Maryland Homeowners: Your Guide To Cleaning Your Furnace Filter

Whether or not you're hosting a Ravens Super Bowl party this year (knock on wood), ensure your home's air quality is in top shape. With the heat cranking this winter in Maryland, it's especially imperative to clean your furnace filter. This handy element works hard for your heating furnace and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to increase productivity and filter out unwanted debris.

Clean and replace your filter regularly to extend the life of your system and reduce energy costs. In winter, they need to be checked monthly and possibly cleaned and replaced. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get it done.

How to Clean or Replace Your Furnace Filter

The first thing you’ll want to do is turn your HVAC system completely off. Then, locate your service panel. This is typically easily removed by hand but some systems will require a screwdriver. Locate your air filter (it’s near the intake/outtake blower) and check its dust level. Is it hard to see through? If you have a reusable filter, rinse away the dust particles in your sink.

If it’s disposable, jot down the size of the filter, toss the old one, and replace it with a fresh product before turning the system back on. If you’ve restarted the system and it doesn’t seem to be working properly, or if you’re unsure of how to replace your filter, enlist the help of an HVAC professional. They’ll be able to help for a small fee.

Types of Furnace Filters

If your filter has a cardboard frame, it’s disposable. Fiberglass or metal framing on your filter makes it reusable. Most filters are mechanical, which means they simply capture debris in metal meshing. If you don’t have severe allergies, they are an affordable and effective way to go.

More nontraditional options include electrostatic (which uses static electricity to attract dust and pollen) and electronic. Electronic models are so efficient that they need to be cleaned weekly. The most efficient is High Efficiency Particle Absorbers (HEPA). These are expensive, and are typically only used in high-sanitary environments like hospitals and laboratories.

Chances are, your home is equipped with a traditional mechanical filter. If you have asthma or other health issues, talk to an HVAC professional about upgrading to a more efficient model.

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