Changing The Furnace Filter Offers Best Defense Against Pollutants
In Delaware and throughout the U.S., indoor air pollution stands as one of the top five environmental health threats, according to experts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Efficient HVAC air filters help defend you from the harmful effects of pollutants like dust mites, mold and pollen. Changing the furnace filter regularly ensures you’ll always have a filter that’s working efficiently. Benefits you’ll see include:
- Better indoor air quality — To efficiently capture airborne contaminants, a filter needs enough relatively clean space to hold contaminant particles. When a filter becomes clogged with contaminants, it may be unable to trap more. Worse, it can recirculate contaminants back into your home’s air. By changing your HVAC filters on schedule, you’ll ensure the filter always has enough space to trap airborne pollutants.
- Longer HVAC system life — Dirty air filters are the most common cause of HVAC system failure. A dirty filter slows down the flow of air into the air handler. This forces the air handler’s fan motor to work harder to achieve the necessary airflow. Eventually, the motor may burn out, causing your system to overheat and fail. The simple, affordable job of changing the furnace filter regularly can save you the expense and hassle of major repair jobs.
- Lower energy bills — Keeping your filters clean allows for sufficient airflow, which lets your motor work at top efficiency. The more efficiently the motor runs, the less it costs to run. A clean filter can help your system operate five to 15 percent more efficiently than it could with a dirty filter.
In general, you’ll need to change your filters every 90 days when you’re not using the system frequently and every 30 days during the heating and cooling seasons. If you have pets or allergies, or if you smoke, you may need to change your filters more often. Consult your furnace manufacturer’s guidelines for recommendations.
For more professional guidance on changing the furnace filter and other HVAC equipment maintenance, contact us at Sobieski Services, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wilmington, Delaware and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
Image Credit: Ikhlasul Amal