If you have a heating or cooling system in your home, there’s a good chance it has an air filter. This filter is responsible for trapping particles in the air and keeping them from recirculating into your home. Some of the most common airborne contaminants include dust and debris, but you could also be dealing with pet dander, mold spores, and pollen, depending on your situation.
As you may or may not know, this filter needs to be changed regularly. If you neglect this simple maintenance task, a clogged filter can lead to poor indoor air quality, higher energy bills, and malfunctioning HVAC systems.
So, how often should you change your HVAC filter? The answer to this question can depend on a few factors. If you’re eager to learn more about this subject, let’s discuss how often to change HVAC filters in more detail below.
How Does an HVAC Filter Work?
The air conditioner and furnace filters that homeowners use work in the same way. But what can you expect from these crucial pieces of equipment?
Consider using this helpful guide to learn more about HVAC air filters and why they’re so important:
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How Often Should You Replace Your Air Filter?
It’s no secret that you should change your HVAC air filter on a routine basis to keep your heating and cooling systems running as efficiently as possible. However, it can be stressful to know precisely when you should be swapping out the filter.
As a general rule of thumb, most professional technicians will recommend that homeowners replace the filter at least once every 90 days. Of course, this is a general guideline and shouldn’t be your be-all-end-all. You should consider various other factors as well, such as your filter type, predisposition to allergies, and home size.
Consider Your Filter Type
Knowing how often to change HVAC filters can seem overwhelming, especially if this is a maintenance task that you’ve been putting off for a long time. Fortunately, you can create an easy schedule for yourself based on the type of filter you use.
First and foremost, you should find out which type of filter you’ve been using. If you’ve been using a flat type of filter, you’ll most likely want to swap out the filter every one to two months. However, if your filter is made out of pleated material, frequent filter changes won’t be necessary. In fact, most pleated air filters can go 90 days or longer without being replaced. That’s because pleated filters have more space for trapping particles.
Think About Allergies & Asthma
Although it’s important to think about the type of filter you use, allergies and asthma can also impact how often you should change your HVAC filter. If one or more of your family members experiences asthma or has allergies, you’ll most likely want to consider changing your air filter every 30 days or so.
The longer you go without replacing the air filter, the dirtier it can get. When a dirty air filter is blocked with pet hair, pollen, and various other pollutants, this can, unfortunately, trigger asthma and allergy symptoms.
When learning how often to change HVAC filters, don’t forget to consider the individual needs of your household. Dirty filters can lead to various ailments, including respiratory problems.
Don’t Overlook Your Home’s Size
Believe it or not, the size of your home can also impact how often you should change your HVAC filter. For example, if you live in a smaller home, there will be less foot traffic — which means there are fewer contaminants being brought into your living spaces and tracked onto your flooring. As a result, you can usually go longer without replacing your air filter.
If you have a larger home, there’s a good chance that many airborne pollutants are being brought into your living spaces every day. As such, you’ll want to consider changing the air filter every 60 days or so. Of course, you should also consider other factors, such as your filter type, before creating your filter replacement schedule.
Replace Your HVAC System for a Free Filter Upgrade!
As you can see, many factors can affect how often you should change your HVAC filter. Although you might be tempted to overlook this simple maintenance task, many HVAC companies in Frisco, TX, will emphasize its importance. You should create a schedule that meets your needs to keep your indoor air quality and HVAC systems in the best possible condition.
Now that you know how often to change HVAC filters, don’t miss out on Tempo Air’s current special. Right now, we’re offering a FREE filter upgrade with the purchase of an air conditioning and heating system!*
Tempo Air is here for all of your heating and cooling needs. Whether you need an HVAC replacement or furnace repair in Irving, TX, or the surrounding area, we’ll get the job done to your satisfaction.
Contact us to schedule your air conditioning and heating system replacement and receive your free filter upgrade today!
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