Air Filter Replacement Should Be On Your Winter List of To-Dos

Air Filter Replacement Should Be On Your Winter List of To-Dos

air filter replacement, air handler, allergies and asthma, Alton, ductwork, furnace, Glen Carbon, Greenville, Hamel, Highland, home comfort, Illinois, indoor air quality, lower utility bills, Troy

If it’s been a while since you changed your forced-air heating and cooling system’s air filter, it’s time to remedy that situation right away. Air filter replacement is one of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to keep your furnace performing at peak capacity. Here’s a brief overview of air filter replacement and what it means for you:

The Importance of Regular Replacement

Replacing your air filter regularly should provide you with these benefits —

  • Cleaner air. Air filters trap allergens and impurities in the air. A clean air filter means cleaner air in your home.
  • Fewer breakdowns. Filters keep your system clean, which means fewer breakdowns and repair bills for you.
  • More money. A dirty air filter makes your system work harder, which results in increased power use, and ultimately higher utility bills.

When to Replace Your Air Filter

Just as all homes are different, so are their filtration needs. In general, though, you should follow these guidelines on air filter replacement —

  • Homes without pets or airborne allergies – every 90 days.
  • Homes with a pet and no airborne allergies – every 60 days.
  • Homes with multiple pets or airborne allergies – every 30 days.
  • Everyone’s situation is different, however, so it’s best to get in the habit of inspecting the filter monthly and changing it when it looks dirty.

How to Replace Your Air Filter

Fortunately, air filter replacement is not difficult.  Just follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to fresher air in no time at all:

  • Locate and remove the vent cover for your furnace, or just find the dedicated filter slot in the side of the ductwork near where it enters the side of the furnace or air handler.
  • Take out the air filter and look for arrows that show how the filter should be inserted.
  • Carefully place the old air filter in the trash.
  • Insert new filter, using the arrows as a guide.
  • Replace and reattach the vent cover.

Most air filters feature arrows that show you which direction to install the filter. If your filter doesn’t have arrows, then it can be installed from any direction.

If you live in Alton, Maryville or Glen Carbon and you have an air filter question, the pros at Ernst Heating & Cooling have got the answers. We’ve been keeping Southwest Illinois homes comfortable for more than 50 years, and we’d love to be your family’s first call for home comfort.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Hamel, Alton, Glen Carbon, Highland, Greenville, and Troy, Illinois and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air filter replacement and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

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