Keeping hair, dust, and debris out of your furnace and keeping it working efficiently is the job of your furnace filter, an essential part of your system.
But many homeowners aren’t sure how often their filter should be changed. The rule to remember is every three months.
To make sure your filter and the furnace itself are working as efficiently as possible, your filter should be changed every three months. Any furnaces that are overly clogged with debris and dust has its airflow restricted, and in the long run, this issue can lead to an inconvenient and costly breakdown of the entire system.
However, you should check your furnace filter once a month, even though it should only need changing once every three months. You can avoid an expensive breakdown and the inconvenience of a furnace that isn’t working properly by making sure your filter is clear enough to filter dust and other particles when you look at it every month.
If you notice that the filter is greyish in colour, or it appears dusty due to all that airborne debris from building up, it’s a sure sign it needs changing.
How often your furnace filter needs to be changed or cleaned can also be affected by your home’s environment.
Pets
All that pet hair tends to end up in your furnace if it isn’t vacuumed up thoroughly. Make sure that you are checking your filter once a month if you have a pet, as a cat or dog in the home will cause your filter to get clogged faster than one in a pet free home.
Allergies Or Asthma
Your breathing can be adversely affected if your filter gets clogged with dust, making it important to check regularly if you have asthma or allergy sufferers in the house. You can make sure your home’s air is fresh and healthy with new filters, along with vacuuming and dusting regularly.
Consistent Usage
Your filter will collect more debris and dust the more you use your air conditioner and furnace, as both systems use the furnace filter.
How to clean or change the filter in your furnace
To do the job safely, turn off your furnace before doing anything. Then, make sure you know which way the filter goes back in before taking it out.
The filter you just removed can be reused and cleaned if it has a clear plastic frame around it.
Any debris and dirt that has collected on the filter should be sucked up gently with a vacuum cleaner, using an extension hose if possible. Any dirt that still remains after vacuuming can then be removed by gently wiping it with a damp cloth. Remember, before you carefully put the filter back into your furnace, to make sure it has dried completely.
It’s a faster process to replace the furnace filter if it’s the type that is disposable. No need to clean it; simply make a note of the size and visit your local hardware or home improvement store. The new filter is then inserted into your furnace. Don’t forget to check on it again on a regular basis once you have the new one is doing its job.