How Often Should You Change Your Air Filter?

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.

Factors Affecting Air Filter Replacement

The frequency at which you should replace your air filter depends on several factors:

• Filter Type and Quality: Higher-quality filters, such as pleated or fiberglass ones, may have longer lifespans, but they still need to be replaced regularly.
• Air Quality Needs: Homes with pets, smokers, or people with allergies may require more frequent replacements to maintain cleaner air.
• Environmental Conditions: If you live in a dusty area or near construction, your filters may clog faster, requiring more frequent changes.
• HVAC System: The overall efficiency of your HVAC system can be affected if you don’t change the air filter on time, leading to increased wear and tear on the system.

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.

Why Change Your Air Filter?

Regular filter changes offer many benefits for your HVAC system and the overall air quality in your home.

Restores Airflow and Boosts HVAC Efficiency

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.

Prevents circulating of airborne contaminants

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.

Prevents HVAC Components

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.

How Often Should You Change Your Air Filter?

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:

• Home Size: If you have a bigger home your air filter will have to be changed more often because you have more air flowing through it.

• Pets in the Home:Since pets can create dander and hair, households with pets generally fill faster with dirty air filters.

• Air Quality: In areas with bad air or lots of outdoor pollution, if you change your filter sooner.

• Seasonal Use: In case you work with your HVAC system intensively during certain months, e.g. summer or winter, then attempt to check and replace the air filter regularly in those times.

It’s time to replace your air filter in these cases.

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:

• Visible Dirt: When there is a thick layer of dust on the filter, it’s time to change.

• Increased Allergies: However, if you or someone in your family begins to show allergy symptoms, your air filter is likely clogged and needs to be replaced.

• Reduced Air Flow: A dirty filter can restrict air flow and if you're not getting as much air coming from your vents then that could be the issue.

Tips for Maintaining Your Air Filter

• Check Regularly: It’s good practice to check your air filter at least once a month. This will help you keep track of its condition and know when it needs replacing.
• Choose the Right Filter: Selecting the best air filter for your HVAC system can make a difference. Look for filters that are designed to trap allergens and particles effectively.
• Consider Washable Filters: If you're looking for a more sustainable option, washable filters can be cleaned and reused, reducing waste.

How Long Can I Truly Go Before Changing My HVAC Filter?

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.

FAQ's

How many times should I swap my air filter?

 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.

How do I know that I need to change my air filter?

 You should consider replacing your air filter if you notice:

•  A layer of dust very thick on the filter.
•  More allergy symptoms in family members.
• airflow from your vents has been reduced .

How often should I change my air filter, and does the type of air filter matter?

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.

Contact EMG Air for all of your HVAC needs

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!

‍