Happy New Year! A fresh start, a clean slate, some good resolutions in mind, and you’re all ready for 2024, right? But wait. How’s your furnace doing? How can it have a fresh start and a clean slate? The best thing you can do for your furnace is to change the air filter. Why? How? When? We’ll tell you everything you need to know.
Why Your Furnace’s Air Filter Needs to Be Changed
The air filter in your furnace isn’t actually for your sake. It will keep some particles out of the air that comes from your vents, which is nice for you, of course. But its true purpose is to prevent problems with your furnace. Dirty, dusty air full of pet hair and particles can cause damage to the inner workings of your heating system. But if that filter gets too dusty, here’s what can happen.
- Poor Airflow: When it gets harder for your furnace to draw in plenty of air through that mat of dust, less air is able to flow out your vents. This can lead to uneven heating and cold spots in your home.
- Overheating: Without enough cold air flowing in, the heated air builds up in your furnace. The motor gets too hot. It might burn out completely, wires fusing together. Or it might trigger the limit switch, shutting down your furnace… which will start up again and shut down, over and over. You’ll end up needing heating repair in West Monroe, LA.
- Inefficiency: With all these things going on, your furnace will strain harder and harder to get the job done. This is not great for a lot of components, but it’s also terrible for your bank account balance. The furnace working harder means more energy is being used, and your utility bills will get heftier.
How to Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
Some furnace filters are reusable, while others are disposable. Do you know which kind your furnace has? Either way, the first step is to turn off the furnace. Slide the filter out. If it’s reusable, wash it with water and leave it to dry completely. If it’s disposable, throw it away and get a new one. Then simply slide the filter into place and turn your furnace back on.
If you’re not sure where the filter is located or what kind of replacement filter you need, consult your owner’s manual. If you still have questions, reach out to us and we’ll be happy to help you figure out what you need to do.
When to Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
The general rule of furnace air filter changes is that it should be done every month during the time of year when your furnace sees the most use. When your furnace is only being used occasionally, you can go as long as three months between changes. But if your home is exceptionally dusty for some reason, you might need to change it a little more often.
Air filter changes are the one part of furnace maintenance you can do yourself. It’s also critical to have a professional technician come perform furnace maintenance annually. They’ll clean, lubricate, inspect, and test all components of your furnace to keep it in tip-top condition.
Whether you have a simple question about filter types or need to schedule maintenance or repair, we’ll always be happy to hear from you.
Contact Mike Smith Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC. We provide “Professional grade service.”