When and How to Change Your Furnace Filter

Caring for your furnace can help quite a bit in the time in between furnace service appointments. One of the simplest, and essential, ways to care for your furnace lies in switching out your furnace filter. Having a filthy air filter may contribute to a number of unfavorable problems for your heating and cooling system, its efficiency, and ultimately, how much your energy expenses are every month.

So what goes in to consideration when you should change your furnace filter?

• Type of filter: the two most common filter sizes are 1 inch and 3 inch filters. 1 inch filters normally need to be switched out every month and 3 inch filters ought to be changed every three months, dependent on the recommendations of the filter manufacturer.
• Home habits: if you have pets in your home, it might make sense to change your filter more often as a result of pet dander. If someone in your family suffers from allergies or asthma, consider switching out your home’s air filter more often to help potentially decrease their symptoms.

Now you’re probably wondering how to change your furnace filter. Obviously this will differ depending on what furnace you have, but normally: 

• Open or remove the air filter panel around the bottom of your furnace to expose an open compartment.
• On the top of that open compartment is where you’ll see your furnace filter resting on two metal brackets.
• There will be a bit of space to move your filter back and forth that allows you to bring down one end of the filter and take it out of the compartment.
• When installing the new filter, inspect the perimeter of the filter for an arrow that shows you the air flow direction, to be sure you’re installing the filter in the proper direction. In most cases, the arrow should point at the main part (or top) of the furnace.