When You Don’t Replace Furnace Filters
Replacing your furnace filters is an important part of maintaining your home (and your furnace in particular) to keep things running smoothly and safely. Just like changing the oil in a car, changing the filter in a furnace is not only important for the performance of your furnace but also for your safety and for your utility bills as well. But what exactly happens if you don’t replace the filter on time?
Well, to begin with, failing to replace furnace filters can cost you a lot of money. A clogged filter reduces the amount of airflow that reaches the blower, making the motor work harder to function and costing you extra electricity and potentially wearing out the motor bearings. It also restricts the airflow to the heat exchanger, which can cause the furnace to overheat and make you replace the exchanger much faster. The furnace will turn on and off again as a result of the hotter air discharge, improperly heating your home and costing extra money in the process until the problem is resolved. Ultimately, if the filter is left for an extended period of time you can expect the components in the furnace to fail, making you call in a technician to fix the problem.
As you can see, improper maintenance can easily cost you more than 100 times the cost of just replacing the darn filter. Don’t be a fool, keep a box of filters next to your furnace, preferably filters with a decent MERVE rating, and remember to replace them regularly.