December 19, 2016

furnace maintenance

Scott-Lee Heating Company offers Precision Maintenance Agreements for customers who want to keep their systems running at peak performance.

Winter is at its peak now, and most of us are paying more attention to our heating systems than we have done in many months. With the weather continuing to grow colder, the last thing we want is a heating system that does not work as efficiently as it should. Among the many things that you should be monitoring closely is your furnace filter. Have you checked to see how is it doing? If you haven’t, you may want to check it now.

Our St. Louis HVAC technicians come across too many dirty furnace filters, and the homeowners are always left wondering what has caused their filters to become so dirty. There are various reasons why this could happen:

Furnace Fan is Set to “On”

If your furnace filter is dirty, take a look at your thermostat and check the fan setting. It should be set to “auto”, however, if it is set to “on” the furnace fan should will run constantly, and expose the filter to contaminants throughout the day. This means, the furnace filter will get much dirtier than it would if the fan was set to auto. When the fan is set to “auto”, it turns on only during the heating cycles.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

A home should be airtight in order to achieve complete energy efficiency. So, the homeowners should put extra effort into ventilating and filtering the air inside. If the internal air is full of contaminants, the furnace filter will collect all of the dirt and dust. Indoor air quality issues are particularly common in homes that have pets, because dander often settles into the filters.

Weather Outside is Colder than Usual

When the weather outside is too cold, and chilly winds blow, people tend to turn on their heating systems to keep inside temperatures stable. The longer your heating system is running to keep up with colder temperatures outside, the more are the chances that the filter will become clogged.

Poor Quality Filters

The quality of the furnace filters also decides how soon they get dirty. It is important for homeowners to realize that all furnace filters are different, and some perform at much higher efficiency compared to others. While you may be tempted to save a few dollars and buy a cheap filter, our St. Louis HVAC technicians advise against going this. By investing in high-quality furnace filters, you can breathe easy and keep your family safe from respiratory issues caused by poor air quality.

Need to know more about heating systems and filters? Do you find your furnace filters getting too dirty too soon? Planned furnace maintenance can go a long way in preventing all issues related to HVAC systems and can keep you warm and comfortable throughout the season. Contact our St. Louis HVAC technicians to book an appointment.