City Council offers guidance on maintaining home furnace filters
The Minneapolis City Council held an educational session on November 14 focused on helping residents properly maintain their home heating systems. The meeting, part of the city's Healthy Homes Series, provided practical instructions on replacing furnace filters—a task that can improve air quality and extend the life of heating equipment.
The council presented detailed guidance on furnace filter replacement, including step-by-step instructions and important safety precautions residents should follow. The session emphasized the importance of proper installation direction and explained how often homeowners should replace their filters to keep systems running efficiently.
Council members highlighted several factors residents should consider when purchasing replacement filters. These include selecting the correct size for their specific furnace and understanding MERV ratings—a measure of how effectively a filter removes particles from the air. Higher MERV ratings can capture smaller particles, which is particularly beneficial for households with members who have respiratory concerns or allergies.
The educational focus reflects the city's broader commitment to helping residents maintain healthy homes. By providing accessible information about routine maintenance tasks, the council aims to empower homeowners to take steps that improve indoor air quality while also protecting their heating investments from premature wear and damage.
The Healthy Homes Series continues the city's effort to offer practical guidance on home maintenance and wellness topics that directly affect residents' daily lives. No votes were taken during this informational session.
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Source document
[0:05] A furnace heats your home by pushing
[0:07] warm air through vents located on your
[0:09] walls or floors. Every furnace has a
[0:12] filter that catches dust and dirt before
[0:14] it enters the actual furnace. Replacing
[0:17] your furnace filter is a fast and easy
[0:19] way to keep your furnace in good working
[0:22] condition and improve air quality in
[0:24] your home. Today, we'll show you how to
[0:26] replace your furnace filter and how to
[0:28] choose the correct filter for your
[0:29] furnace.
[0:31] First, turn off your furnace. You can
[0:33] turn off the heat using the thermostat
[0:35] or turn off the furnace switch. Wait at
[0:38] least 15 minutes for the furnace to cool
[0:40] down. This is to stay safe while
[0:42] changing your filter. Next, find your
[0:45] old furnace filter. Look for the filter
[0:47] near the bottom or side of your furnace.
[0:50] It might be behind a small door or
[0:52] panel. Remove the old filter. Slide the
[0:55] old filter out carefully and look at the
[0:57] direction of the arrows on the side of
[0:59] the filter. These show which way the air
[1:01] flows.
[1:10] Before putting your new filter in, write
[1:13] the date on it so you can check when you
[1:14] changed it last. Make sure the arrows on
[1:17] the side of the filter point in the
[1:19] direction of the airflow. You can also
[1:22] draw an arrow near where the filter goes
[1:24] to remind you which way to insert the
[1:26] filter. Now you can put in the new
[1:28] filter. Slide the new filter in the same
[1:31] way the old one came out. Finally, turn
[1:34] the furnace back on. You can turn the
[1:36] furnace switch back on or adjust the
[1:38] thermostat to start it again.
[1:40] Replace your furnace filter every 3
[1:42] months, including summer months, if you
[1:44] have central air conditioning. You can
[1:46] replace it more often if you see lots of
[1:49] dust buildup or discoloration on the
[1:50] filter. There are two things to pay
[1:53] attention to when buying a new furnace
[1:55] filter. Size and MERV
[1:59] or MV rating. MV stands for minimum
[2:03] efficiency reporting value. A filter
[2:06] rating that tells us how well a filter
[2:08] traps small particles. When getting a
[2:11] new filter, you'll need to make sure you
[2:13] get the same size as your last filter.
[2:15] To see what size and MV rating your
[2:18] filter is, look at the edge of your
[2:20] current filter. The furnace filter you
[2:22] purchase should be at least MV 8 and up
[2:25] to MV 11. If you have asthma, allergies,
[2:29] or other respiratory concerns, a MV 11
[2:32] filter is recommended. By replacing your
[2:34] furnace filter, you can keep your
[2:36] furnace working well for years to come.
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