Your Furnace: How to Replace the Air Filter and Maintain Your Furnace

Spring cleaning around the home usually implies more than just cleaning. Most homeowners look for any type of maintenance requirements during the spring cleaning period and many things requires yearly maintenance in and around the home. Spring is the perfect time for these simple home repair projects. Spring means warmer weather and many maintenance and repair projects require you to go outdoors to complete the task. However, if a spring rain keeps you indoors and you are looking for some home maintenance to do, look no further than your furnace.

Today’s furnaces are very advanced pieces of equipment and in general require very little maintenance. Furthermore, there is only a few simple things that a homeowner can even do to maintain their own furnace. Most furnace repairs will require the skills of a professional. However, there are still a few simple things that the average homeowner can do to make sure that their furnace operates as its intended to.

This article will discuss only two simple tasks that the average homeowner can do to help maintain their furnace. These two tasks include cleaning the unit out, and replacing the air filter. Though simple, both of these tasks are essential in assuring your furnace will operate efficiently and will operate reliably for years to come.

First of is cleaning your furnace. Don’t despair, the only tool needed is a vacuum with a hose. Begin by vacuuming around the furnace to remove any dust and debris. Make sure you get underneath the furnace and into every nook and cranny on the outside. Next, remove the air filter and vacuum out the entire air filter housing unit. You can discard the old air filter as it will be replaced in the next step. After cleaning out the area where the air filter sits, we will turn our attention to the internal areas of the furnace. Remove the back cover for the furnace. Vacuum out inside the furnace. Be sure to vacuum all accessible areas, but do not bump or contact any of the internal working of the furnace. Replace the back cover after you have completed vacuuming the inside of the furnace.

Finally, you will need to replace the air filter that you removed earlier with a new air filter. Air filter are rated based on their efficiency and how well they filter the air. Purchase the highest rated air filter that fits into your budget. A quality filter will last longer, have a longer change interval, and provide cleaner air. Once you have replaced the air filter, the maintenance is complete.

Maintaining equipment and appliances in and around your home is essential. By maintaining equipment properly, you are doing everything that you can to assure that they work efficiently and operate reliably for years to come.