Would you believe that there are many homeowners out there who aren’t even aware that their HVAC has an air filter inside of it? Or if they do know that, they think it only needs to be cleaned or changed during their annual HVAC maintenance appointment.

Changing your furnace filter is a very important step that you need to take on your own, at least every 3 months during periods of use. This is imperative to keeping your HVAC system running effectively and efficiently.

What Exactly Does the Air Filter Do?

Despite popular belief, the air filter that comes standard with your system is not there to clean the air in your home (although there are special dedicated filtration products and services for this purpose), but is there to prevent dust and other debris from being drawn into the return air ducts and damaging internal components in the cabinet. Dust collected inside your furnace can create friction on the motors as well as other problems.

Where Is Your Filter Located?

This depends on what type of system you have, and the design of your home. If you can locate the air handler though, then you’ll likely find the air filter on the intake side of the unit. The filter comes out of a slot, and at that point, you can replace it or clean it if you have a permanent (not recommended) filter. If you need assistance locating your air filter, simply contact our team.

Does the Filter Need Changing?

Your air filter traps debris in its fibers as long as your furnace is running. So if you run it fairly steadily all winter long, then the filter will have caught enough debris that it will become restrictively clogged. This prevents airflow from making its way through, and your furnace will have to work harder—and therefore less efficiently.

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