Changing the Air Filter in Your HVAC System Is as Easy as 1-2-3

April 14, 2014 - Published by Scott's Air

Changing the air filter in your furnace or air conditioner is an easy maintenance task that every homeowner should know how to do. But what if you’re not a technically-minded person? It’s okay! I know some people whose technical know-how tops out at making the toast pop up early. Changing the air filter isn’t that much more difficult. You just need to know why, when and how.

Why?

Air filters keep dust and other stuff from getting into your equipment and clogging it up. But when they catch more and more dust, they clog up, themselves. This means that less air gets through, and the pressure in the system drops, and that’s bad news for your air conditioning system. It has to work harder, and it can burn out faster.

When?

To be on the safe side, you should change your air filter once a month. But if you really want to fine-tune the schedule, here’s what to look for:

If your energy bills have been creeping up, or your furnace has been struggling, check the filter.
If you’ve got a big family, or beloved pets, that’s more dust and dander for the filter to handle. (Try saying that five times fast…)
If someone in your house has severe allergies or other respiratory conditions, keep on top of changing your air filters! And look into some other air cleaners, too!
If your filter is damp or damaged, replace it right away. If it’s damp, have someone look at your system.

How?

Changing your filter is easy: you just slide the old one out and the new one in. But here are some tips:

Read over the instructions for your HVAC unit, and the instructions on the filter itself.
Double-check to make sure you have the right size of filter.
Turn off the unit before you work on it!
Give the filter slot a quick wipe with a damp rag before putting the new filter in.

If you’re still worried about changing the filter on your furnace or A/C, give us a call at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning! We can show you how it’s done the first time.

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Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning is a full-service heating and air conditioning company and a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Florida. Whether you need repair, maintenance, or installation of a new heating or cooling system, we provide efficient, cost-effective, and professional service. When it’s hot, call Scott!