How Often Should I Change the Air Filters in My HVAC System?

There are a lot of things that can go wrong when it comes to taking care of your HVAC system in your home. When it is working well, you will be able to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer without a lot of problems along the way. But when things go poorly, you could be left stranded until someone is able to get out to your property to take a look and to help. While some of the problems that will happen with your system will be hard to work with on your own, one simple thing that you can put your focus on is the air filter. Sometimes the problems you will have with your HVAC system is that the air filter is getting old or it is all clogged up. The good news is that if this is the problem, simply cleaning it off or getting a new one can fix the problem and you won’t have to worry about hiring a technician to come out and do the work for you. But how often should you change the air filters and when do you know that this work needs to be done?

When Should I Change the Air Filter?

While each system is going to be unique and different, you should consider changing out the air filter every three months on most systems. This is about every 90 days. You can set it up so that your phone or calendar will let you know when you are getting close so you can run out to the store and get a new one.

When swapping out for a new air filter, it is a good idea to consider how the different air filters are going to operate so that you can pick one that will give you higher air quality. Pleated air filters, for example, are going to offer you a higher filtration quality compared to some of the others. But they can also be more expensive.

You will need to weigh the pros and cons of each one to see which is going to stand out the most for you and what provides the best value. Look at your HVAC system as well to see if there are any special recommendations they would like you to follow. This is also a good way to make sure that you get the right size of filter for thee system you have.

Why Should I Change My HVAC Air Filter?

Now that we know a bit more about when to change the air filter, you may want to learn more about why it is so important to do this. You have a large HVAC system, even in a smaller home, so it seems a bit silly to worry about such a small component. But even though the air filter is a smaller part of the system, it is important and failure to take care of it and change it out when necessary can cause some damage to the whole system.

Failure to take care of and replace the air filters in a timely manner will result in some problems such as;

# Higher expenses: When the air filters are left in too long, they will get clogged up. This will force the whole system to work harder to pull in the hot or cold air to the different rooms of the home. Your system will run longer and harder when you leave the air filter rather than replacing it, which can result in energy bills that are higher.

# Higher health risk: If the air filter is not doing the job that you expect, the it could increase how much dust, allergens, and other contaminants are inside of it. This can cause allergies, some issues with your health, and more. It is easier to just change out the filter so you will not have this problem.

# Premature system failure: If you wait too long for  the air filter to get changed, then you are basically forcing the equipment to work twice as hard to keep you comfortable. When the system is working too hard, then it is going to break down faster than before, which can spell disaster for you and a lot of money.

Are There Times I Should Change the Air Filter Sooner?

Most homeowners will need to change the air filters every three months or so. But there are some situations where you may want to consider doing this more often. These include:

# You have pets: If you have any pets in the home, then the filter may need to be changed more often to handle the dirt and hair that they have.

# Allergies: If you tend to suffer from allergies, then you may want to change out the filters more often to make sure you are safe. Consider doing it every 50 days instead of 90.

# Children: Those with younger kids in the home could consider doing the filters every two months to keep with a higher air quality as the child grows.

# The use of the system: If your HVAC system is only used on occasion, such as for a vacation home, then you can probably wait longer to replace the filters, waiting six to 12 months instead of doing it every three months.

When it comes to how comfortable and safe you are in your home or office, you need to make sure that the air conditioner and the heater are working to their full potential. There are a few things that you can do, such as changing out the air filter and having someone come and service the HVAC system each year, but sometimes you need to call in the professionals to make sure that you get it done right the first time. At Mountainside Air Conditioning Repair, we are here to help. We know that you have a lot of options when it comes to the heating and cooling of your home, but we want to be here to make it as simple as possible. Trust us to keep that air conditioner running well all summer long. Contact us today to learn more.