Where to Look for Your Furnace and How to Replace the Furnace Filter

Many homeowners are unaware of many aspects of their HVAC system, including the location of important components like the furnace. You cannot do standard furnace maintenance procedures like inspecting the furnace air filter if you don't know where the furnace is. This and other straightforward tasks can improve the energy efficiency of your furnace. It will also aid in reducing the possibility of damage or malfunction.

The Furnace Is Where?

The majority of furnaces are housed in the basement or a dedicated utility closet in the middle of your house. If your house lacks a basement, it could possibly be in the attic or crawl space. Other items like your water heater or washing machine can be nearby.

Locating the furnace filter comes next after you've discovered where your furnace is.

Where Is the Filter for My Furnace?

The blower compartment, which is accessed through a metal door or hatch on the lower side of the furnace, is where you'll typically find the air filter. It might also be on a rack mounted on the side of the furnace or in a sliding compartment close to the air handler element of your furnace. It will be put in a spot where it may catch airborne particles like dust, pollen, and other debris as they move through your HVAC system.

The furnace filter gathers more and more debris over time. It will eventually limit airflow, which could worsen indoor air quality in your home and reduce the overall effectiveness of your HVAC system. You can keep everything running more efficiently by routinely cleaning or changing the filter.

How Can I Replace My Furnace's, Air Filter?

Fortunately, changing a furnace filter doesn't require a lot of HVAC skills. In fact, it's one of the simplest things you can do to help your HVAC system work at its best. Before you begin, bear in mind the following:

• To ensure that the replacement air filter fits, make sure to measure the filter.
• Before you access the air filter, turn the furnace off.
• Pull the filter out gradually to avoid jarring or damaging the housing.
• Finally, before inserting the new filter in your furnace, check for an arrow [[illiustrating|indicating[[35][35] how the filter should be oriented.

Should I Change the Filter in My Furnace Monthly?

Knowing when to change your furnace filter ultimately depends on some factors. Start with the filter's actual model because more effective filters should last longer. You should also think about your needs for indoor air quality, the size of your family how many pets you have, and the pollution levels in your area.

When it comes to basic filters, it is recommended that you replace them every 1-2 months, or every 20–45 days if you have several pets and someone in the house has allergies.

What Kind of Furnace Filter Should You Use?

The effectiveness of your HVAC system as a whole, as well as the indoor air quality of your home, may be significantly impacted by the condition of your furnace filter. The MERV rating of your furnace filter is the most reliable indicator of its quality. This indicates how well the filter works to lower the level of airborne particles in your home. Its name is the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.

The filter will perform better if the MERV value is [higher]46. Although ratings can range from 1 to 20, you don't necessarily need to find a furnace filter with a 20 MERV rating. In fact, many filters with ratings higher than 13 are made for hospitals and other places that need the safest and cleanest conditions possible.

What will happen if I don't replace the furnace filter?

It's not the end of the world if you forget to change your furnace filter, but it can reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system. A filthy filter might hinder the efficient heating that furnaces rely on from unhindered airflow. However, the longer you wait to replace it, the more likely it is that issues may arise and require furnace repair. Some of the most common are listed below.

The temperature in your furnace might gradually rise if there is not enough airflow. When the furnace gets too hot, safety features should shut it off. However, this can keep happening until the filter is changed.

Your HVAC system begins to cycle briefly. When your equipment repeatedly starts and stops, this is known as short cycling. This causes greater wear and tear, which reduces the lifespan of your system.

The cooling coil of the air conditioner freezes. The air conditioner also requires constant airflow. Without it, the refrigerant coils risk freezing over from being too cold.

Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system stops working. If your HVAC system runs for a long time without enough ventilation, a piece of equipment may fail completely.

Is a dirty air filter preferable to none at all?

Absolutely not! Your furnace filter is still useful for maximizing the performance of your HVAC system. Even if you occasionally forget to update it, you should always have a filter in place. You can stay on top of routine furnace maintenance in Virginia, such as changing the air filter, with the assistance of a reliable service provider like HVAC Repair Guide Experts.