When you want to keep your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit running effectively and efficiently, you need to keep it well maintained. Whether you’re planning on doing the easier parts of the maintenance yourself or hiring out your HVAC system maintenance to a professional service company, maintaining your system is the best way to keep it working well. One big part of your maintenance schedule is replacing your air filter.
Replacing your air filter is a fairly straightforward process; simply remove the old filter and replace it with a new one. Most people are commonly confused about the timing of filter replacement. Let’s take a good look at how often you should replace your air filter for your HVAC system.
Air filter replacement based on:
Time
Most air filters should be checked on a monthly basis. If it’s dirty, change it. More advanced air filter systems may require monthly changes, as their smaller pores clog more quickly. At an absolute minimum, you’ll need to change the filter at the beginning of the season. Your air conditioning service company can make good recommendations based on your unit and existing conditions.
Surrounding conditions
Do you live near a dusty area or have problems with mold on your filters? You may need to replace your filter more frequently, as your filter clogs faster or becomes unusable.
HVAC use
How often do you use your HVAC system? If you only use it during the most extreme weather of the year, you may not need to replace your filter as often. Just be mindful of your use and how often your system is running so that you can better predict when a new filter may be necessary.
Personal need or preference
Do you have specific allergies or a sensitive nose? You may need to replace your air filter more frequently to stay on top of these issues. This is especially true if you’re using a filter to remove certain allergens from the air.
Why is it important to replace your air filter when it starts to clog? Because a clogged filter keeps your system from operating efficiently and makes the system work harder to achieve the same results. Now that you have a few ideas on how often you should replace your HVAC unit’s air filter, it’s time to put a plan into action. Get the parts you need and take a few minutes to change out your filter or contact us for an appointment so that your system continues performing at its best.
