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Time to replace your furnace filter?

Changing a furnace filter is easy and should be done regularly.

A furnace filter is kind of like the oil in your car. Unless you have a schedule to replace it—you know, the little window sticker the mechanic leaves—you probably won’t know it’s costing you money.

Changing a furnace filter is easy and should be done regularly—check the filter package for recommended schedule.

Changing a furnace filter is easy home maintenance. All you need to do is locate it, which we show you in this how-to video, then remove and replace it with a new one that’s the same size with the air-flow arrow pointing toward the furnace.

Less known—and more harmful—however, is that the furnace filter takes a secret beating during major remodeling projects. Dust in the air gets sucked into the HVAC system which the filter traps. The more clogged it gets the harder the air handler has to work to pull air through it to heat and cool your home.

But we have solutions for that, and at least one way you’ve probably never seen a furnace filter used that might just help with your DIY.

Regardless of the furnace filter condition, have your HVAC system regularly maintained to keep it in peak performance. That’s a job for a pro. To find one you can trust, visit HomeAdvisor.

Mark

Mark is a licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor. He writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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Mark

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View Comments

Meg Lund says:

July 9, 2015 at 7:00 pm

Thanks for the reminder to make sure I am doing regular maintenance on my home equipment. Specifically, my furnace. This is something that definitely gets forgotten about, and because of that I don't really know how to do it. I appreciated the video that showed me exactly how to replace it so that in the future, when I do need to replace the filter, I will know how to do it.