Clean Up Your Furnace Filter’s Act
Want in on a dirty little secret? A less-than-pristine furnace filter could be costing you, big time. Furnaces with dirty filters or ducts waste energy and money, shorten the life of your furnace, and pollute your indoor air. The good news? Cleaning up your furnace’s act starts with changing the filter regularly.
It is recommended that you change your filters at least every 3 months, but the more people and pets you have in your home, the more you should think about changing your filters. Additionally, if you have a family member with allergies, it is recommended to change them more often.
Why are furnace filters important?
The air that is being circulated through your heating system is all passing through your furnace filter. Since clean, quality air filters keep the air in your home fresh, the people inside stay healthier. A quality air filter (usually recommended MERV 13 or above) can capture the airborne droplets that can carry harmful bacteria and viruses typically found in sneezes, coughs, and molds, as well as pollutants like dust and car fumes.
Clean filters also keep your HVAC system healthy–they enable it to run more efficiently, keep repair costs to a minimum, and reduce monthly energy bills. About half of your monthly energy bill is attributed to HVAC, and keeping clean air filters is the single most effective way to improve HVAC efficiency. Clogged filters make the HVAC work harder as it conditions your home, which raises your energy bill. (And if there are no filters, the coils will clog, which is even worse for your system!)
How to change your furnace filter
1. Your furnace filters will either be located in your return vents or some HVAC systems have two filters located within the actual furnace.
2. Note the filter size. This is usually printed on the cardboard frame. We recommend stocking up on new ones when you go to the hardware store so that you don’t have to run to the store each time you want to change your filter.
3. When installing your new filters, make sure to note which direction they should be installed in. To ensure proper airflow, the arrow on the edge of the filter should be pointing towards the blower motor.
Pro Tip
If you’re asking yourself when was the last time you changed your air filters don’t worry, it’s easy to forget. Your air filters are out of sight and therefore out of mind. So how do you ensure that you remember to change your filters? Try scheduling a monthly reminder to help you remember to check your filter monthly and change it when it’s dirty. The next time you go to the store, pick up a few extra filters so you don’t have to make the trip again in three months.