The Simple Way to Change Your Furnace Filter

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As autumn settles in, and the weather grows colder, many homeowners are beginning to think about furnace maintenance. Yearly inspections on your furnace will ensure your system runs at peak efficiency, but you can take simple, yet important steps to keep your furnace in good working order. Perhaps the simplest step is to change your furnace's filter.

Your furnace filter doesn't only provide clean air to your home, it protects the system's blower from dirt and other particles. A regularly changed filter can prevent many expensive repairs caused by dust buildup, inadequate air flow and overheating. Clean filters may also lower your monthly heating and cooling bills by increasing your system's efficiency.

Locating The Filter

Some furnaces have their filter in the intake. This most likely looks like a grate in a floor, ceiling or wall. Other filters reside in the furnace itself. You can determine which you have with a quick look, but if you have questions, consult your furnace manual or a heating and cooling professional. Keep any clips or screws you remove in a safe place for when you reassemble the intake.

Checking Your Filter

The best practice is to check your furnace filter monthly. You can tell if the time has come to change it by holding it up to the light. If no light shines through, the filter needs changing. A dusty, dirty smell from the vents when the blower turns on is another good sign you should change your furnace filter.

Measuring Your Filter

Filters comes in many sizes. Make sure you acquire the size your furnace needs! If you aren't certain, the old filter should have measurements on it. If it doesn't, or the writing has become illegible, your furnace manual or a trained professional can tell you more. You can even take the old filter with you to buy a new one to compare the dimensions.

Replacing and Installing a New Filter

Bring a garbage bag with you when you go to change furnace filter media. The old filter will have dust trapped in it, and possibly caked onto it. Put the old filter directly into a garbage bag to prevent this dirt from escaping into the home.

When replacing your filter, several small details are important. Make sure your furnace is turned off! No air should be coming out. Check the direction your filter points. Filters are made to trap matter blown from one direction. Installing your filter upside-down can reduce its effectiveness.

Be sure the arrows on the new filter point the same direction as the ones on the old filter did. Using a marker on the furnace to indicate which direction a filter should point can save confusion the next time you need to change furnace filter media. If there are no arrows, then direction may not matter.

Some filters are made of reusable material which you can clean instead of replacing. If you aren't certain how to do this, please contact a heating and cooling professional. It's a good idea to check your filter, whether it's disposable or reusable, before turning on your furnace each cold season. Here are some additional ways to get your furnace ready for heavy use for the coming winter.

Photo Credit: Furnace Filter

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