Why not read the warranty?

That would make to much sense. :)
Besides, it's in fine print and 5 miles long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkjRKIRva58

Filter comparisons.

If your new filter is the 4" to 5 " thick filter keep using that. Ace has them for $29 and Black Friday sales at Ace has them at 50% off that price. I stock up when they are on sale. Don't use the old thin filters - they are useless.

For your system to run efficiently you need to use the 4 inch filter. I buy my filters on line from Discount Filters. Much cheaper.

We bought one of these washable filters: Villages Air Filters

I don't recall the price but if I had the impression it would pay for itself in about three years. Also, it is custom fit so no gaps or bends.

I use the permanent filter also. Wash it out every two months, so I feel that the air has to be cleaner going through the system. And no more wondering what the next price increase is going to be.

This is really pretty simple. The real question is "Do you know more than the engineers at Carrier who designed the system"? The engineers have 2 goals, design a system that does the job, and that lasts as long as possible to minimize warranty. They designed the filter to accomplish this. You can get 2 for $70, which is $35 a year. You live in The Villages so I know you can afford that. They have done a lot of testing. Trust them.
I do the same thing with my cars. I do exactly the maintenance in the book, nothing more, nothing less. My last 4 GM cars have lasted well over 250,000 miles, and I have very few problems. Its not perfect, but you will never have the test data the engineers have, they run all this stuff to failure hundreds of times.
Ed

The newer 4" filters are far superior. I replace the one in my 2020 Carrier unit every spring with a new $35 3M Filtrate MERV 12 from Lowes: Item #1144660; Model #LDP44-4IN-5; Access Denied. You may need a different size than this.

Carrier installer said unless you have a cat or dog, the 4"filter
that came with my system should be changed once a year.

I believe that because for you guys that change your filter every 3-6 months, remember those systems
don't run that much in the winter besides on cool days.
So in November to February you could be throwing out a slightly dirty filter.

We have no animals, are not smokers, and keep a clean home. That being said, 12 months for us is too long between changes. I find six months to be about right, but that time frame can vary based on the time of year. Another thing to consider is if you burn candles, that’ll shorten the time frame between changes. YMMV

So you spent $6000 for an AC unit and you don't want to use the correct filter for it. I have some of those 1"filters I'll be glad to give you. I also have 50% off coupon at Goodwill if you want

Wouldn’t you think that Carrier uses a better filter in their units for a reason?

Call Munn’s Heating & A/C, have them service your HVAC system and do what they tell you. The more expensive 4-inch filters only had to be changed once a year. I’ve had Munn’s do our HVAC service twice a year for 17 years now and our HVAC still tests to the “as new” specs. Munn’s is great—professional, well-trained, and trustworthy.

In my opinion, 12 months is too long between filter changes. I replace mine every 6 months. Even if the filter does not appear dirty, the filter material can break down and particles can get into the duct.

Agree with Munn's, their the one's that installed my unit.
Also, don't their service plan include a filter?