As the seasons change, it’s the perfect time to check your HVAC system and change your filters. Simple maintenance, like replacing or cleaning your filters, will keep your energy bills lower and your HVAC system in good condition. Many homeowners get busy with life and forget to change their filters, and before you realize it, many months have gone by without a single filter check or replacement.
When air filters are left clogged and dirty, your HVAC system could experience problems like:
- Equipment and part failures
- Internal airflow reductions causing the fans to work harder, increasing the potential for burnout
- Reduced air quality due to a dirty and clogged filter pushing poor quality air into the HVAC system and your home
- Increased strain on HVAC major systems, causing increased energy usage and higher energy bills
While your HVAC system will continue to work with a dirty and clogged filter, it will be using considerable resources and exertion to heat and cool your home. While this may seem like a minor issue, manufacturers strongly recommend replacing your air filters regularly.
How Often to Change Home Air Filters
HVAC professionals recommend replacing the air filters in your home every month or 30 days. Some higher-quality pleated filters can last as long as six months. If you have a home filled with dust, debris, or allergens, it’s important to note that guidelines are based on typical usage and not heavy use. If your home uses pleated filters, you may be able to push the 30-day window to 90 days.
Three Reasons Your Air Filter Needs Replacement More Often
- Chronic Respiratory Issues and Allergies: If you have allergy suffers or those with chronic respiratory issues, you will want to keep your filters as clear as possible. You will also want to use a higher-than-average quality filter. If your filters are clogged or dirty, the indoor air quality in your home can plummet. Those who suffer from chronic respiratory issues should change their filters every six weeks.
- Pets Live in the Home: If you have dogs or cats that live in the home, you will need to replace your air filter more often than the average HVAC owner. Shed hair, pet dander, and pet odors can make the air in your home stale, and it can serve as an allergen to those with sensitivities. If you have pets in the home, your air filter could last for two months max, but it would be pushing the limits of the air filter’s effectiveness.
- Young Children Live in the Home: Homes with young children need air quality to be at optimal levels as medical professionals link chronic childhood illnesses like asthma to increased exposure to poor air quality. Homes with young children should not go more than 30 days without an air filter inspection and replacement. Use your own discretion to determine if it needs to be replaced at the 30-day or at the 45-day mark.
Changing the filter in an HVAC system is one of the more important jobs you can do as an owner to impact the lifespan of your appliance and the quality of its output.
The Team to Call to Keep Your HVAC System Running All Year Long
If you’re ever wondering if you should replace your air filter or if you can push it a few more weeks, it’s always best to choose a clean filter. At Premier Indoor Comfort, we value the time and money of our customers, so we will never waste your time with poor service or faulty repairs. When you call us, you can count on the job being done right the first time. Call our HVAC specialists today at (770) 268-2422 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.