You vacuum your carpet every week. You clean the sinks and the shower. You dust the furniture. But there may be something in your home that’s absolutely filthy — and you don’t even know, because you don’t bother to look.

What’s that, you wonder? It’s your furnace filter. If you fail to check it regularly and change it as needed, you’re severely compromising the ability of your furnace to function the way it should. And all that dust and dirt that you’re working so hard to get rid of? It might be the result of that dirty filter.

When dirt builds up in your filter, it begins to accumulate in your furnace — on the parts that need to operate efficiently to help your system run the way it should. All that dirt and dust undermine your furnace efficiency and make it harder for it to run the way it should. Your energy bills go up. Eventually, your furnace starts breaking down and may even fail well before its time.

Meanwhile, the dirt and dust are also getting into the airstream and landing on your furniture and floors. And before the grime lands, it’s circulating in your air — as particulates that you and your family members are breathing. That means problems for anyone who has respiratory issues.

So given all the issues a dirty filter can cause, isn’t it easier just to check it once a month and change it as necessary? Pull the filter out of your furnace, and hold it up to a light. If you can’t see through it, then change it. That’s all it takes. Simple.

Have any questions about furnace filters? At All Year Heating, Air & Solar in Sacramento, we’re happy to answer all of those questions. We can go over minimum efficiency reporting values and help you decide on the MERV rating that’s just right for your system. And should you need to replace your system, we can help you with that too. Contact us. We’re happy to help.

Image via Shutterstock.com

If you are like many other homeowners, you know that you need to replace the filter in your HVAC system regularly. But did you know that you also need to pay attention to the type of filter you purchase? There are several types of filters, and they vary in their ability to remove particulate matter from your air.

The minimum efficiency reporting value is a scale used to measure the effectiveness of air filters. If you want to choose the best filter for your cooling and heating system, it’s a good idea to become familiar with MERV filter ratings:

• MERV 1-4: These filters are the least expensive and the least effective at removing particulate matter from your indoor air, even though they’re found in many residential systems. Typically, they can capture particulate matter such as pollen, moss, dust, textile fibers, insect parts and the like. But they can’t capture particles that are smaller than 10 microns. Filters in this range often don’t even carry a MERV rating.
• MERV 5-8: Filters in this range capture particles as small as 3 microns. These filters can generally capture mold spores, dander, hair spray and pollen. They are often a good choice for residential heating and cooling systems.
• MERV 9-12: These are considered high quality because they remove particles down to 1 micron. They can capture lead dust, nebulizer drops and auto emissions. They are a good choice for families with respiratory issues, as they afford maximum dust control. But because they are so dense and capture so much, they must be checked and changed routinely. A high-efficiency MERV filter that’s clogged with particulate matter can impair the efficiency of your HVAC system.
• MERV 13-20: Although these are the highest-rated filters, they are generally used only in hospitals, pharmaceutical factories and clean rooms. They are not suitable for most residential systems and could actually harm your equipment.

Once you have chosen the right filter, remember to check it often and change it regularly. If you have questions about MERV filters or any home-comfort issues, contact All Year Heating, Air and Solar. For more than 40 years, we have served residents of the Sacramento area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air conditioners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

All Year services the Greater Sacramento area.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

Dust got you down? This quick and easy guide can help you learn how to control dust in your home – and take your home’s indoor air quality to new, healthy levels.

Arguably the best way to improve dust control is to prevent dust buildup. This requires a two-step approach.

First, give your home a thorough cleaning. If dust in your home is out of control, a deep cleaning will not only get you off to a good start, but it will also make regular weekly cleaning easier. With a few family members to help, clear out each room, cleaning the shell of the room with a dust-catching material, like a damp rag, and then cleaning each item as you return it to the room.

Another tip for easy cleaning is to reduce clutter, keeping as few items on display as possible. As much as you can, eliminate decorative items from shelving, and store lesser-used items such as extra bedding, towels or clothes in sealed containers. In this way, you will limit items throughout your home that attract dust, and make it that much easier to clean.

Then, after that deep cleaning, implement several effective weekly cleaning practices. Depending on your aversion to dust, and whether family members suffer from dust-induced allergies or asthma, consider cleaning at least once a week:

• Dust each room thoroughly. A damp cloth or a special duster that attracts dust will capture dust, instead of spreading it around. Dust all of the surfaces throughout the home’s rooms, including wood or linoleum floors.
• Vacuum all carpeted floors well, as carpet fibers tend to collect a significant amount of dust.
• Wash bedding, curtains and any small area rugs.
• For larger area rugs and items like sofa cushions or pillows, beat them outside to rid them of dust.

Another step in your battle against dust should be to change the air filters in your heating and cooling systems regularly — at least every three months and more often during high-use seasons.

With an effective strategy in place, you can learn how to control dust in your home and upgrade your home’s indoor air quality. Call the experts at All Year Heating, Air & Solar for help. We have proudly served homeowners in the Greater Sacramento area for more than 40 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Dusting image via Shutterstock

You probably don’t give much thought to the kind of air filters you should use in your furnace. However, picking the right one is important for your family’s health and furnace efficiency.

Here’s a look at air filters rated on the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) scale to help you make the right decision for your circumstances:

• Low-efficiency air filters: The MERV scale ranges from 1 to 16, though residential applications only go as high as about MERV 12. Many furnace manufacturers recommend a traditional spun fiberglass air filter, which is rated at MERV 2. These filters trap the largest airborne particles without impeding airflow. By increasing to MERV 4, however, you can improve filtration efficiency without impacting the efficiency of your furnace.
• Mid-range air filters: Many homeowners find that MERV 7 or 8 air filters provide the balance they’re looking for. These filters can trap up to 95 percent of particles down to 5 microns, which is more than enough filtration for most situations. To ensure that airflow is maintained, a technician may need to boost the furnace fan speed.
• High-efficiency air filters: The only reason to choose an air filter higher than MERV 8 is if you need the air to be as clean as possible for someone with severe allergies or an immune system disorder. MERV 11 filters can trap particles as minuscule as 0.3 microns. This includes viruses, bacteria and even fumes. The furnace fan will need to be boosted to full capacity, and you will need to be prepared to change the filter often to prevent clogging. These filters are quite expensive and the boosted fan speed increases operational costs, so the overall cost must be taken into consideration before you choose such a high-efficiency filter.

Never change out the original spun fiberglass filter for another type of filter until you have consulted with an HVAC contractor. To speak with a knowledgeable technician in the Greater Sacramento area, please contact All Year Heating, Air Conditioning and Solar today. We’re happy to answer questions about air filters and offer our expert advice on the matter.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Air filter image via Shutterstock

Most homeowners in the Sacramento area know using good air filters in their heating and cooling equipment helps to improve their indoor air quality. But did you know your filter choice also affects how efficiently your furnace operates?

For one thing, efficiency loss occurs when your furnace filter is too restrictive. This can happen when the filter becomes clogged or if the filter is too tightly woven to begin with. It’s not difficult to choose a furnace filter that cleans without sacrificing efficiency, if you know what to look for:

• MERV. A filter’s “minimum efficiency reporting value” is the standard used to compare air filters’ effectiveness. Most residential filters’ MERV ratings range from 1 to 16. In general, higher is better because it means the filter can catch more particles. But a filter rated from 10 to 13 is usually appropriate for homes and won’t interfere with airflow.
• Pressure drop, or filter resistance. This rating measures airflow restriction. A high pressure drop indicates greater restriction; lower is better for efficiency. Balancing pressure drop with MERV is key to finding an ideal furnace filter. Consulting an HVAC professional is helpful.
• Dust-holding capacity. This describes how much dust the filter can hold before the pressure drop increases, which may result in reduced efficiency. When comparing dust-holding capacities, be sure you’re looking at filters with the same pressure drop.
• HEPA filters. True HEPA filters have MERV ratings from 17 to 20 and will likely restrict your residential system’s airflow. However, installing a more powerful blower on your furnace could enable use of a HEPA or other highly restrictive filter.
• Other options. Many homeowners find air cleaners or purifiers to be more effective than air filters when combating allergies or asthma.

It’s more than efficiency lost to a bad filter — a struggling furnace will wear out sooner. Air quality will suffer as air isn’t properly circulated and filtered. If you’re unsure how your filter is affecting your furnace, an experienced technician can test your system for restriction problems and suggest solutions. Please contact us anytime at All Year Heating, Air & Solar for furnace filter advice.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace filters and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

All Year services the Greater Sacramento area.  Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Each forced-air HVAC system is designed with an air filter in the return duct to trap airborne dust. Without a filter, the dust settles on the air conditioning evaporator coil, eventually reducing or blocking airflow through the air handling unit.

HVAC systems are designed based upon a certain amount of air flowing through the system. Since this air is what carries cooled or heated air to the various rooms of your house, reducing the airflow reduces the efficiency of your system. In other words, you end up paying to heat or cool nothing instead of paying to heat or cool your home.

Changing the system’s air filter regularly is one of the most important — but easiest-to-forget — parts of maintaining the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling system. Clean filters allow the proper amount of air to flow through the system, while dirty filters impede air movement.

Your home’s air filter is located either in the system’s return air duct or at the air handling unit itself. In HVAC systems installed in attics, return air ducts are usually mounted in the ceiling of a central hallway in the house. In HVAC systems where the air handling unit is installed in a closet, the air filter is probably located right at the air handling unit.

Most HVAC air filters are designed to last 30 days. At this point, even though the filter doesn’t appear overly dirty, there is enough dust trapped in its fibers to restrict airflow. Some filters are designed to last 60 or even 90 days. While these filters will work for the amount of time advertised, they do so at the cost of slightly reduced system efficiency — a small reduction in airflow.

Many programmable thermostats include alarms to warn you when 30 days are up and it is time to change your filter. This visual alarm often appears as the word “filter” on the thermostat’s screen.

Questions? The heating and cooling professionals at All Year would be glad to help. Please contact the Greater Sacramento HVAC experts anytime.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air filters and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

All Year services the Greater Sacramento area.  To get started, check out our website or see our special offers.