Professional heating maintenance is necessary in order to keep any heating system functioning at peak performance and efficiency levels. But there are a couple of things that you can handle on your own when it comes to maintenance. Changing your air filter as needed is the most important. Forced-air heating systems like furnaces are going to struggle if they don’t have fresh filters in place.
How frequently should you change the air filter in your furnace, though? What type of filter should be used? Here are a few tips to help you get the most from your furnace in Georgetown.
When to Change the Filter
The simple answer to this question is “when it’s dirty.” That obviously does not give you much information to work with, though. As a general rule, the filter in your furnace is probably going to require changing every 1–3 months. These are usually relatively inefficient filters, meaning that they have a low MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value). They’re really there to protect your heating system and its components, not to boost indoor air quality.
Now, if you have filters of a higher efficiency in place, with the goal of boosting your indoor air quality, you are probably not going to want to wait 3 months between changes. Because these filters are more efficient, they trap more pollutants. That also means that they’ll clog up faster. When in doubt, just draw out the filter and visually inspect it. If you cannot see through it easily, you should replace it.
A clogged air filter is a more serious problem than some people seem to realize. If your filter is clogged, it creates more airflow resistance. That can result in reduced energy efficiency. If airflow is restricted enough, the system may overheat, causing it to short-cycle. This wastes energy and puts unnecessary wear and tear on your furnace.
Contact Polar Bear Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. with any questions that you may have.