The importance of a filter:
The filter in your furnace cleans the air in your home to ensure that you are not breathing in excessive amounts of particles such as dust, pollen, and smoke. Before air gets let into your home, it passes through your filter, which removes the particles by catching them. Since your filter works so hard to improve indoor air quality, it will fill with these particles and will need to be changed. It's good practice to change the filter in your furnace once every three months or however long the recommendation is presented on the filter package.
What happens if it’s clogged:
A clogged air filter is not good and is due to not changing the filter promptly. Clogged filters will lead to increased energy costs, your furnace working harder than it needs to, reduced airflow, frozen condenser coils, poor indoor air quality, and furnace burnout. It is important to stay on top of changing your furnace filter to prevent these costly problems in the future. If you sense that your furnace has broken down or is not working properly due to a clogged air filter, turn your furnace off immediately, change the filter, and call your local heating and cooling company.
How to prevent a clogged filter:
There are many ways to prevent a clogged air filter. The most important way to prevent this issue is to get on a strict filter-changing schedule. You will also want to make sure that the vents around your house are free from dust, debris, and furniture. When the weather is colder than usual, keep an eye on your furnace and change your filter earlier if needed. If you have pets or smoke inside of your home, you may need to change your filter more frequently due to more contaminated air. Lastly, make sure that you are buying the right filter for your system and keep your system running on auto.
For heating and cooling questions, call us at 515-965-7272 or visit our website at 72degrees.com.