How Often Should You Change Your Furnace Filter?

When the winter weather settles into the Murfreesboro area, families need a source of reliable heat to help them through the season. The best way to ensure your furnace remains fully functional and capable of delivering consistent heat throughout your home is to ensure you replace your air filters at the recommended intervals.

Below, we discuss the importance of changing your furnace filter as well as provide guidance on how often you should change your air filter to ensure optimal performance.

Why Change Your Furnace Filter?

Before we discuss the frequency with which you should replace your furnace filter, it’s important to understand why changing it’s so critical to your system’s performance. Regularly cleaning or replacing your furnace filter can afford many different benefits, including:

• Enhanced Energy Efficiency: As dust and debris accumulate on your furnace filter, it can restrict airflow and cause your system to work harder to keep up with your comfort demands. Changing your filter regularly helps improve system efficiency for lower utility bills and better overall performance.
• Extended System Life Span: Clogged filters can place an unnecessary strain on your system, causing it to work harder than it should and reducing its life span as a result. By cleaning and replacing your filters at the proper intervals, you can help extend your system life span and protect your investment long-term.
• Improved Air Quality: Air filters are responsible for trapping airborne contaminants like dust, pollen, pet dander, and other debris. Changing your filter ensures that these pollutants are removed from your indoor air supply for cleaner, healthier air.

How Often Should You Change Your Furnace Filter?

Now that you understand why changing your air filter is so critical, it’s time to figure out how often you should change your furnace filter. The frequency with which you should change your filter depends on several factors:

• Type of Filter: There are many different types of air filters, each needing to be changed at varying frequencies depending on the material. For example, disposable filters will need to be changed once every 90 days, while HEPA filters can last between six to 12 months.
• Allergies & Pets: If you are an allergy sufferer or own pets, you may need to change your air filter more frequently than what’s recommended. Pet hair and airborne allergens can clog your filters faster, leading to reduced efficiency for your furnace.
• Your Furnace Usage: The more often you use your furnace, the more airborne contaminants are likely to become trapped inside your filter. If you use your furnace frequently, you’ll need to change your filters out more often to ensure your system remains as efficient as possible.
• Filter Manufacturer Guidelines: When in doubt, refer to the manufacturer guidelines for your specific air filter. There should be clear instructions provided regarding the ideal replacement schedule based on your furnace model as well as the type of filter you have in place.

In general, it’s recommended to change your filter once every one to three months for standard fiberglass and washable electrostatic filters. HEPA filters can last much longer, needing cleaning or replacement once every six to 12 months. Monitor the accumulation of dust and debris on your filters by performing a monthly visual inspection to determine if you need to replace your filter sooner.

Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up With Parker’s Heating & Cooling!

Replacing your furnace filter is part of your annual heating maintenance visit, so don’t skip out on your yearly service. If it’s been longer than one year since your last furnace tune-up, turn to the team at Parker’s Heating & Cooling to keep your system in the best condition possible. Our team will perform a thorough inspection, replacing air filters as needed, lubricating components, and identifying repair needs early so you have access to the safe, reliable heat you need all winter long.

Schedule your furnace maintenance appointment with Parker’s today by calling 615-355-9137!