Why are Air Filters Important?

Filters are not only to protect your home's heating and air conditioning system, they protect you and your loved ones. Indoor air quality is a growing concern in homes, schools, and hospitals. Poor air quality can have a negative impact on your overall comfort level, as well as aggravate medical conditions such as asthma or allergies. Inadequate ventilation in the home can increase indoor pollutants such as common household dust, pet dander, pollen, dust mites, and cigarette smoke just to name a few. Filters can improve the air quality by capturing and removing these particles and pollutants, thus increasing the quality of air circulated throughout your home via your heating and air conditioning system. Be sure to change your filters as recommended to ensure the best possible air quality for your home and family.

Fall is here...time to change that furnace filter!

With Fall among us it is a great time to change your furnace filter. By changing your filters with the start of the new season you and your family will breathe cleaner, healthier indoor air as the temperatures begin to drop and families start spending more time indoors. With indoor air quality concerns on the rise and families looking for any way to save a pennie new filters can help. By replacing your furnace filter on a regular basis your central air system will run more efficiently since it won't have to work as hard to push the air through your home, this has many benefits such as the savings on your bill and possible repair costs. If you forget to change your filters on a regular basis your system can become strained and possibly cause damage that can be very expensive to have an HVAC technician repair. So with Fall here and cold weather on the way make sure you change your furnace filter so you can get all added benefits of a clean filter.

How to locate your furnace filter

In many cases if you have never located your heating systems filter it can be a challenge to find it. All systems are different so we will do our very best to point you in the right direction. Typically your filter is going to be somewhere near the blower (fan), this is because one of the main purposes of a filter is to protect the blower (fan) from damage. This applies to all different types of furnaces, including gas furnaces, oil furnaces, electric furnaces, as well as air conditioners.

Step 1 - Make sure the fan is not running, you can do this by setting your thermostat to the off position and turn off power completely to the unit.

Step 2 - Locate the service panel (main cover), usually on the furnace's front or side. The front of most systems will have a label that gives details on removing the cover/panel. In most cases you will not need tools to remove it...you will just have to pull up on the handle and it will pop out.

Step 3 - Now that you have removed the panel locate the filter. You should be able to see the frame of the filter sitting horizontally or vertically near the blower (fan). If you find the filter slide it out and take note of the size, replace with the filter of your choice from http://www.rememberthefilter.com/

If you couldn't locate your filter by following the steps listed above work you way backwards from the return duct this is the one that brings air into the system, remember since the filters main purpose is to protect your system and keep it running efficiently it is going to be somewhere before the blower (fan). In some situations there may be no furnace filter present. It may have been removed instead of replaced, or it may have never been installed in the first place. In this case replacing the filter will be a greater task. If you can locate what looks to be where the filter would go you will need to take measurements to be sure you order the correct size. If you can't locate the location of the filter we suggest you consult a local reputable HVAC company to do an inspection of your system and inform you of the size of filter you need and where it goes.

Note: You should never run your system without having a clean filter in place, this can save you money in the long run...not to mention keep you and your family breathing healthier, cleaner indoor air.

How often do I need to change my furnace filter?

Recommendations vary based on a number of factors: the type of filter that you use, how many pets you have, whether anyone in your home has allergies, etc. If you use disposable fiberglass panel or electrostatic panel filters, you should change them anywhere from once a month to once every three months. Pleated filters generally last 3 months.Filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to change, so there is little reason to wait. If you don't change or clean your filter often enough the filter can get clogged with dust and other airborne particles, forcing your furnace to work harder to maintain airflow. This will reduce your furnace's efficiency and can cause damage.