Most people understand that changing their furnace filters is an important part of maintaining their homes, but not everyone really understands why. For many people it is just a matter of keeping the furnace running smoothly, but understanding the economics behind the story is a bit more complicated. You see, replacing the filters is not just a matter of keeping your furnace running, it is a matter of safety and saving you a lot of money further down the road.

First of all, a furnace that has not been properly cared for does not run efficiently. When furnace filters have not been changed they get dirty and clogged up, reducing the flow of air through the furnace. This causes two things: first, it tricks the furnace into thinking the room is warmer than it is by trapping hot air in the furnace itself, thus shutting the furnace off and on as it warms and cools, costing you a lot of money in electricity without much of the benefit; secondly, it will wear down the pieces of the furnace much faster, turning a $1 filter replacement into a $120 technician fee. And all of that is on the good side of the spectrum–if things go very wrong you could have a heat exchanger failure that leaks carbon monoxide gas into your home instead!

So don’t mess around, get your filters replaced on a regular basis. They cost as little as $1 each, and it takes less than five minutes to replace them. Change the filter at the very least 3 to 4 times a year, but every month is even better for the sake of your home. Messing around will not only make the furnace less efficient, it can also cost you a lot of money or even kill you. Think on that.