At very least, your furnace filter should be changed at least once a year when you switch from either heat to air conditioning. The filter helps not only keep the air cleaner inside your home, but an air filter can also stop debris from entering your furnace, improving its overall performance and lifespan.
Unfortunately, when to change your furnace filter for optimum performance can vary. For example, smokers or pet owners may need to change it more often. As filters with a lower MERV rating will need to be changed more often, your filter of choice will come with a recommendation on when to change it. Of course, if you aren't using AC or heating, you won't have to change the filter as often.
If you simply aren't sure on whether you need to change your furnace filter, the filters are cheap enough that you could go the better safe than sorry route. However, you can also look at your filter to see. If you check your furnace filter and find the following, it may be time to change it:
• The filter is gray, black, or yellow in color
• Visible dust is around the filter housing or your furnace
• Your home seems to be getting dustier
• The current filter has been used longer than its manufacturer advised
If your filter is dirty and needs changed, you may also notice that the heating or cooling cycle takes longer than usual. When the filter is dirty, it blocks more air from making it into your home. As such, the cycle will need to run longer to get the same effect. As you can expect, this is running up higher energy bills as well. This means that even if you aren't so concerned with your indoor air quality, not changing your air filter is costing you in other ways as well. Give us a call today!
