How Often To Change Air Filter Home

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Y'all've probably got plenty of home DIYs on your list, but if you lot're looking for something a little more than productive to do, now is actually a bully time to replace your HVAC (a.1000.a. heating, ventilation, and ac organization) filter. In fact, y'all're probably overdue for a new one! And spring is actually one of the all-time times to make sure y'all've got a fresh new filter.

If you're new to maintaining your HVAC system, don't worry—House Beautiful called in an adept to help: Patrick Van Deventer, product manager for Trane Residential, Indoor Air Quality. Hither's his advice for changing your air filters, some info most why information technology's important and how ofttimes y'all demand to do it, and the steps to get it done yourself—plus, of class, when to call in a pro.

Why Changing Your HVAC Filter Is Important

Air filters are only meant to last for a ready amount of time (or shorter, but more on that after!), and so you need to exist taking note of that engagement when you install them.

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

Serenethos Getty Images

How Ofttimes You Should Change Your Filter

Follow the instructions, simply do it even sooner.

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

"Substantially, the manner that virtually of those filters operate is they accept a porous media that captures the particulates and that blocks the airflow," he explains. They actually filter a trivial better the longer they're in. Only [later on a while] it also starts to really restrict the air flow on your organization], which can crusade other issues."

Factor in things that tin affect your air quality.

"Anytime you lot're aware of more pollutants or particles in the air is a proficient time to alter your filter," Van Deventer says. Allergy and flu seasons, for example, are good times to upgrade to loftier efficiency filters! And if you have any kind of domicile renovation going on that could kick upwards more than grit and dirt than usual.

"I would say if at that place'due south any kind of home renovation where there's drywall—that that'due 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 too say during summertime months, if you've got pets and they're merely shedding a lot more than than usual, that'southward a good time."

If you need a mode to call back, hither's a smart tip: "Anytime you're finding yourself having to vacuum a lot more than, that'd be a good indication that you lot too need to be checking your filter a lot more likewise," 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 might not have your system on at all. "Most thermostats accept an choice to run the fan on a schedule, or every bit continuous fan performance, and so your whole HVAC organisation isn't coming on to cool the abode or heat the home but it'll nonetheless run the fan periodically to wheel the the air," Van Deventer explains.

"Right now, in spring, it's shoulder flavour. Since that's when in that location are a lot of allergens out there, you want to be fugitive that stagnant air in the habitation and running it through your filter."

How to Change Your Air Filter

Information technology'southward really a pretty straightforward process, so it might be easier than yous think.

Make sure your organisation is turned off before you do anything!
Locate your air filter. This will likely exist where your render (where air is drawn back from your home into your system) is, either on the wall or ceiling, with a grille covering. If not, information technology volition be where your air handling unit is, unremarkably in a closet or your basement or attic—you'll find a footling box where the air comes into the unit of measurement.
Remove the grille or open up the box, depending on your system. If you lot have a grille, well-nigh take tabs you tin can pull up to open up, so y'all can access the filter without a screwdriver.
Observe the filter inside. The filter should take the size printed on it, or at the very least, a model number you can look up to identify it. Make sure you buy a filter that'southward the same size.
Remove the dirty filter, and await for any issues. If it'south unusually dirty, for example, that'due south a sign that yous should be replacing it more ofttimes. Yous should also expect for gaps in the filter, which could point that your filter isn't large enough or requires some gasketing to make information technology fit properly.
Put the new filter in, and replace the grille or cover. At present yous're expert to become! Simply mark downwards the date on your calendar so you know when to check it next.

Buying a New HVAC Filter

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

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

Nordic Pure homedepot.com

$43.30

"I suggest trying to non use the cheapest option out at that place," he explains. "So there are those little blue or light-green fiber blazon filters—those really do next to nothing, I would brand sure that yous go a good quality pleated filter instead."

Essentially, you want to expect for a pleated filter that has sturdy wire mesh to support it and then it doesn't collapse. Yous also 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 exist higher up a MERV viii or ix, significant it's going to filter out a lot more of those smaller particles that tin can cause allergies and other issues," he says.

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

Shut-up of a pleated air filter.

Habitation Depot

When to Telephone call in a Pro

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

And of course, while they're in there doing a organization check, they can replace your filters, too.

If you accept any air quality concerns, that's also a good time to bring in a professional, considering it might mean you demand to upgrade your arrangement. "If you withal come across a lot of grit everywhere, are still dealing with difficulty animate, or if y'all've got someone with asthma, you might need to upgrade your air filtration system," he adds.

Every bit for hiring the correct pro, Van Deventer suggests looking for an HVAC contractor with good reviews online: "A reputable HVAC contractor will have a variety of solutions to offer and exist able to come into your home and make an initial assessment on upgrading your system."

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