How Often Do I Need to Change My Air Filter?
You probably know pretty well that you should be changing your furnace and air conditioner’s air filters quite frequently. But exactly how often is “frequently”? Well, if you’re looking for a definitive answer, then the team at signature HVAC is ready, as always, to provide!
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How Often Should I Change My Air Filter?
Okay, so maybe definitive answer is a bit strong. Truth is, it’s difficult to give you a hard number that applies to each and every home. There are a lot of factors at play here that can change the answer, since each home, heating system, and general daily operation is going to differ.
If you’re fine with a “good enough” answer, it’s best to go ahead and do it every month, or every two months if you’re not in a busy home. But if you want more detail, you’re going to have to consider:
- The type of filter you use. The standard fiberglass filter does a decent job, but it gets gunked and begins losing effectiveness very quickly. If you use these in your home, then monthly is your answer. We’d recommend swapping to pleated filters—they last longer, and do a much better job.
- How busy your home is. Are there a lot of occupants? Pets? Do you smoke in the home? All of these are going to play a part, and the more you say yes, the more often you should be changing your filter.
- Your indoor air quality. If you wrestle with a dusty, musty, or older home, you’ll probably need to change your filters more frequently.
- The local conditions. The spring and summer seasons here in West Chester can be a bit…well, pollinated. In the peak seasons, changing your filter more often will yield some good results.
Why Is This So Important?
If you do any single thing as a homeowner for your HVAC system, this should be it! Why? Because the filter is responsible for a tons of things. An effective filter will:
- Boost energy-efficiency
- Improve air flow
- Protect your system
- Improve indoor air quality
A lot of benefits for one little, inexpensive filter. It’s the reason we really hammer the point home on this one. Ever changed your filter? If not, don’t worry, it’s really easy and takes no time at all! All you need to do is:
- Remove the blower compartment plate—it’s usually on the lower half of a furnace or AC.
- Inspect the current air filter for its size. You may need to measure it yourself, but many display the size in the top corner of the frame.
- Go get filters in the correct size. As we suggested before, pleated filters are the best. Be sure to not get HEPA filters. The rating looks good, but these are for industrial use, and will cause a furnace breakdown in a hurry if used in the home.
- Slide out the old filter, and put the new one in. Replace the cover plate, and you’re done!
HVAC Services in West Chester, Pennsylvania
Has it been a while since you scheduled routine maintenance for your home system? If so, you should get on that! The filter change is critical, but nothing even holds a candle to professional service.
