When and How to Change Your Furnace Filter

Taking care of your furnace can help quite a bit in the months in between furnace service appointments. One of the most basic, and crucial, ways to maintain your furnace is in replacing your furnace filter. Having a filthy air filter can contribute to a number of adverse problems for your heating and cooling system, its efficiency, and ultimately, how much your energy expenses are month after month.

So what goes in to consideration when you should change your furnace filter?

• Type of filter: the two most common filter sizes are 1 inch and 3 inch filters. 1 inch filters normally need to be replaced every month and 3 inch filters need to be replaced every three months, based on the recommendations of the filter maker.
• Home habits: if you have pets in your home, it may make sense to switch out your filter more often due to pet dander. If a family member deals with allergies or asthma, contemplate changing your home’s air filter more regularly to help with their symptoms.

Now you’re possibly wondering how to change your furnace filter. More than likely, this will vary depending on what furnace you have, but normally: 

• Open or take off the air filter panel near the bottom of your furnace to reveal an open compartment.
• On the top of that open compartment is where your furnace filter is resting on two metal supports.
• There will be a little space to move your filter back and forth that allows you to bring down one end of the filter and take it out of the compartment.
• When adding the new filter, look at the perimeter of the filter for an arrow that shows you the air flow direction, to ensure you’re installing the filter in the proper direction. In the majority of cases, the arrow should point at the main part (or top) of the furnace.