Take Five Minutes to Change Your Furnace Filter

BrightNest
by BrightNest
WHY DO THIS?
So, hopefully you’ve tackled the basic spring-cleaning tasks, and you have clean windows, dust-free corners and a generally tidy house. That’s great! But there’s one more step: your furnace filter. Replacing this guy will keep the air you breath at home fresh (and pollen free) for the spring season ahead! This is quick and easy, but if you’ve never done it before, we’ll walk you through it.
HOW TO:


1. Find Your Furnace


It’s cool if you don’t know! Head to the place in your home where the heating and cooling equipment resides. This could be a closet, your garage, your laundry room, your basement or even your attic. If you have no idea where to look, here's a tip: turn the fan setting on your thermostat to "on." Listen for the system fan and follow the sound.


2. Find Your Filter


Most furnace filters can be found on the side of your furnace. If you don’t see it there, check for a removable panel. Some filters have an access panel that needs to be removed. This happens if the filter resides in the fan enclosure. If so, just remove the access panel.


3. Figure Out the Filter Type


Take a look at the size of the slot on your furnace. It's either going to be a 1-inch slot, or bigger. If it's a 1-inch slot, you have a 1-inch pleated or a 1-inch disposable filter. If it's a 4 or 6-inch slot, you're special – you have a media filter that fits in a thick air cleaner enclosure. In most cases, these filters will have a brand name and will be 4-6-inches in thickness. Some common media filter brands include Aprilaire, Honeywell, Bryant/Carrier, Lennox and Goodman.


4. Determine Your Filter Size


Once you've determined the thickness and type of your filter, it's time to figure out overall size. The easiest way is to look for a part number or size somewhere on the filter. Note: The make, model, or serial number of your furnace does NOT provide any useful information about the appropriate filter. If there isn't a size on the filter, get out your tape measure. Find the length and width. Filters are usually rounded up. For example, if your length measures 19 1/2-inches it's going to be sold at 20-inches.


5. Change Your Filter


Once you’ve figured out what type of filter you have, grab a replacement and switch it out! Tip: You can order furnace filters on sites like Amazon, grab them at your local hardware store, or sign up for services like FilterEasy that deliver them to your doorstep!


Complete this easy task and be on your way to our "Spring Fresh" achievement (which has an awesome reward tied to it). Visit: http://bit.ly/FiveMinuteFurnaceFilter for the full post, and to learn about the achievement!
BrightNest
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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