How Often To Change Air Filter House

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You lot've probably got enough of home DIYs on your list, but if you're looking for something a little more productive to do, now is really a smashing time to supplant your HVAC (a.k.a. heating, ventilation, and ac system) filter. In fact, you're probably overdue for a new 1! And spring is really one of the best times to make sure yous've got a fresh new filter.

If you're new to maintaining your HVAC system, don't worry—House Beautiful called in an good to help: Patrick Van Deventer, production managing director for Trane Residential, Indoor Air Quality. Here'southward his communication for changing your air filters, some info most why it's important and how often you need to do information technology, and the steps to go it done yourself—plus, of class, when to phone call in a pro.

Why Changing Your HVAC Filter Is Important

Air filters are only meant to last for a set corporeality of time (or shorter, only more on that afterwards!), and so you demand to exist taking notation of that date when you lot install them.

"[Not changing your filter soon enough] could accept adverse effects on your HVAC equipment and your comfort," Van Deventer explains. "If it goes too long, filters tin load too much and collapse, and that can be really bad cause you may not know it. it could get lodged in your fan, or create a large gap where air but goes around the filter and doesn't get filtered in at all at that point." If your filter isn't actually filtering, information technology tin can affect your wellness and cause animate issues, particularly for people with allergies or asthma.

Serenethos Getty Images

How Often You Should Alter Your Filter

Follow the instructions, but do it even sooner.

When y'all buy a new filter, the packaging volition state how long it should last. But don't wait until that date to modify it! Van Deventer says you should take that date as "the absolute maximum" and change your filter even earlier.

"Essentially, the mode that almost of those filters operate is they have a porous media that captures the particulates and that blocks the airflow," he explains. They actually filter a little amend the longer they're in. But [after a while] it also starts to really restrict the air catamenia on your system], which tin cause other issues."

Cistron in things that tin can impact your air quality.

"Anytime you're aware of more than pollutants or particles in the air is a good fourth dimension to modify your filter," Van Deventer says. Allergy and flu seasons, for example, are good times to upgrade to high efficiency filters! And if you take any kind of home renovation going on that could kick up more dust and dirt than usual.

"I would say if at that place'southward any kind of dwelling house renovation where there's drywall—that that'south a huge one that sometimes people don't realize volition get sucked into air returns and immediately block up your filter," he notes. "I'd also say during summertime months, if you've got pets and they're only shedding a lot more than usual, that's a adept time."

If yous need a manner to recall, hither'south a smart tip: "Anytime you lot're finding yourself having to vacuum a lot more, that'd be a good indication that you also need to exist checking your filter a lot more as well," Van Deventer says.

Consider seasonal changes.

During spring and fall, when it's relatively balmy outside, your air-conditioning and heating may not be running so you lot might non accept your system on at all. "Well-nigh thermostats accept an option to run the fan on a schedule, or as continuous fan performance, so your whole HVAC organization isn't coming on to cool the home or heat the dwelling but it'll still run the fan periodically to cycle the the air," Van Deventer explains.

"Right now, in spring, it's shoulder flavor. Since that'southward when at that place are a lot of allergens out there, y'all want to be avoiding that stagnant air in the home and running information technology through your filter."

How to Change Your Air Filter

It's actually a pretty straightforward procedure, and so it might exist easier than you think.

Make certain your system is turned off before you lot practise anything!
Locate your air filter. This volition likely exist where your return (where air is drawn back from your home into your arrangement) is, either on the wall or ceiling, with a grille covering. If non, it volition exist where your air handling unit is, usually in a closet or your basement or attic—y'all'll detect a little box where the air comes into the unit.
Remove the grille or open up the box, depending on your organization. If you have a grille, most take tabs you lot can pull up to open, so you can access the filter without a screwdriver.
Find the filter inside. The filter should have the size printed on it, or at the very least, a model number you can look up to identify it. Brand sure you buy a filter that's the aforementioned size.
Remove the dirty filter, and look for whatsoever issues. If it's unusually dirty, for instance, that'due south a sign that you should be replacing it more than frequently. You should also expect for gaps in the filter, which could bespeak that your filter isn't big enough or requires some gasketing to go far fit properly.
Put the new filter in, and replace the grille or encompass. Now you lot're practiced to go! Just mark down the engagement on your calendar and so you know when to check information technology next.

Buying a New HVAC Filter

Yous already know that to find the correct size filter, you tin can look at the information printed on your current one. But if yous're not sure what kind of filter to buy, Van Deventer has some tips.

Allergen Pleated MERV 12 - FPR 9 Air Filters (6-Pack)

Nordic Pure homedepot.com

$43.30

"I advise trying to non use the cheapest choice out at that place," he explains. "So there are those piddling blue or green fiber type filters—those really do next to nothing, I would make sure that you become a skilful quality pleated filter instead."

Essentially, you want to look for a pleated filter that has sturdy wire mesh to support information technology so it doesn't collapse. You besides want it to have a high MERV rating, Van Deventer adds. (MERV stands for "minimum efficiency reporting value," FYI.)

"A expert quality filter is going to be to a higher place a MERV eight or nine, significant it's going to filter out a lot more than of those smaller particles that tin can cause allergies and other bug," he says.

If you're unsure and don't feel comfortable picking out a new filter yourself, y'all can always telephone call in a professional to assistance y'all.

Close-up of a pleated air filter.

Abode Depot

When to Call in a Pro

Van Deventer says that so long as you're comfy locating and changing the filter yourself—and you're not noticing any symptoms that could be related to indoor air quality—yous don't need to call in a professional person. That said, regardless of whether or non you're a filter-changing pro at this point, it'southward a good idea to have an HVAC contractor check on your organisation twice a year. This should be done before the cooling season and before the heating flavor.

And of course, while they're in there doing a arrangement check, they tin can supersede your filters, too.

If you lot have whatsoever air quality concerns, that'due south also a adept fourth dimension to bring in a professional person, considering it might mean you need to upgrade your system. "If yous however see a lot of dust everywhere, are still dealing with difficulty breathing, or if y'all've got someone with asthma, yous might demand to upgrade your air filtration system," he adds.

As for hiring the right pro, Van Deventer suggests looking for an HVAC contractor with expert reviews online: "A reputable HVAC contractor will have a variety of solutions to offering and be able to come into your dwelling and make an initial cess on upgrading your system."

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