Air filters play a key role in HVAC systems by capturing dust, pollen, pet dander, and other airborne particles, preventing them from circulating through your home. Over time, these particles accumulate on the filter, causing it to clog. As the filter becomes blocked, it restricts airflow, making it more difficult for your HVAC system to operate efficiently.
Once the air filter is clogged, its effectiveness diminishes, and you need to change it to maintain optimal performance. But how often should you change your air filter?
For most 1” pleated furnace filters, the general recommendation is to replace them every 30 days to 90 days, depending on the specific conditions in your home. This timeframe is based on air quality needs for an average household. However, this schedule may not suit every home, particularly if there are higher demands for indoor air quality.
The frequency at which you should replace your air filter depends on several factors:
To ensure your HVAC system runs efficiently and maintains good air quality, it's important to change your air filter based on these factors. Some households may need to change filters every 30 days, while others might be able to go longer.
Regular filter changes offer many benefits for your HVAC system and the overall air quality in your home.
This helps with airflow resistance from a clean HVAC filter allowing your heating and cooling system to move air more efficiently through the ducts. It helps to keep strain off of key components such as blower motors and compressors, and keeps them running longer. Improve airflow and your system doesn’t have to work as hard, that means lower energy bills. It is certainly worth it to change your HVAC filter regularly to maintain this efficiency.
As dust, pollen and other pollutants accumulate in your air filters, they start to become less effective in trapping new particles. Even a clogged filter can let some of these particles get back out into your home. Replacing the air filter in your home when required stops the spread of pollutants and the spread of cleaner indoor air.
When air filters get overlooked, fans, motors and heat exchangers are placed under added pressures from restricted airflow. This can eventually wear your equipment early and lead to equipment problems. Regular changes to pleated air filters or fiberglass filters help prevent this unnecessary strain, so that your system runs at peak efficiency and is not destroyed prematurely.
Regularly changing your air filter is one way of truly achieving this. In this note we will discuss how often you should change your air filter, what to look for that your filter needs to be replaced, and some tips to help maintain your heating and cooling system.
We often recommend replacing your air filter about every three months. However, several factors can influence this timeline:
While it’s helpful to have a regular schedule, there are some signs that may indicate it’s time to replace your air filter before the three-month mark:
More expensive pleated air filters can get away with being changed up to every six months. These general guidelines don't take into account filter sizes or types like thicker filters or smaller filters. Therefore, it's recommended to never let an air filter go unreplaced for longer than 90 days.
Why's that? Well, an old filter will naturally collect more dust, dirt, and allergens than a new one, causing the filter efficiency to decrease. If you're an allergy sufferer, you'll want to make sure you take note of how often you change your filters and always make sure you're using the right filter type.
According to our excellent guideline, you should replace your air filter every three months. But your timeline can be affected by factors such as the size of your home, if you have pets and what your air quality is like in your area.
You should consider replacing your air filter if you notice:
Different types of filters have different lifespan. While some filters can be shaken and then washed for reuse, others are one and done, meaning that you’ll generally want to replace them more often; once every three months, for instance.
Visit EMG Air today and keep your home’s air fresh and clean! We offer expert maintenance and cleaning services to ensure your HVAC system runs smoothly. Don’t let a dirty filter affect your air quality—schedule your service with us now for a healthier, more comfortable home. Breathe easier with EMG Air!
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