When it comes to maintaining a comfortable and healthy indoor environment, your furnace air filter plays an important role. Here ere are five essential things you need to know about furnace air filters to optimize HVAC performance and keep your air clean

The Importance of Regular Filter Replacement

Over time, furnace air filters collect dust, pollen, pet dander, and other airborne particles. As a result the filter will gradually become clogged, reducing airflow, and forcing your furnace to work harder. This will not only increase energy consumption, it can also lead to premature wear and tear on the internal parts of the furnace. Most experts recommend replacing disposable filters every 1-3 months, while washable filters should be cleaned on a similar schedule. Check with the filter manufacturer for the replacement interval for your filter.

Different Types of Filters

Furnace air filters come in various types, each with its own set of advantages:

• Disposable Fiberglass Filters - These are the most common and are effective for blocking large dust particles. However, they might not be the best choice for filtering out smaller particles like pollen or mold spores.
• Pleated Filters - Made from polyester or cotton paper, these filters can trap smaller particles and are more efficient than fiberglass filters.
• HEPA Filters - High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters can capture at least 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns in diameter, making them ideal for households with allergy sufferers.
• Washable Filters - These are reusable and can be a cost-effective choice in the long run, but they need regular cleaning to maintain efficiency.

Why MERV Ratings Matter

The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating indicates a filter's ability to capture and hold particles and pollutants. Ratings range from 1 (least efficient) to 20 (most efficient). For residential furnaces, a MERV rating between 8 and 11 is typically sufficient. However, if someone in the household has respiratory issues or allergies, consider a filter with a higher MERV rating.

Do Furnace Filters Improve Indoor Air Quality?

The main purpose of a furnace filter is to keep dirty air from damaging your heating system. However, a clean and efficient furnace air filter can improve indoor air quality. By trapping pollutants, it prevents them from recirculating in your home. This is especially crucial for households with pets or sources of indoor air pollution.

If you are concerned about particulate matter in your home, a quality HEPA filter or indoor air cleaner will do a better job of reducing the risk of respiratory issues and allergies caused by indoor air pollution.

Cost vs. Value

While it might be tempting to opt for the cheapest filter available, investing in a higher-quality HEPA filter can lead to energy savings, a longer-lasting furnace, and improved indoor air quality.

Furnace air filters are more than just a routine maintenance item; they're a crucial component in ensuring a healthy and comfortable living environment.

Money Saving Plumbing & Heating Tips

Heating the air and water in the average home is very energy intensive, making up a large percentage of a typical utility bill. With today's skyrocketing energy costs, Coloradans are looking for ways to save on home heating costs.

When systems are not maintained or used in the optimal way, it can end up wasting a lot of energy and money. Here are some cost-effective ways you can maximize your energy savings around the home during the winter months – and year round.

Improving Water Heating Efficiency

Tank-style water heaters have to constantly heat a large volume of water. An inexpensive way to help the water heater work more efficiently is to cover the tank with an insulated water heater blanket. While you may not notice much heat when placing your hand on the tank surface, the amount of heat that escapes over the the entire surface is significant enought to make the cover a good investment. When installing the blanket be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions.

Over time, naturally occuring minerals in the water can accumulate at the bottom of the water heater tank. The more residue at the bottom of the tank, the longer the heating element needs to remain on to heat the tank. The solution is to drain and flush the water heater tank on a regular basis to remove the sediment build-up. The frequency of how often you should flush your water heater tank will vary depending on how hard your home's water is. If you have to clean your shower heads more than once a year, for example, we recommend flushing your water heater tank annually. Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating can help perform water heater maintenance if needed.

In the typical household bathing uses the most hot water. To reduce hot water usage low-flow shower heads are an inexpensive way to save significantly on hot water costs. Laundry is another task that uses a lot of hot water. Newer laundry detegents have been formulated to clean more effectively with cold water. Give these detergents a try and see if you can clean laundry with cold water.

Is your water heater more than ten year old? It may be time to replace it with a more efficient model. When shopping for a new water heater be sure to check the EnergyStar® label. It will show you how much energy you can expect to spend annually based on average water usage and utility rates. The purchase of a new water heater that is more efficent may allow you to quickly recover the cost of replacing an older, less efficent unit.

If you find that your household is running out of water too frequently, consider a tankless water heater. Tankless or "on demand" water heaters heat water only when it's needed, significantly reducing water heating costs.

Improving Heating Efficiency

Even if your home has the newest, most efficient furnace that money can buy, if your home is poorly insulated and leaking air, it's still going to end up wasting energy and costing you money. Take a look up in your attic and make sure that it's sufficiently insulated. Replace worn out weatherstripping around windows and doors. A little bit of work insualting your home will not only make you more comforable, it will improve heating efficeincy, regardless of the age of your furnace.

Before the cold weather arrives, have Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating tune-up your furnace. A poorly maintained furnace will operate less efficiently, will break down more ofen and will need replacement sooner than a unit that undergoes annual heating system maintainece. Also, remember to regularly replace your furnace filter. A clean filter will improve efficiency and prevent wear and tear on your furnace from dirt and grime.

While many homes have programmable thermostats, it's suprising how few people actually take the time to set the thermostat to match the household routine. Programming the thermostat to warm the home in the morning and turn down the heat when your asleep or away from home can greatly reduce heating and cooling costs.

 Smart therostats, such as the Nest® and Ecobee®, provide a great advantage over traditional programmable thermostats – they learn a household's routine and automatically and adjust the temperature acccordingly to maximize efficiency – with little to no effort.

Ceiling fans are often thought of appliances that are used in hot climates to cool the air, but they can be just as useful in cold weather. Reversing the diretion of the fan in the winter will circulate the warm air from the ceiling to living space below, making you more comfortable without having the turn up the heat.

With energy costs increasing over last season, many Grand Country area homeowners are looking for ways to cut their energy usage and save money this heating season.

Insulate

Insulate ceilings to R-38 levels if your attic has less than R-19. Caulk around windows, doors and anywhere air is leaking in or out. Apply weatherstriping around windows and doors. Wrap heating and cooling ducts with duct wrap.

Lower the Thermostat

Set the  thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. 3 percent to 5 percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68 degrees and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78 degrees. Even better, upgrade to a smart thermostat that learns your routine and turns the heat down when the home is unoccupied.

Keep Up With Maintenance

Clean or replace furnace filters regularly, following manufacturer's instructions. Schedule annual heating system maintenance.

Replace Old Windows and Doors

Replace old windows and doorswith new, high performance multi-pane windows with a better efficiency rating.

Use Window Coverings

Install insulated window shades and open them on sunny days to help warm rooms.

Close Off Unused Fireplaces

Close fireplace dampers when it is not being used. Avoid relying on fireplaces for home heating, they are no where near as efficient as central heating and can make outlying rooms colder.

Water Heating

Set the water heater thermostat at 140 degrees or "normal."

Use an insulated water heater blanket

Install energy-saver showerheads

Wash your laundry using a cold water detergent

Repair Plumbing Fixtures

Fix or replace defective plumbing valves or dripping faucets. A single dripping water faucet can waste over 200 gallons of water a month.

Wash only full loads in a dishwasher

Use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. If operating instructions allow, turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.

It's the first freezing cold night of the year in Colorado and you go to switch on the furnace... and nothing happens. What should you do? It could be an simple fix, so here's what to check:

1. Check That the Power Is On - Even though it's gas powered, a furnace requires electricity to run, so check the power to the unit at the circuit breaker panel. If a circuit is tripped, switch it back to the ON position. Note, if the circuit trips again, DO NOT RESET IT MORE THAN ONCE, this is a safety measure to prevent an electrical fire in the event of a malfunction. Have an electrician inspect the system.
2. Check the Thermostat Is Turned To the HEAT Position, then try turning the temperature up a couple degrees for testing purposes.
3. Check the Furnace Condensate Pan (Drain Pan)- During normal operation water will drain from the air conditioner or furnace into a pan. If the drain for the pan is clogged the pan will fill up and trigger a float switch, preventing the operation of the furnace. If the float switch is up (activated), you will need to clear the obstruction to allow water to empty and then reset the switch.
4. Check the Furnace Filter. An extremely dirty and clogged filter will make the furnace overheat, which will cause it to shut down as a safety precaution. Install a new filter to allow it to breathe easier.
5. Check the Pilot Light. This only applies to older gas furnaces. Most newer units have electric ignition. If your pilot light is out consult your owner's manual for the correct way to light the pilot.
6. Check the Fuel Supply. If there are other gas appliances in the home, such a gas range or fireplace, check that they are functioning.

If none of the above steps works and the furnace still won't turn on, call Grand Lake . We'll get the heat back on FAST.