Regularly replacing furnace filters is part of the basic maintenance of any home, but unfortunately it is one of the more confusing tasks that many people have to deal with. There are many different kinds of furnaces and filters to contend with, and unfortunately they don’t always come complete with instructions. However, once you get the hang of your furnace it will become an easy routine activity that takes you no more than a couple of minutes to accomplish.
The first thing to remember about replacing furnace filters is to always shut your furnace off at the breaker. Failure to do so could result in life threatening shocks if wires are too close to the filtration unit. Once this is done you need to locate where the filter slides in, which varies depending on the type of furnace you have. Furnaces that blow the hot air upward usually have their filters located on the bottom, near the cold air return. Remove both the top and bottom doors to replace the filter, and be sure that when you put them back the bottom door goes over the furnace frame and engages the safety switch. Furnaces that blow their air downward will have their filters located in the upper compartment, and, like downward furnaces, you need to replace the doors properly to engage the safety switch and get it to run again. Horizontal furnaces simply have a slide in rack that should be easy to locate.
Once the filters are located just pull out the old filter and slide in the new one. Make sure that the filter is facing the proper direction. If you cannot tell which way the proper direction is based on the old filter simply check the new filter for arrows indicating the right way, or slide it in to make sure that the side with the X slots or slits in it face the front. Close everything up the way it was before, turn the furnace back on, and enjoy the warmth yet again.
