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There is nothing worse than coming home to, or waking up to, a frigid house. There’s no doubt that some furnaces in the northern Indiana and southwest Michigan area will fail this winter. How do you make sure yours isn’t one of them? Surprisingly, changing your filter and making sure your furnace is clean are the best ways to keep your furnace running smoothly. In fact, industry statistics show that over 80% of all furnace service calls are related to dirt.

Dirty Furnace Filters Cause Problems

There’s a reason heating and cooling professionals recommend changing your furnace filter once a month – IT GETS DIRTY! And when a filter gets dirty, it can cause a variety of problems.

*  When the filter becomes clogged, it restricts airflow and forces the air handler to work harder which can cause it to overheat and shut down for safety.

*  But worse than that, when your filter gets completely coated with dirt, it allows some dirt to pass through. This dirt can coat the furnace blower wheel and motor. This too can cause the motor to overheat resulting in furnace failure.

*  If your ignitor is dirty, it can short out.

*  Also, if your furnace cycles on and off too much, it can cause your safety switch to kick in and shut your furnace down to keep it from overheating. Dirty evaporator coils cause the same thing to happen.

Dirty Furnaces Are Less Efficient Costing You More in Utility Bills

Dirty systems also have to work harder and the harder it has to work, the more prone it will be to failure. Not only that, but the less efficient it is, the more energy it uses and the more you pay in utility bills. If you check your system and find that it’s dirty or if it has been more than a year since you had a tune-up or a professional check your system, you’re probably losing money and risking a breakdown. Call Home Comfort Experts for a furnace inspection and cleaning. It will save you money on utility bills and possibly an emergency call in the middle of the night. And remember, change that furnace filter once a month.