Why Changing Your Furnace Air Filter Is Important

Don’t dawdle on this task!

Changing your furnace’s air filter is an easy and quick task that you should do on a regular basis.
Put an appointment on your calendar (whether it’s a paper or phone reminder) to check the air filter once a month and change it as needed. If you have dogs, cats, or other furry pets, do it more often because pet hair and dander can clog up your air filter faster.

Changing the air filter provides these three benefits.

1. Saving money. A clogged or unclean air filter makes your HVAC system work harder, resulting in higher energy costs. A clean air filter and regular expert maintenance help your furnace operate at peak efficiency, ensuring that you spend the least amount of money keeping your home warm and comfortable.
2. Preventing breakdowns. Did you know that a dirty or clogged air filter is one of the most common causes of a furnace failure? As noted before, if your filters are not changed, they will strain your furnace and cause it to work harder, resulting in greater wear on components and the possibility of a breakdown and expensive repairs. That wear also shortens the life expectancy of your furnace and forces you into having to buy a new furnace sooner than you should have to.
3. Improving indoor air quality. An air filter traps airborne dust, dirt, and allergens and prevents them from circulating in your home if it isn’t clogged. If you or someone in your household has allergies, asthma, or breathing difficulties such as COPD, it’s critical to check and change your air filter on a regular basis. There is another benefit to regularly changing the air filter: Cleaning the house is easier because there is less dust and dirt circulating all over!

How to change your furnace’s air filter

The size of the air filter you have must be determined first. Check your furnace’s user guide for information or check the filter currently in your furnace. The width, length, and thickness of a filter are generally specified. If the air filter is identified as 16x25x1, it is 16 inches wide, 25 inches long, and 1 inch thick,

HVAC air filters are sold at your local home improvement store. So, get a few to make replacing them is a breeze all winter long.

To check the air filter and replace it, first turn off the furnace. Locate your furnace’s air filter. The majority of filters are housed in the blower compartment or incorporated into metal ductwork before the blowing fan.

Remove the old air filter, noting the arrow on the filter frame that indicates the proper air flow direction. Make sure to install the new filter in the same way as before. It might be useful to mark out the direction of air flow with a permanent marker on the furnace housing or ductwork near the filter.

After removing the old filter, place it into a trash bag as right away to keep it from spreading dust and dirt.

When it comes to keeping your home warm through a Maine winter, Murray-Heutz has you covered with dependable propane and heating oil delivery, and top-notch equipment installation and service. Become a customer and get peace of mind with us!