Many homeowners don’t know a lot about their HVAC system, such as where key equipment like the furnace is located. If you don’t know where the furnace is, you can’t complete routine furnace maintenance tasks like checking the furnace air filter. This and other simple chores can bolster your furnace’s energy efficiency. It’ll also help reduce the risk of damage or a malfunction.
Most furnaces are kept in the center of your home, either in a special utility closet or down in the basement. If your home doesn’t have a basement, it could also be in a crawl space or the attic. You may find other equipment like the water heater or your washing machine in the same area.
Once you’ve found where your furnace is, the next step is to find the furnace filter.
You’ll usually find the air filter within the blower compartment, which is accessible through a metal door or hatch on the lower half of the furnace. It can also be in a sliding compartment by the air handler component of your furnace or on a rack installed on the furnace’s side. It will be located in a place where it can collect dust, pollen and other airborne particles as they make their way through your HVAC system.
Over time, the furnace filter accumulates more and more particles. At a certain point it will restrict airflow and might affect your home’s indoor air quality as well as your HVAC system’s total efficiency. By periodically cleaning or replacing the filter, you’ll keep everything working more effectively.
Fortunately, you don’t need tons of HVAC experience to know how to change a furnace filter. In fact, it’s one of the easiest tasks you can do to help draw out the best performance from your HVAC system. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you start:
Ultimately, knowing how often to change your furnace filter depends on several things. Start with the model of the filter itself, as more efficient filters often last longer. You’ll also want to review your indoor air quality needs, the size of your family and number of pets as well as local pollution levels.
Basic filters suggest replacement every 1-2 months, or as short as 20-45 days each if you have multiple pets and someone in the house has allergies.
The quality of your furnace filter may have a big impact on your HVAC system’s overall efficiency as well as your home’s indoor air quality. The best way to determine the quality of your furnace filter is its MERV rating. This stands for the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, and represents the filter’s effectiveness at reducing the number of airborne particles in your home.
The [bigger|higher} the MERV rating, the better the filter will be. Ratings can be on a scale of 1-20, but this doesn’t mean you should try to find a furnace filter with a 20 MERV rating. In fact, most filters with ratings above 13 are often designed for hospitals or other buildings that require the safest, most hygienic conditions possible.
Forgetting to change your furnace filter isn’t the end of the world, but it can negatively affect how effective your HVAC system is. Furnaces need unobstructed airflow for efficient heating, and a dirty filter can slow that down. The longer you go without replacing it, however, the more likely problems can crop up that will require furnace repair. Here are a few of the most common:
Definitely not! Your furnace filter is still a crucial component for getting the most out of your HVAC system. You should always have a filter in place, even if you forget to replace it from time to time. A professional service company like Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing can help you keep up with routine furnace maintenance in the U.S. including replacing the air filter.
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There’s no reason to skip your seasonal maintenance that saves energy and helps ensure your air conditioner and heater will work reliably all season long.
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