The winter solstice may have just passed, but it has felt like winter in our area for quite a while, now. You have no doubt been running your furnace for some time already, and we certainly hope that you remembered to schedule professional heating maintenance in New Hampshire this year. If not, there is no way that you can expect your furnace to function at peak performance and efficiency levels. There is also one very important maintenance task that you should be handling on your own.
That is changing the air filter that your furnace uses regularly. Typically, you’ll need to do this once every 1-3 months. There are many factors that influence the need for changing a filter, though, so that is really just a basic guideline. The best way to figure out if the time has come to replace your filter is simply to check in on its condition from time to time. But how does a dirty air filter really affect a furnace? And is it really that big of a deal?
Don’t Let Your Filter Get too Dirty!
The primary function of the air filter in your furnace is not really to protect the indoor air quality throughout your home. That is part of it, sure, but designated air filtration systems are much better suited for doing so. Instead, that air filter is really there in order to protect the overall condition and operational quality of your furnace itself. If your air filter gets too dirty, it is definitely going to negatively affect your furnace in a few different ways.
Primarily, it is airflow resistance that you really need to worry about. All of the air that your furnace heats and distributes throughout your home passes through this air filter. If that filter is very dirty, then your furnace is going to have to work harder than it should have to in order to force heated air throughout your home. This added strain can result in a few different issues.
- Decreased energy efficiency. When your heater has to put in more effort than usual just to do its job, you can expect to see your heating costs rise. This loss of efficiency is particularly troublesome in areas like ours, where we are using our heaters pretty much nonstop throughout a good stretch of the year. Don’t overpay for the comfort that you deserve!
- Increased risk of damage. When your heater is not only running frequently but is contending with increased airflow resistance due to a very dirty air filter, it is at a greater risk of developing operational problems that could lead to repair needs and damages. By changing out your air filter regularly, you help to protect your system as well as your own comfort.
Winters around here are far too cold and far too long to ignore something like changing our forced air heating system’s air filters. It is a simple step to take that can offer great benefits.
Call HB Energy Solutions for all your energy needs. HB Energy Solutions delivers peace of mind.
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