Is the Filter in Your Furnace Dirty?

Temperatures have begun to drop and soon enough winter will officially be upon us. There’s no denying it’s on its way, but it is imperative that we prepare for it. The best way to prepare your home is to make sure that your heating system is well maintained and ready to function as it should. If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to schedule a tune-up.

Remember, however, that while annual heating maintenance is enough to help protect your heating system, leaving your air filter changes for annual tune-ups is not. Your filter needs to be changed often in order for your furnace to work effectively, efficiently, and successfully. Depending on the amount of pollutants in your indoor air, the air filter should be switched out every 1 to 3 months.

Is a Dirty Filter Really That Bad?

Yes. There are a number of potential consequences you may find yourself facing due to failure to change your filter. With this in mind, the minimal cost of a new filter is pretty easy to justify.

System Inefficiency: It doesn’t matter how efficient your heating system is, if there’s not a clean air filter in it, then it’s not going to perform as efficiently as it should. Don’t let a dirty air filter be the reason you pay more in energy bills while trying to heat your home.

Poor Indoor Air Quality: If you experience indoor air quality issues, you might want to invest in higher efficiency filters to resolve those problems. If not, the standard air filter in your heating system should suffice.

However, the filter that comes standard with your system is not actually intended to boost air quality. It’s designed to protect the interior components of your HVAC system. However, a very dirty filter can cause air to move around the filter, and that will create problems for your indoor air.

Performance: The added stress placed on your furnace by a dirty air filter may cause it to suffer undue wear and tear. This can lead to operational problems as well as increased repair needs. Additionally, your system might overheat, which can lead to an inefficient process called short-cycling.

Contact AllTech Services, Inc. for any of your Reston, VA heating service needs this winter.