Columbus Heating Guide: Benefits of Changing Your Furnace Filter on Time

Of the many ways to heat a home in Columbus, forced air systems are the simplest in function and the easiest to maintain.  They are so simple, in fact, it is easy to forget they need attention at all. But problems can arise if you don’t change your furnace filter on time, which will cost you in efficiency and dollars.

Contracting with a company like Quality Air Heating and Air Conditioning ensures consistent maintenance and oversight to give you the comfort and relaxation you deserve in your home.

Back to Basics

Usually in the basement or a central location, a furnace heats air to a temperature set by the thermostat.  Over the years, technological improvements have enabled furnaces to be much smaller and fit into closets instead of the large furnaces of old that could fill an entire basement.

The furnace’s fan circulates warm air through filters into a system of ducts that are distributed to grates in the walls or registers on the floor.  A second grate and duct system returns cooler air back to the furnace to be reheated.

The Problems Created by Not Changing the Filter

When the system is properly maintained, it is clean, efficient and produces comforting heat on demand either by the touch of the thermostat or consistently throughout the day and night.

The furnace filter is designed to remove dust from air as it passes through your furnace. The longer your furnace filter is in place the dirtier it becomes. The increase of particles caught in the filter creates resistance to airflow through the filter and reduces efficiency.

To make up for the loss of flow through a dirty filter, the heat exchanger, usually a gas or oil fired flame, must work harder to produce the same amount of heat to the space. This becomes costly financially and causes undo wear and stress on the equipment, requiring a partial or full replacement much sooner.

Additionally, operating above ideal designed conditions can create cracks in the chamber from the overload, which can allow carbon monoxide, a toxic gas, to be released into the duct work.

Regular Maintenance

To avoid problems and excessive strain, remember to change the filters at the beginning of each new heating season.  An annual maintenance, check-up and thorough cleaning by a qualified company like Quality Air Heating and Air Conditioning ensures a safe and comfortable season of warmth with no need to worry about the dangers of not changing filters in your furnace.