Forced-Air Systems
The most effective step you can take to make a forced-air system more efficient overall is to stop leaks in the shell of the house and the heating system ducts. Weatherstrip windows and doors have cracks in the exterior siding caulked and tape the seams between duct sections. Minimize blockages in the circulation of heated air. Keep supply and return registers clean. Don’t place furniture or curtains directly against or over them. Leave the door open to any room that has a supply register but no return register (a supply register feels warm when the heat is on). Or have the door to the room trimmed so that there’s an inch gap at the bottom. Within the system, the chief cause of poor airflow is usually a dirty filter. Change the furnace filter regularly when the system is in use. Also have the furnace and blower checked yearly by a heating contractor.
So now let’s talk about changing the furnace filter. The filter collects dust from the air returning to the furnace for reheating. A clogged filter makes the blower work harder and reduces the system’s efficiency. Start each heating season with a clean filter then replace or clean it every month after that. Disposable cardboard-framed fiberglass filters are by far the most common type. Some furnaces have a metal or plastic element filter that you can clean and reuse. Clean this type of filter using a hose with a high-pressure nozzle. Let it dry fully before reinstalling it. Most filters slide into a slot on the return duct next to the furnace. To change the filter, simply turn off the thermostat at the thermostat then slide out the old filter and slip in a new one. Some filters go inside the return duct and are reached by opening an access panel. Other filters fit inside the furnace next to or wrapping around the blower. To reach one of these open the blower access panel on the furnace. Flip off the power switch for the furnace before opening the access panel.
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