How Often Should You Replace Your HVAC Air Filter?
Air conditioners typically break down when you need them the most. The truth of the matter is that with proper AC maintenance, you can ensure that your AC will survive during the times you need it the most. The wintertime is the best season to make sure that your A/C is functioning at its tip-top best. While the AC is the last thing you may be thinking about during the colder months, it is a great time to change the filter and mend things that require fixing.
Once you tell your friends that you changed your air filter in December, they will probably look at you with jealousy and awe. But, the good news is that this is a hack into a good life that anyone can do.
Replacing your HVAC Air Filter
You need to make sure that you change your filter. Avoiding this will create a hazard to your AC unit. You will end up losing air quality in your home. When your indoor air quality is polluted, it can become hazardous for you and your family.
The type of filter in your AC will determine how quickly it gets dirty. Additionally, the pollution where you live plays a major role in how quickly your AC filter gets dirty. If you live in Seattle or at the foot of the Himalayas, you won’t have to change it as often. However, if you live in a polluted city, then you will need to change it more often.
If you reside near busy streets, trucks, buses, airports, or construction sites, you will need to change your air filter more often because these are highly polluted areas. Fireplaces that burn wood will release toxic elements into the air that your AC unit may draw in.
Furthermore, if you have dogs, cats, or birds, the air you breathe in will be a lot dirtier. Also, the more people you have in your home, the dirtier the air will be. Again, this is why proper A/C maintenance is crucial.
How Often Should I Change My HVAC Filter?
If you have a filter that is 1-3 inches, you will more than likely be told by the manufacturer to replace it every other month. However, this can change depending on your allergies. If you are sensitive to the air, you may want to consider changing your filter more often.
Remember, the filter will catch the elements that you don’t want to breathe in and will do it at the expense of its own efficiency.
If you live alone or without any animals and have no allergies, you can probably get by changing your filter once or twice each year.
If you reside in a normal suburban home, you should change your HVAC filter once every few months. If you love animals and they live with you, change your filter once every couple of months. Finally, if you own a menagerie or have extreme allergies, change your HVAC filter once a month to a month and a half.
Categorised in: Air Filters