One important household chore that many people seem to overlook is changing out the furnace filter. According to Energy Star, it is recommended for you to change your HVAC filters at least once per month. You may need to change them more often if you have family members with severe allergies. The reason being – dust, pet hair, dander, and other allergens are caught by the filter to prevent them from being circulated throughout the air in your home.
Extending the Life of Your Furnace
When you change the filter regularly, you will potentially help to extend the life of your home’s heating system. Dirty air filters prevent warmed air from being blown through the ductwork of your home. This causes the heater to work harder in order to keep the right temperature in your home to keep your family warm and cozy. Extra work on the heater’s motors could also potentially mean more wear and tear. This could lead to a premature breakdown of the system.
Cutting Down on Energy Costs
As mentioned above, when you have clogged and dirty air filters, it causes your furnace’s motors to work harder. This requires extra energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average homeowner spends roughly $2,200/year on their energy bills. However, when air filters are regularly replaced, this cost could be reduced by around 5-15%.
Breathing Clean, Fresh Air
When you change your filter regularly, it doesn’t just help your home’s furnace to run much more efficiently, but it will also improve your indoor air quality. When the filter is dirty, you and your family are breathing in dusty, dirty air. This can lead to problems with people with allergies, and even if you don’t suffer from allergies, you shouldn’t be breathing in this contaminated air!
Keeping Your Furnace Clean
A clean air filter means a happy furnace. If the filter isn’t changed regularly, it won’t just cause you to have poor indoor air quality, but it can also lead to problems for other areas of your HVAC system. It can clog ductworks with dust, and this could eventually lead to more breakdowns of the system.
Using the Right Size Filter
Before purchasing a new filter, be sure to check your furnace’s owner’s manual first to see what size you need to buy. Using an incorrect size could mean that the filter isn’t capturing dirt and dust like it should and it may lead to you having to swap it out more frequently than you normally would have to.