The Herald of Everett, Washington   Weekend to-do list HeraldNet
Newsletter Delivered to your inbox each week.  Home maintenance
tasks you shouldn’t blow off  Here are a few tasks you should
consider maintaining on a regular schedule: 1. Check furnace
filters: The purpose of the filter on a forced-air furnace is to
keep dust, soot and other contaminants from collecting on the
interior workings of your furnace. In addition, a high-quality
filter will cut down on airborne dust and particulate matter
that is blown into your living area. Once the filter has been
sufficiently coated with this grime, it causes the furnace
blower to work harder, making it more costly to operate and
shortening its life span. A clean filter will help the furnace
run more efficiently and save on operating costs. Corrugated
replacement filters offer more filtration surface area and thus
can be denser without impairing furnace operation. Never use a
furnace filter that will allow salt to pass through. Buying
replacement filters by the ca