA register in the home that can be modified to have a filter holder there. If none of the above are present THE owner had a amateurish installation AND if it the case they may have screwed up elsewhere.
Report it AND recommend a COMPETENT hvac contractor evaluate AND repair all deficiencies. Just my opinion as a past hvac contractor & tech.
I had this same thing in my inspection today. I did put the filter where is belonged. Doing this is just contaminating the whole unit with dust.