Feeling comfortable in your home can be difficult if the air quality isn’t the best. Luckily, by simply changing your filter on a regular basis, you can ensure that the air you breathe is fresh and clean. In addition, changing your furnace filter can also save you money and extend the life of your HVAC unit. With that in mind, here are a few reasons that showcase the importance of a clean furnace filter.
It Ensures You Breathe Clean Air
If you’re a health-conscious individual, then you understand that many airborne pathogens roam freely throughout a home. Compounds such as dust, pet dander, and dirt can make you sick if you ingest more than your body can process. Airborne pathogens can lodge themselves in your lungs and become severe health hazards for people with allergies, asthma, or compromised immune systems. These particles also clog your furnace filter, preventing it from performing its job as efficiently. However, a clean furnace filter will keep these fine particles at bay and let you breathe more easily.
It Can Extend the Life of Your HVAC Unit
Your furnace must work harder to reach a normal level of output when dust and dirt are clogging your filter. This is because the air cannot pass through freely, so the system must use more energy to get it to go through the filter. When your filter is continuously clogged or backed up, it can lead to many problems that compound on each other. Overheating is a problem that can arise from a clogged filter, and it can also lead to expensive repairs down the line. The worst-case scenario would be if your furnace caught fire, but that would only happen in rare instances. Usually, an old furnace will just have a total breakdown and need a replacement.
You Can Save Money on Your Energy Bill
A clogged furnace filter can put a financial strain on your home if your furnace must work extra hard just to maintain normal capacity. The system must use more energy than necessary, which will take a hit on your utility bills each month. Finding a suitable filter, such as a Flanders’ NaturalAire filter, is much more affordable than what you would pay if your clogged filter damaged your home. All it takes is regularly replacing the filter. Overall, as long as you change the filter every few months, you should be good. And now that you understand the importance of a clean furnace filter, you can take the right steps to make your furnace run more efficiently.
