How Often Should You Change Ac Filters

Without a make clean air filter, your HVAC unit works harder and is decumbent to more breakdowns. Compared to other DIY home improvement projects, changing air filters is a quick and painless procedure that tin can be done in less than an hour. Nevertheless, many homeowners are unaware of how often air filters need to be replaced, leaving their system vulnerable to damage. Keep reading to learn when and how to modify your air filter.

Why Changing Your Filter Is Important

Air filters trap pet hair, dust, and other irritating particles so that your air conditioning system delivers fresh, make clean air back into your home. Somewhen, the filter traps so much dust and debris that air can't properly filter or travel to the HVAC unit of measurement, leading to:

High free energy bills—When an HVAC filter is clogged, your system has to work harder to pull air through to cool or heat the room. This causes information technology to run for longer periods of fourth dimension, increasing the energy your home uses.
Health concerns—If a filter isn't working properly, dust and allergens can circulate throughout your abode and cause allergies and respiratory illnesses.
Organisation failure—An HVAC system has to work hard to pull air through a clogged filter. This continuous strain on the unit tin can cause it to break, causing you to pay for expensive repairs or replacements.

How to Alter Your Air Filter

You should ideally change your air filter every three months, however, there are certain factors to consider when determining when to change out an old filter.

Type of air filter—Some air filters are more than constructive than others. Lower quality fiberglass filters are more affordable, but they don't last long and need to be inverse every calendar month. Pleated air filters are high-quality filters that are very effective in trapping particles and last up to xc days.
Pets—If you own pets, change your filters every two months to proceed your air make clean.
Allergies—If y'all suffer from allergies, even the smallest amount of dust or debris in the air can trigger a reaction. To ensure your system is pumping only clean air, change your filters about every 50 days.
Children—If you lot have young children in the home, keep the indoor air quality high by replacing your air filters every two months.
Home utilise—Homes that use their HVAC system daily need more frequent air filter replacements than a vacation home that doesn't filter air regularly. If your home's heating and cooling arrangement just run a few times a twelvemonth, supersede the air filters every six to 12 months.

While these factors affect the frequency of air filter replacement, you should visually inspect your filter every calendar month to bank check for backlog particle buildup. If the dirty air filter is completely layered with dust and debris, it'southward a good idea to change the filter fifty-fifty if it hasn't reached the end of its recommended lifespan.

How to Modify Your Filter

Hither'southward how to change your air filter when information technology'due south time for a replacement.

Purchase the right size filter—To find the size of your filter, bank check the old filter, which should have the size printed on 1 of its sides. If you can't locate the size of the old filter, use a measuring tape to cheque its length, width, and depth.
Plow off your unit of measurement—Flip the switch on your thermostat to turn off the unit, or plow your arrangement completely off at the excursion breaker.
Locate the filter—Your air filter is located in 1 of two places: a return duct or the air handler located in an attic, basement, or utility closet.
Remove the grille or embrace to the air filter—If your air filter is located in the organization'southward air handler, open the access panel. This may require a screwdriver to remove the small screws securing it. If your filter is in the return duct, flip the latches that hold the grille and remove information technology.
Remove the sometime filter and insert the new one—Take the former filter from its place, carefully inspecting how information technology was situated inside the comprehend or grille. Take the new filter and place information technology within, making sure the airflow arrows are pointed into the unit.
Replace the cover and turn your arrangement on—After replacing the filter, plough your organisation back on to ensure the filter is situated correctly and the air conditioner is running smoothly.