How Dirty Should Your Furnace Filter Get?

In all cases, the furnace filter must be dirty on the side where air enters the oven. If the air filters are not dirty in this way, it is likely that the oven is not functioning correctly or that the filter has been installed incorrectly. Your furnace filters separate dust and other dirt particles from the air circulating in your home. Clogged or dirty furnace filters cannot perform this task.

Therefore, more dust and debris will circulate around your home. We recommend inspecting the furnace filter once a month and replacing it at least every 3 months. However, sometimes the air filter can become blocked much faster than usual, leading to performance and efficiency issues before you even realize there is a problem. Not only can dust cause health problems due to increased dust and allergens in the air, but your HVAC system and furnace filter can malfunction, decreasing heat or air flow in your home or causing condensation to freeze on cooling coils (which also prevents proper airflow).

The air filter you have installed in your furnace is designed to last a specific period of time. Cleaning and dusting your home regularly is a good way to extend the life of your furnace filters. If the filter seems to fill up after a couple of weeks, one step you can take is to vacuum the surface of the filter. An inefficient heating system caused by dirty furnace filters will increase your energy bills and put your health at risk.

If you have some furry friends in your house, this could definitely be a cause for furnace filters to die quickly. Depending on your home and living conditions, you may end up changing your boiler filter more or less frequently than others. If you spend too much time cleaning during the winter, a dirty furnace filter is likely to be the culprit. The filter is designed to capture particles such as dust, pollen, pet dander and, depending on the efficiency of the filter, even bacteria and viruses.

Stay alert to watch for signs of a dirty air filter so you don't end up with a clogged AC filter that becomes a burden on your HVAC system. Often, reliable energy bills that experience a sudden increase, especially in the winter months, are an indication that furnace filters are dirty. Leaving them untreated can not only kill the furnace filter quickly, but it can also lead to higher energy bills. Leaving the filter too dirty can cause a short oven cycle or cause the air conditioner to freeze.

While the average lifespan of an HVAC system is about 20 years, a dirty furnace filter can cut that time in half or worse.

Marla Cloonan
Marla Cloonan

Devoted web guru. Professional internet maven. Typical social media specialist. Wannabe social media lover. Certified food aficionado. Incurable bacon enthusiast.

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