Hey there,
Thanks for subscribing to Columbus Home Check. I’m Ryan, and I’ve spent the last few years in basements, crawlspaces, and mechanical rooms all over the Columbus area. I’ve seen what breaks, what lasts, and what homeowners wish they’d known about sooner.
This newsletter is simple.
Every week, I’ll teach you one piece of home maintenance most people don’t know about — but saves real money and real headaches down the road.
Let’s jump into this week’s topic, because with this cold snap, timing actually matters.
The Mid-Winter Furnace Filter Check Nobody Talks About
With temperatures hovering in the teens and your furnace running around the clock, you’re probably thinking about staying warm — not home maintenance.
But here’s something most Columbus homeowners don’t realize:
The same cold snap that has you cranking the heat is quietly driving up your energy bill by 15% or more, and it has nothing to do with how long your furnace runs.
The culprit?
A furnace filter you probably haven’t thought about in months.
Most of us check our filters in fall when we fire up the heat, and maybe again in spring when we switch to AC.
But during extended cold snaps like we’re experiencing right now, your furnace isn’t just running more — it’s moving massive volumes of air through that filter continuously.
What was clean in November is now loaded with months of:
Dust
Pet hair
Everyday household debris
All while your system is running 20+ hours a day.
What’s Happening Behind the Scenes
Your furnace has a blower motor whose job is to push heated air through your ductwork and into your home.
When your filter gets clogged, it’s like asking that motor to blow air through a thick blanket instead of an open screen.
The motor doesn’t quit.
It just works harder.
A lot harder.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a clogged filter forces your heating system to use 5–15% more energy to maintain the same temperature.
On a $200 January or February heating bill, that’s:
$20–$30 per month in wasted energy
$75–$100 over a Columbus winter
But the real cost isn’t just the utility bill.
A clogged filter can:
Wear out your blower motor faster
Cause overheating and safety shutoffs
Leave your house feeling cold even while the furnace runs nonstop
The good news?
This is one of the easiest preventive maintenance tasks you can do — and right now (mid-winter) is actually the perfect time to check it.
How to Check and Replace Your Filter (5 Minutes)
If you’ve never done this before, this short video shows exactly what you’re looking for in a real furnace setup:
Step 1: Locate the Filter
In most Central Ohio homes, the filter is in one of three places:
Inside a slot near the furnace (behind a small metal door)
In the return air grille on a wall or ceiling
Between the return duct and the furnace where the large duct connects
If you’re unsure, find your furnace (usually basement, utility closet, or garage) and follow the largest duct back to it.
That’s where the filter usually lives.
Step 2: Check Orientation (This Matters)
Before pulling it out:
Take a quick photo
Or look for arrows printed on the frame
Filters must be installed with the arrow pointing toward the furnace.
Installing it backward makes your blower work even harder.
This video shows arrow direction clearly and highlights common mistakes:
Step 3: Inspect the Filter
Hold it up to a light.
If you can’t easily see light through it — or it looks gray and packed with debris — replace it.
During cold snaps like this, a filter that normally lasts 90 days may only last 30–45 days because of continuous use.
Check the size printed on the frame (example: 16×25×1).
Snap a photo so you always know what to buy.
What Filter Should You Buy?
You don’t need anything fancy.
A mid-grade pleated filter in the $10–$20 range works great for most homes.
Solid options:
Filtrete MPR 1000 or 1200
Nordic Pure MERV 8 or 10
Common Columbus sizes:
16×25×1
20×20×1
20×25×1
16×20×1
If you want to automate it, FilterBuy or Amazon Subscribe & Save can ship filters on a schedule.
Avoid:
$1–$3 fiberglass filters (they barely filter anything)
Ultra-high MERV filters unless recommended by a pro
For most homes, MERV 8–11 is the sweet spot.
The Pro Tip Most Homeowners Never Hear
The best time to check your filter isn’t based on a calendar.
It’s during weather extremes, when your system is under the most stress.
A clean filter during the coldest week of winter does more for efficiency than a clean filter during a mild November.
Have a baseline schedule (every 60–90 days), but add extra checks during:
Extended cold snaps
Sustained summer heat
That’s when clogged filters cause real damage and real cost.
Bottom Line
If you haven’t checked your furnace filter since before Christmas, there’s a very good chance it’s costing you money right now.
Five minutes.
A $15 filter.
Lower bills and a healthier furnace.
Your action items this week:
Check your filter today
Replace it if light doesn’t pass through easily
Note the size and keep a spare
Set a reminder to recheck in 30 days
Stay warm out there, Columbus.
Your furnace, and your wallet, will thank you.
Questions? Just reply. I read every message.
— Ryan
P.S. Once this cold snap breaks, I’ll show you the exterior inspection you should do before the spring thaw hits. It’s another quiet task that prevents expensive problems nobody talks about.