Your furnace needs regular maintenance, and while most tasks cannot be done without professional assistance, there is one you’re expected to do yourself. That’s filter replacement. Without a clean filter, your furnace won’t heat your home as efficiently. In fact, it may develop premature wear and tear. Besides this, you could experience a decline in air quality. If you read on, you’ll learn just how often you’re supposed to replace the filter.
What Type of Filter Do You Have?
Filters vary when it comes to the amount of dirt and pollutants they can capture. For example, pleated air filters boast a greater surface area than the flat fiberglass type. As a result, the former can last a good 60 to 90 days while the latter may last no longer than 30 days.
Other types are reusable and meant to last as long as the furnace does. Electrostatic filters are the most well-known example. All you do with these is wash them, usually every three months, and put them back in.
What Is Your Filter’s Thickness?
You must also consider the thickness because that adds or detracts from the functional volume. Thickness ranges from one to five inches. Pleated filters tend to be one or two inches. Extremely efficient four-inch filters can go for six months, and five-inch ones may not need replacing until a year has passed. Don’t think, however, that a thicker filter is automatically better. You should always refer to the furnace specs.
Other Possible Factors
Let’s say you use a pleated filter. You may not get a whole 90 days out of it because of several factors: the presence of pets, for example. People with asthma or allergies may be more sensitive to a clogged filter’s effectiveness. The more you run your furnace and the more outside air you circulate by opening the doors and windows, the sooner you’ll need to replace your filter.
Rely on Our Technicians
If you have further questions, simply reach out to Cool Operator. We maintain furnaces throughout South Elgin, IL, providing repairs and replacements when necessary. We also perform the same services for air conditioners, humidifiers, and indoor air quality systems. Contact our family-run business today for more details.
