In South Florida, homeowners know the importance of maintaining a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Knowing when to change your furnace filter is part of this – even if the cooler months in Florida don’t leave your furnace working overtime.
Replacing the furnace filter regularly is a critical aspect of heating and cooling in your home. All Year Cooling takes a look at why it’s important, the benefits of changing the filter regularly, and how to tell if it’s time for a furnace filter change in your home.
Why Furnace Filter Replacement Is Important
Replacing the furnace filter is one of the most important things homeowners like you can do to ensure their furnace works properly, both now and for years to come. The filter plays a key role in the furnace system. It helps the system operate efficiently, prolong the furnace’s lifespan, and helps to improve indoor air quality.
When replacing the furnace filter is neglected, it can lead to multiple serious issues that impact the heating system’s performance.
The first is a reduction in airflow. Filters that are dirty don’t allow air to flow through properly. This causes the furnace to work even harder to force warm air through. Depending on how dirty the filters are, homeowners might notice this is the form of increased energy bills.
There’s also a reduction in overall furnace performance. This can lead to uneven heating throughout the home. Homeowners might notice areas that are warmer or cooler than others, rather than a consistent environment in every room.
This brings us to one of the most important reasons for keeping up with furnace filter maintenance and replacement – indoor air quality. When a furnace can’t perform due to a dirty, clogged filter, this can significantly reduce the overall indoor air quality in your home. This can lead to respiratory issues, such as asthma and increased allergies.
Benefits of Regularly Replacing Furnace Filters
Because we live in South Florida, maintaining our furnace filters might be the last thing on our minds. Even in our cooler South Florida weather, a home furnace might not be used heavily. It’s easy to assume that since the furnace isn’t used frequently, that it isn’t necessary to keep up with regular filter replacement.
This isn’t the case.
There are benefits to regularly changing the furnace filter, even when it’s not being used heavily.
- Increased Energy Efficiency: With today’s energy prices, ensuring your furnace is functioning as efficiently as possible is essential. A dirty air filter doesn’t perform its job of trapping particles that could otherwise make their way into the main motor components of the heating system. It’s surprising how even the smallest amounts of dirt, dust, and debris can negatively impact furnace function.
A new filter boosts furnace performance and reduces the amount of energy it consumes. The result is lower utility bills, which is something that every homeowner can appreciate.
- Improved Indoor Air Quality: A clean furnace filter is one of the best ways to protect indoor air quality during the cooler months. A quality furnace filter helps to remove airborne pollutants, as well as dust and other allergens. The result is a healthier, cleaner indoor environment for you and your family.
- Longer Furnace Lifespan: The costs of replacing a furnace are significant. Depending on the size of your home, the cost of a new furnace ranges anywhere from $2,000 – $10,000.
It makes sense to do what you can to put off this expense as long as possible. Keeping up with furnace filter replacement can help extend the lifespan of your furnace and put off the costs of replacing the entire system.
- Enhanced Home Comfort: Your home should be a place of comfort, and this includes the environment and temperature inside. A clean filter helps to ensure consistent airflow, providing a more comfortable and consistent heating experience throughout your entire home.
How Often Should You Replace Your Furnace Filter
There are several factors to consider when determining how frequently furnace filters should be replaced.
Usage: The first consideration is how frequently the furnace is used. In South Florida, it isn’t always necessary to keep the furnace constantly running during the cooler winter months. When we are having a cooler than normal winter season, and the furnace is running more consistently, it may be necessary to replace the filters every month. With less frequent use, replacement can be extended out to every three months.
Filter Type: The type of filter influences how often it needs to be replaced. Fiberglass filters typically need to be replaced every one to three months with consistent use. Pleased filters require changing less frequently. Depending on use, pleated filter replacement may be extended out to every three to six months.
Manufacturer Recommendation: Check your furnace’s user manual or visit the manufacturer’s website for specific guidance on filter replacement for your furnace model. Certain furnace models require more or less frequent filter replacement.
Indoor Air Quality: Consider your individual indoor air quality needs. While every homeowner wants clean, quality air in their home, for some, furnace filter performance is more important. For example, if someone in your home suffers from asthma or allergies, frequent filter replacement is critical. Homes where pets spend a lot of time indoors can also benefit by replacing their furnace filters more frequently.
Clues That It’s Time for a Furnace Filter Change
Aside from following a regular maintenance schedule, how can you tell that it’s time for your furnace filter to be replaced? Here are a few indicators to be on the lookout for.
Higher Energy Bills
For most homes, energy usage is fairly consistent from month to month. There are natural increases that result from having the furnace in use, but in South Florida, the change in energy usage may be negligible considering that cooling systems are also often in use the rest of the year. If you’ve noticed that your energy bill is suddenly higher than usual, without any known explanation, it could indicate it’s time for a filter replacement.
More Visible Dust In Your Home
Are you noticing that dust and debris seem to be accumulating more throughout your home, especially near vents and around the furnace unit itself? This is a strong indicator of a dirty, clogged filter that needs to be replaced.
Stagnant or Unpleasant Smelling Indoor Air
A clean, functioning filter keeps the air clean, and this includes free of unpleasant scents coming from the vents. When a filter isn’t performing optimally, it can result in a noticeable smell of musty, stagnant air.
Decreased Furnace Output
If you have your furnace running, but feel like it needs to be turned up higher to produce an acceptable amount of heat, a quick filter change could solve the issue. Another sign to look out for is uneven heat distribution, such as warm or cold spots throughout the home.
Furnace Filter Replacement for a Clean, Healthy Home
Replacing your furnace filter regularly is essential for ensuring your heating system operates efficiently and that you get the most life from your heating system. Filter replacement is also important for protecting the indoor air quality of your home. While it’s something that’s easy to forget or put on the back burner, it’s an important part of home maintenance. If you’re unsure about when or how to change your furnace filters, a heating and cooling professional can help.
At All Year Cooling, we’re committed to providing South Florida homeowners with expert heating and cooling maintenance services. Contact us today to schedule a service appointment to ensure your furnace is running as efficiently as possible for the comfort of your home.