Winter is well and truly underway. You’ve been using your heating system for a while now. Don’t forget that your furnace needs a little bit of love from time to time throughout the winter! While annual heating system maintenance must be done by a qualified professional, you should be doing regular air filter changes yourself. Here’s how!
Step 1: Consider the Timing
How often should your furnace’s air filter be changed? That depends on a few factors. While the usual recommendation is every one to three months, this isn’t always the case. During the spring and fall, or warmer stretches when you don’t use your heat every day, you can change the filter less frequently. If you have pets who shed a lot, live near dusty construction, or are doing home renovations, change the filter more frequently.
Step 2: Turn Off the Heating System
You don’t want your furnace to be running without an air filter. More importantly, for your safety, you don’t want to be handling components of the furnace while it’s still powered up! Before you start an air filter change, make sure the heating system is completely shut down.
Step 3: Remove the Filter
This job does not require any tools, and is a simple, straightforward job. Just slide the filter out of place until it comes free. The filter will generally be located near where the return air duct and the furnace are connected. It may also be in the blower cabinet, easily accessed with a panel or slot. If you’re uncertain, consult your owner’s manual, or call us to ask.
Step 4: Replace the Filter
Slide a new filter into position. Make sure it is facing the right direction: the filter will have arrows on it to line up with the slot. If you aren’t sure what type of filters you need to purchase for your furnace, we’re always happy to help you figure it out. Furnace filters aren’t expensive, and they’re certainly more affordable—and more convenient—than allowing a clogged air filter to lead to furnace breakdowns and costly repair needs.
Step 5: Turn the Furnace Back On
Once you’ve got the filter replaced, start the furnace up again. It won’t just run as well as it did before. It will run better! A clogged air filter will lead to inefficiency, higher utility bills, abbreviated short heating cycles, uneven temperatures throughout your home, and strain on all the various components of your furnace. It can potentially even shorten the furnace’s life expectancy.
Keeping the filter clean maximizes airflow. This will prevent overheating inside the furnace cabinet, which will trigger the limit switch to shut down the heating cycles before your home is warm enough. It will help the heat be distributed all throughout your home. And it will even reduce dust, improving your indoor air quality.
With routine maintenance every year, air filter changes approximately once a month, and prompt repair whenever you notice a problem with your furnace, you will have effective and efficient heating in Skokie, IL all winter long.
Contact ServiceMax with any questions about your furnace.