How to Change a Furnace Filter
Every device in your home that has something to do with cooling, heating, or ventilation must be kept clean. Your home furnace filters help in improving the quality of the air that you breathe and help distribute heat efficiently in your living spaces, but they get dirty every now and then from soot, pollutants, and other contaminants found in your home. Here are the tools and steps you need to change a furnace filter.
Tools
To replace a furnace filter, you need the following tools:
Replacement furnace filter
Screwdriver
Clean rags
Steps
Follow these steps to replace a dirty furnace filter:
The furnace filter is located in different places, depending on what kind of furnace you have in your home. Check the air intake if you’re running an electric furnace, or the furnace itself if your furnace is powered by gas or oil.
Remove the furnace filter from its receptacle. Do not inhale whatever dust or debris that may fall from the filter.
Clean the rim of the intake or the furnace with clean rags to get rid of and dislodge debris, soot, or other contaminants on the filter.
Furnace filters are made of fiberglass, which makes them difficult (if not impossible) to clean. To check if your furnace filter needs to be replaced, hold it up against the Sun or a bright light. If you can still see the light shine through the filter, you may not need to replace it. If the light does not shine through, you need to buy a replacement filter.
Attach the replacement filter to the receptacle. Different furnace assemblies have different locations, so you need to find a furnace filter that matches the specifications of the intake or the furnace.
Depending on the season, the fuel you’re using for your furnace, or the amount of contaminants there are in your house, you may need to replace a furnace filter every 3-4 months. With these steps, you can easily replace the furnace filter in your home.