How to Clean Your Furnace Filter

When the temperatures fall during winter in Easton, your furnace can use up most of the energy you need for your home. That’s why making sure your furnace runs as efficiently as possible can help you save hundreds of dollars on your energy bills. One of the most effective ways to improve your furnace’s efficiency is to clean out its filter. By doing this about once a month, you’ll find that your home stays comfortable without wasting money on inefficiency.

Types of Furnace Filters that Need Cleaning

Not all furnace filters are built alike, so you’ll need to figure out what type of filter you have before you start the cleaning process. Filters come in two main forms: permanent and disposable. Most disposable products are mechanical, meaning they are made from various dry materials that capture large particles. While these can be cheap and effective, they aren’t designed to be cleaned, so you’ll need to replace them as often as you’d clean a permanent filter. There are a few different permanent filter products available, including:

• Electrostatic: These filters are constructed with polyester strands that are given a static electrical charge. This charge attracts particles like dust and pollen as they travel through the filter. While these filters are slightly more efficient than mechanical products, they only need to be cleaned about once every three months.
• Electronic: Charged wires are built into a frame to attract dust and particles in this filter. These wires do such a good job of filtering that they must be cleaned about once a week. If not cleaned, the filter will be dramatically less efficient.
• HEPA: Short for High Energy Particle Absorber, these products are the most efficient form of furnace filters available. These filters work so well that they are used in environments where having clean air is absolutely crucial, like hospitals and laboratories. You should clean your HEPA filter with compressed air every few months.

The more susceptible you or a member of your family is to allergies or dust in the air, the more efficient you’ll need your filter to be. If you don’t clean your filter, it will stop working, allowing harmful particles to circulate in your home.

How to Clean Your Filter

Cleaning your filter is a relatively easy process. If you’re not comfortable cleaning your filter yourself, you can always request assistance from a professional at Lehr through a furnace maintenance agreement. The steps of cleaning include:

1. Turning off your HVAC system
2. Locating the service panel on your furnace and removing it
3. Finding the filter, which should be near the intake-outtake blower
4. Cleaning the filter under water or with compressed air
5. Making sure the filter is completely dry before putting it back in the furnace. Follow the manufacturers recommendation.

Reach Out To Us For Furnace Maintenance

If you need more information about cleaning your air filter or other furnace maintenance issue, contact Jack Lehr Heating, Cooling & Electric for assistance!