Changing your furnace filter is the most important maintenance you or anyone else can do for your furnace. It will keep down furnace repair costs by $100’s and even $1000’s and extend the overall life of your furnace. We like to think of it as a ticking time bomb once an air filter is clogged inside a unit. What happens is once the filter becomes clogged, the whole unit stops working like it is supposed to and many components start becoming overworked, especially the main air blower motor, which just so happens to be one of the most expensive parts on the unit. Once this has happened, it is not a matter of if but when your furnace is going to break down with a costly repair. The general consensus from HVAC professionals for how often you should change your filter is 90 days or every three months for 1-2” thickness. However, some households have more airborne dust, pet hairs, traffic and dirt than others, so the best move is to check your filter every month. When looking at your filter examine it to see if it has dust/hair/contaminant built up on it. If the filter has noticeably changed colors or texture, it is in your best interests to change it out. The costs for filters are drastically less than the cost of repairs and replacements.
(Above is a filter we have pulled out of a customer's furnace, the filter on top is very dirty and was beginning to cause problems, below is a brand new filter for comparison)
Do yourself a favor and check your filter next chance you get, if it has noticeably changed colors it is time to swap it out.
If you need filters, are not sure which size, how to install, or still have any questions, give Shelter HVAC a call today at (403) 536-6996 and we would love to help you out!
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