If you enjoy the clean and fresh air in your American Fork home, your furnace filter is at least partially to thank. Acting as a barrier to trap dust, allergens, and other contaminants, a furnace filter is an important component of your HVAC system. That’s why you need to understand proper maintenance procedures for your HVAC filter. This will ensure that you can continue to enjoy clean air while also protecting your HVAC system. Here are some insights into furnace filters from Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing that will make your job easier.
Why Change a Furnace Filter?
Every furnace filter has a finite lifespan. As the filter captures dust and dirt, these contaminants begin to clog the small spaces between the filter fibers. Over time, this can significantly reduce the amount of air that is able to flow through to the HVAC system. With less air to work with, your system will have a hard time keeping your home comfortable. This means that your HVAC system may have to run longer, which will ultimately result in higher utility bills and potential repairs. Dirty HVAC filters may also cause uneven air flow during the cooling season.
How Dirty Filters Raise Your Energy Bills
Your furnace needs adequate airflow to pull air into the supply vents, to safely combust fuel for heating, and distribute heated air throughout your home. When dusty buildup clogs your air filter, your HVAC system must work harder to circulate heated air. Heat can build up around the heat exchanger, leading to premature wear over time.
The result? You’re more likely to experience short-cycling, uneven heating, and up to 15% higher energy bills, which can add up to hundreds of dollars throughout the year. By regularly checking and changing your furnace filter and scheduling annual heating maintenance services, you can keep heating costs manageable and extend the lifespan of your equipment.
How Often to Change a Furnace Filter
When it comes to changing your furnace filter, there is no hard and fast rule that dictates when you should replace it. However, the general recommendation for filter replacement frequency is once every 30 days for a 1” thick filter, every 60-90 days for a 2” thick filter, and every 6 months for a 4-5” thick filter.
There are some caveats to this recommendation that we at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing would like to point out. For one, we would recommend checking your filter once a month to see if it is excessively dirty. If it is, it’s important to replace it as soon as possible instead of waiting until the period is complete.
Additionally, if your home is excessively dusty due to age or if pets are present, you may need to change your filter more often. Regardless, it’s important to stay on top of it so that you don’t experience problems.
Filter Schedules For Pets And Allergies
You may need to change your furnace filter as often as every 30 days if you have one or more pets or if someone in your family suffers from allergies. Pets, especially high-shedding breeds, shed daily as part of their natural hair growth cycle, and often shed more heavily during season transitions.
Animals also shed dander, or dead skin flakes, which are often accompanied by traces of saliva. Proteins in the animal’s saliva can trigger allergy symptoms. Changing your furnace filter frequently can help your HVAC system capture more pet dander and other allergy triggers.
Different Types of Filters
When you’re purchasing replacement filters for your HVAC system, it’s good to know that different types of filters are available. For example, you can choose between disposable and reusable filters. Rather than being replaced, reusable filters will simply need to be washed when they become saturated with dust, however, washable filters typically have the lowest filtering efficiency, meaning that they let more dust through.
You’ll also need to understand the MERV rating scale for air filters. The MERV scale measures the density of the filter media, which ultimately determines the size of particles that can be trapped by the filter. In general, filters with ratings of 8-12 are a good place to start. You can discuss your filter needs with a technician from Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing to ensure you purchase the correct filters for your system.
One Component of Maintenance
Replacing your furnace filter is only one component of HVAC maintenance. To keep your system going strong during extreme weather, you need to be sure to have Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing professionally maintain your system twice a year. In general, preventative maintenance should be scheduled in the fall before the heating season begins and in the spring before the cooling season begins.
During a maintenance visit, a technician will test your system to ensure that it is operating properly. They will also lubricate moving parts, perform light cleaning, and make a note of any necessary repairs that will need to be done to keep your system in good shape.
Performing regular maintenance can help your system last longer, increase your home’s comfort, and lower your energy usage. Plus, it typically helps keep your repair bills lower over the life of your system.
When To Call A Heating Professional
Checking and changing your furnace filter should take just a few minutes when done on your own. But if you’re unsure which filter you need, how to locate and change the filter, or need more robust indoor air quality help, the heating professionals at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing are here for you. We can help you choose an air filter with the right size, thickness, and specifications to improve your HVAC system’s performance.
We Can Help
Whether you need something simple, such as air filter replacement, or something more complex, such as a new system installation, we can take care of your home comfort needs at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing. In addition to our professional heating services, we also offer a full line of plumbing services, including drain cleaning, water heater installation, leak repair, and more. We have been serving the area for over 120 years, collecting numerous five-star reviews along the way. To learn more about replacing your furnace filter, give us a call at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today.
