Your HVAC system is made of many different components to keep your home cool or warm. There are also parts of this system to keep your home full of clean, breathable air. To ensure the air inside your home remains clean and breathable, your HVAC system uses air filters.
Air filters can come in many different varieties. Some are UV-based, and others might be HEPA. There are also the usual pleated or fiberglass air filters. Regardless of the kind of air filter your HVAC system has, there will come a time when it’ll need to be changed. That’s why today you will learn the answer to the question: how often should air filters be changed?
Cleaning vs. Changing Air Filters
Before answering our big question for today, let’s go over the difference between cleaning and changing air filters. For starters, it’s understandable to assume that cleaning air filters will be just as effective and save you both time and money. However, that is only the case for certain types of air filters. If your air filters are disposable or made of disposable material, cleaning them won’t make a difference, so they’ll need to be changed. Permanent air filters can usually be cleaned as they will last longer than their disposable counterparts.
How Often Should Air Filters Be Changed?
Now it’s time to answer the question: how often should air filters be changed? To answer this question accurately, you must account for what kind of air filter is involved in any given situation. Where disposable air filters are concerned, they need to be changed anywhere from every thirty days up to every ninety days, depending on the brand. If your air filters are already damaged or full of dust and debris before that time, change them immediately. Because each air filter is different, pay close attention to what is specified in the user manual.
How To Maintain Air Filters
If you are keen to get the most use out of your air filters for their full lifespan, you can do some maintenance tasks that will allow them to last longer. You can check out your air filters every so often to get rid of any signs of accumulating dust or debris. You can also clean out said dust and debris and make sure that your air filters are working properly. Your best course of action is to consult the appropriate user manual for what you can do for your specific air filters.
What Happens When Filters Aren’t Changed?
If you don’t change your air filters, the consequences can range from mild to dire. Leaving your air filters unchanged can lead to health issues such as allergies or respiratory problems. You could also be subjecting yourself to a higher-than-normal energy bill. In addition to health issues and expensive bills, leaving your air filters unchanged can also cause your entire HVAC system to fail. As explained earlier, your HVAC system requires many different parts to work, so one part failing can create a domino effect that will end in an HVAC system failure. The costs that could be required to return your whole HVAC system to working order make changing your air filters on time absolutely critical.
Get Your Air Filters Serviced By Fresh Air Duct Cleaning!
The short answer to how often should air filters be changed is anywhere from thirty to ninety days. The long answer: it depends on your air filters. As long as you stay on top of making sure this element of your HVAC system is in shape, you shouldn’t need to worry about any problems with maintaining good indoor air quality. If you ever find that you need your air filters serviced, contact us today, and we will send our best technicians to check out your HVAC system.