6 Steps to Cleaning Your Furnace's Filter

You probably rarely, if ever, think about your furnace's filter. Who does? However, it is an important home maintenance task. A furnace filter helps keep the air in your home clean and your heating and cooling systems running efficiently.

If the filter is dirty, you're making your furnace work harder (costing you more money) and, more importantly, you're exposing yourself and others to unnecessary dust, pollen, mold spores and other particles that can cause respiratory infections and other types of allergies.

If you know how easy it is to clean or change the filter, you're likely to do it more frequently. Here's how you do it:

1. Sweep or vacuum the area around the furnace if it is really dirty; you want to keep the area as clean as possible.
2. Locate your filter (read the furnace manual if necessary). In a forced-air system, the filter will be in your air return. In a gas or electric furnace, it will be behind the service panel, usually on the furnace's lower front or side.
3. Most units will turn off when you remove the service panel; if yours doesn't, turn off the furnace.
4. Remove the filter from the unit and hold it up to the light. If you can't easily see light through the screen, it needs to be replaced or cleaned (depending on what kind you have).
5. You can use a hose or vacuum to rinse or suck away the dust particles. If you hose it down be sure to let it dry before putting it back into the furnace. If the filter is disposable, write down the size and go buy a new one; replace.
6. Make sure the arrows on the new filter are pointed in the right direction and slide it into the furnace. Replace the panel.

Many professionals recommend you clean or replace your furnace's filter every one to three months. Since you don't need any tools, and it's easy to do, you can do it as you seem fit -- just be sure to check it often and keep in mind it may need changing more frequently in colder months when your furnace is working harder.

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Julia Robbins
313 Durango Way
Durango, CO 81301

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