How Do I Change My Furnace Filter?
Follow these five easy steps
If you are a homeowner, you know that there is plenty to do to maintain your home. There is your standard cleaning and straightening up. Oftentimes there is yard work. Every now and then something has to be repaired and fixed. And your furnace filter needs to be changed.
Changing your furnace filter
Yes, changing the filter in your home’s furnace needs to be added to your to do list. But the good news is that this task is not time consuming. In fact, it should only take you about five minutes, maybe 10 at the most. Changing your furnace filter really comes down to simply switching out your old filter for a new one.
Here is a little more detail about exactly how to change the filter in your furnace:
- Figure out what size filter you need. Using those measurements, purchase a replacement filter.
- When you are ready to change your furnace filter, turn your furnace off.
- Locate your old furnace filter and remove it. If you don’t know where your furnace’s air filter is, read the manual that came with your home’s heating system. If you no longer have the manual, check your furnace’s blower compartment, which is under the cover, or the blower fan’s metal ductwork.
- Put the new filter in.
- Turn your furnace back on.
Signs it’s time for a new furnace
Scheduling annual routine furnace maintenance and taking care of things such as changing your furnace’s filter helps keep your equipment up and running and working efficiently. However, no matter how on top of changing your furnace filter you are, it is inevitable that you will have to upgrade to a new furnace at some point.
Knowing when to upgrade and looking out for certain signs that indicate it is time is important since you don’t want to find yourself with a furnace that all of a sudden just doesn’t work. You should consider upgrading and replacing your furnace if:
- You are constantly repairing your furnace: If you find yourself needing a professional to repair your furnace over and over again, you may be facing a fundamental problem that might not even be possible to fix. In cases like this where you keep shelling out cash for repairs, you may end up saving money by purchasing a new furnace.
- You have an older system: There is a good chance that your heating system and furnace is not working as efficiently as it could be if it’s between 10 and 15 years old. This is going to add up in expenses since your system is going to have to work more to get its job done. In fact, another sign that it’s time for an upgrade is if your heating bills are becoming more costly even though the price of oil and propane has remained pretty steady.
- You are feeling colder than usual: A furnace that needs to be upgraded won’t keep you and your home as warm as it did when it was working properly and fully functioning.
Full furnace services from W.H. Riley & Son
If you are in Southeastern Massachusetts and need furnace installation, service or repairs W.H. Riley & Son can help. Our professional team can install a furnace that is right for your home and then keep that furnace up and running with regular maintenance and repair services.
W.H. Riley & Son is a full-service furnace company and we can help keep your home comfortable all year long. Become a customer by contacting us today!