Replacing the air filters for your home’s furnace is an important task that you should do regularly. It will help to prevent impurities in the air from being circulated throughout your home. After a period of time your air filters will reach a point where they are no longer effective. That’s why you should change your air filters every month, to keep them working like they should. Here are the three other reasons why we recommend changing your filters every month.
#1 — Maintain Optimal Airflow
Once your filters reach their threshold of effectiveness and start to become clogged, they start to restrict airflow through the furnace. These restriction in airflow can cause various issues, including:
- More system stress, since it has to work harder to operate efficiently leading to breakdowns
- Furnace runs longer to heat your home resulting in excessive wear and tear on various system components
- Poor airflow through the furnace can cause your furnace to overheat. A safety switch, called the “high-limit switch”, shuts the furnace down to prevent it from overheating as safety precaution. The furnace won’t come back on until the furnace cools down which at that point it will restart only to be shut down again due to overheating. This is called “cycling on high-limit”
In the end, it is far less expensive to buy and replace your air filters every 3 months, rather than having to pay for new parts as well as other maintenance and repairs if you don’t change them. It also extends the life of your furnace.
#2 — Maintain Optimal Air Quality
In addition to potentially damaging your furnace, clogged air filters also result in the air quality of your home being greatly diminished. As they get older and full of all the air impurities, air filters are no longer able to provide sufficient air filtration. Dust, lint, bacteria, mold, toxins, pollen, and other allergens are left in the air which can result in allergic reactions and respiratory diseases. You may be at risk if you start noticing or experiencing any of the following:
- The air in your home feels dry and stuffy which can cause dry or itchy eyes, throat or nose
- You experience allergy-like symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, congestion
- In the case of respiratory disease, general sickness
Optimize your home’s air quality by changing your air filters regularly, especially if you have pets as their fur will cause the filter to clog up faster. In the interest of your own health and wellbeing, replace your filters regularly.
#3 — You Save On Your Energy Bill
We already mentioned that clogged air filters cause your furnace to work harder because it reduces air circulation. So if you don’t replace your air filters that frequently, you’ll probably start seeing your energy bill increase month to month. This is because of the following:
- The buildup of debris in your furnace forces it to work longer in order to generate the same amount of heat
- The buildup of debris forces the blower motor to work harder in order to maintain the same velocity of airflow.
So if you’re worried about the cost of buying new air filters every month, you should realize that you can wind up paying even more on your monthly energy bill.
Learn more about furnace maintenance or select your affordable furnace maintenance plan today.