HVAC System – Should Zoned HVAC Systems Have Multiple Filters?

filterhvac

In a house now for 6 months, just learned today I should have changed my filter twice already, whoops.

I have a zoned system – two furnaces, one in the finished attic on its side, one in the basement. As far as I can tell, there is only one filter – in the attic stairway, there's a big grille on the wall, and behind that is a filter which is connected to a duct leading to the furnace. Easy. There is nothing like this at all in the basement – the ducts don't lead to any sort of grille. Is this normal?

Including a couple of photos of the furnace in the basement, from the two sides I can access. The ducts are covered in some kind of insulation, then lead out into the home.

From the front
From the rear

Best Answer

If the filter you know about is on a duct leading to "the furnace" in the attic, then there must be a filter associated with "the other furnace" in the basement. I've seen them in various locations on/behind/under the furnace itself, and I haven't even dealt with that many hot air furnaces (my area was boiler-centric for heating, and A/C was practically unknown.)

Figure out where the air goes towards the furnace and follow - gotta be there somewhere.

Likely a very understated edge-on view when you are looking for it.