How Often Should You Change Your HVAC Filter?
The HVAC filter in your heating and cooling system is responsible for treating the air that enters your home via air ducts. When installed properly and maintained on a regular basis, these filters can significantly improve the indoor air quality.
Depending on your lifestyle and whether or not you have pets, you may not be aware of how often you should change your HVAC filter. Consider some of these important facts to help you with this issue.
Dealing With Allergies
If you or a family member suffers from allergies, you know how important it is to breathe in clean air. While your heating and cooling system is designed to process air and strip away those allergens before they enter the house, if your HVAC filter is not replaced on a regular basis, the indoor air quality could be as bad as outside.
The air filter should be checked monthly and replaced no later than three months. If the filter is dirty, it needs to be replaced because your air handler will eventually push those contaminants through the filter and into the air duct system.. Eventually each room will be full of pollen and allergens.
Your Family Pet
The dander from your family pet not only sits on your upholstery, carpeting, and flooring, it eventually travels through the air system where it is captured by the HVAC filter. A dirty air filter not only causes your system to work harder, it means the dander is not being removed and simply accumulates in your home.
The more pets you have, the more contaminants are in the air. Contact your local HVAC repair company and allow them to inspect your system and make the appropriate recommendation as to how often the filter should be replaced. They may even recommend a better quality filter to remove more of those particles from the air.
Maybe you are too busy at work to vacuum and dust the home as often as you should. Maybe you like the air set very low to cool the house. The longer the unit runs and the more particles it has to process, the more often your filter must be changed.
Make a note on your calendar to check it once a month, or schedule preventative maintenance with your local HVAC repair company so that you no longer have to worry if your system is running efficiently while you work.
Be mindful of what goes into your lungs! Call Daniel’s Heating and Air Conditioning at (505) 898-8860 for air quality services in the Albuquerque area.
