A heater is one of the more important equipment in your home. Maintaining it is easy, and you only need to replace its filter about once every six months if you rarely use your heater. However, if you frequently use your heater, you should replace the filter about every three months for the best results. This simple tip will help maintain energy efficiency and keep your family safe from the harmful effects caused by air pollution in your home.
What Is An Air Filter?
An air filter is a device to remove harmful particles from the air. It also cleans the air and essentially keeps your heater working more efficiently. Without an air filter, the heater would use more energy and could cause the home to become increasingly polluted.
Air filters are often overlooked and underrated by many. This is true, especially if you do not frequently use your heater or other heating appliances or methods. However, this means that some harmful gasses circulating in your home could adversely affect your and your family’s health. This may involve headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even respiratory problems like asthma attacks and colds. The best way to prevent these health problems is to regularly replace your heating filters, which is very simple.
Factors That Affect Your Air Filter’s Lifespan
The lifespan of your heater’s filter depends on many factors, including the following:
1. How Often Your Heater Is Used
If you use your heater daily, the filter needs to be changed more often. This is because more pollutants will circulate in your home, ultimately shortening your filter’s lifespan.
2. Size of Your Home
If your home is large and your heater is used often, you must change the filter once every three months. This will help prevent the spread of pollutants inside your house and keep it clean and healthy.
3. The Quality of Air in Your Home
If your home has a lot of pollutants, like from cooking or from being near a heavy industry zone, you should change the filter every two months. This is because the pollutants will build up and spread throughout the heater’s filter, eventually shortening its lifespan.
Signs That Your Air Filter Needs Replacement
You can easily determine when to replace your air filter by watching for the following signs:
- Your heater emits smoke or sparks when turned on. This means that the filter is old and needs to be replaced, as it will no longer be able to filter the particles in your home.
- You see dark, discolored areas on the filters. This shows that the filter is damaged and should be replaced to prevent it from spreading.
- The heater makes an unusual noise. This indicates that the fan may be damaged or broken, so you should immediately replace your air filter for safety purposes.
How To Replace Your Air Filter
You can easily replace your heater’s air filter by following these simple steps:
- Turn off your heater. Remove the old filter from its compartment in the heater’s space.
- Wash the old air filter in warm water using a mild soap. Rinse it using a clean rag and let it dry completely before proceeding to the next step.
- Place the new air filter into its compartment and put back the cover of your heater to protect it from dust and other particles that can damage its parts over time.
- Turn your heater on and wait for the fan to turn on.
- You will notice that the fan is more silent than usual. This means that the heater uses less energy and cleans more particles, which can help you prevent health problems and maintain a clean home environment.
What Happens If I Fail to Replace My Air Filter regularly?
If you fail to replace your air filter regularly, you could suffer from health problems. It can also shorten your heater’s lifespan, making it less energy efficient.
Where Can I Get the Air Filter?
You can purchase your air filter from online stores, local hardware shops, and even department stores in your area. The filters are also quite affordable and can last longer if stored properly. When you search for an air filter for sale online, you can choose from several brands and types, as well as size and color.
While some stores offer cheap air filters in bulk, you have to ask yourself if you will compromise quality. Remember, you get what you pay for. If a store offers something for free or cheap, check the quality before purchasing it. If the quality is unsatisfactory, investing in a more expensive but better filter is wiser, which can last longer and clean the air more efficiently.
Conclusion
Like any other appliance, your heater needs proper maintenance to run smoothly and keep your family safe from the harmful effects of air pollution. If you are looking for a simple way to do this, just replace your filter once every six months if you rarely use your heater.
Replacing the filter of your heater is very easy and takes little time. However, it could save you the trouble of wasting energy and later suffering from health problems. It will also help you maintain a clean home environment without compromising energy efficiency.