Furnace Filters

Many people neglect the task of cleaning or replacing their furnace filters. This is mainly down to the fact they’re misled and believe that it’s a dangerous and difficult task.

Cleaning your filters is so critical for many reasons. Keeping up to date with your maintenance will ensure your heating system runs at its optimum levels.

What are the main benefits of staying on top of your furnace filter maintenance?

There are plenty of benefits to cleaning your furnace air filters. First though we need to understand the role of a filter. Primarily, it’s there to clear the air that circulates through your heating system clear and free of dirt. If your filter fills up and the air struggles to pass through it will be required to work harder, which in turn costs more. Constantly rotating unclean air through your filters is also hazardous to the health of anyone in the rooms with heating. Spreading unclean air is never a good thing.

Recommended Filters

The most popular variety of filters today are 1 inch filters because they are cheap and easy to replace. However, they clog quickly and need to be replaced often which, in the end of the day, makes them a more expensive option and not a less expensive one. 4 inch filters are optimal and reusable saves you money in the long run. Honeywell furnace filters are an example of such a filter. The brand is solid and very reliable.

People that ignore their filters and fail to clean them at least once per month are playing a dangerous game. Firstly, as previously stated, a dirty filter will put a bigger strain on your furnace. This uses more gas or electricity and costs a great deal more over the course of a year. Plus, if you ignore the needs of your furnace, the likelihood of a catastrophic breakdown will build up and eventually something will give. If your neglected furnace finally breaks down you’ll be surprised how much it will cost to fix. Repair engineers do not come cheap.

What Can Happen if the Filters Aren’t Changed Periodically?

Constantly running air through clogged furnace filters will eventually fill it up so much it will begin to let dirt through into your heated rooms. More worryingly, dirty filters can spread germs and viruses around for your family to inhale. Germs spread very quickly in heated and cramped conditions.

The worst case scenario is an actual explosion or fire within the heater unit. The risks here are obvious, do not neglect your duty with regards to cleaning your furnace filters at least once per month.

Have a look at your time schedule and figure out a reasonable time that you can stick to for cleaning or replacing your filter. The health of your family is at stake if you neglect to clean your furnace filters.