Changing your furnace air filter is important. Your filter is your first line of defense against airborne pollutants — but more than that, it keeps your HVAC system’s inner workings clean, and when it gets clogged, it can actually contribute to system wear and tear. You should change your filter once a month, to keep your furnace working at maximum efficiency. But how do you remember to do that? Try these simple tips.
Put your filters somewhere you’ll see them.
Maybe this is in a closet where you keep extra toilet paper or linens, or possibly this means a frequently-used workshop or laundry room. If you see your filters frequently, there’s no chance that they’ll fall out of sight and out of mind.
Write replacement dates on the filters themselves.
Taking a permanent marker to the cardboard frame of your filter won’t do any harm — and it may just help you remember to change out your filter when you need to. Jot down the month of the next filter replacement on the side of the filter so you know when it needs to be swapped out.
Use automatic reminders.
If you can set an alert on your phone or computer calendar, you can safely forget about your air filter until the reminder pops up. Most electronic calendars also let you program repeating events, so reminding yourself once every month becomes a breeze.
Fold it into other monthly tasks.
Do you have any other chores, errands, or household tasks you do once a month? If you do, you can get in the habit of changing your air filter just before or after you take care of that. Habits chain easily, and are hard to break, so this is a great way to make sure the switch gets done.
If you want to learn more about how your air filter protects your furnace and your air quality, contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services today! We’re pleased to help Dayton-area homeowners with all their HVAC needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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