When Should I Change My Air Conditioner’s Air Filter at Home?
Occassionally we’re asked what is the best thing that Fort Lauderdale area homeowner’s can do to maintain their air conditioning and heating system between their seasonal tune-ups? It’s a simple question with a simple answer; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Buying new furnace and return air filters is extremely important to the effectiveness of your HVAC system, in addition to your home’s air quality. Research suggests that indoor air pollution is in the top five environmental health risks? You probably don’t consider it as you sit and watch TV, but this is the air you breathe day and night. Changing the air filters is not difficult for most Fort Lauderdale homeowners, but there are often two challenges to actually getting it done:
- Determining just how often to swap out your furnace or air conditioner filter.
- Replacing them at the proper time.
When To Change Your Air Filters
Most filters have a recommended guideline on the packaging. It may instruct “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Look around at the store and you should see that some are meant to only last one month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have produced media air cleaners with filters meant to be swapped once every 6-12 months. The norm seems to be once every three months for most higher quality filters, but we have a rule of thumb that we tell our friends, and family to go by. If it’s dirty, change it! A dirty air filter can contribute or cause damage to pricey components, like your compressor, so it’s better to change it out more often than to let it go. If you want to follow the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest writing the date on the filter when you swap it out, and setting a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also note that your filter manufacturer may have a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer.
Deciding how often to change your air filters hinges on several factors:
- The type of air filter you are using
- The entire air quality of your Fort Lauderdale area home
- Pets – Birds, cats, dogs, hamsters (do you have one?), etc.
- Occupancy of the home
- General air pollution in the Fort Lauderdale area or construction taking place nearby
For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the OEM specs basically suggest to change them bi-monthly, which is actually a great rule of thumb. But generalities may not be suitable for your specific needs. If you have to endure light to moderate allergies, you might require an upgraded air filter or change them even more regularly than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a remote area, own a seldom occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area where there are fewer cars around, changing your air filter every 12-months may be quite sufficient. Why do we call out our beloved pets? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter fast. Of course, the air filter is just doing its job by capturing pet hair and dander, but extremely dirty filters can cause seriously reduced HVAC performance.
In summary:
- Infrequently occupied home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months
- Typical suburban home without pets: Change every 90 days
- Add a dog or cat: Change every 60 days
- Several pets or have allergies: Change every 30-45 days
How To Remember To Change Your Air Conditioner’s Air Filters
It’s simple; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. When you do, you can elect to receive (or not) great email coupons and newsletters with a lot of tips and discounts on AC repairs and tune-ups. Also, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Fort Lauderdale area home’s air filter every 30, 60, 90, 120 or 365 days, or the date of your choosing.
How to replace your return air filter
Most of you know how to replace the air filter in their unit, but some homes have another filter in the return ducts. Whether you have one or not is dependent on what your unit’s manufacturer recommends. Your unit is engineered to handle a maximum amount of pressure in your home, and the more filters you have the harder the blower motor works, which can shorten the lifespan of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Learning whether you have a return filter and replacing it is a piece of cake:
- Locate your return air vents.
- Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to remove from the wall.
- Check for a filter. If one is there, pull it out and write down the size.
- Verify the filter type is the one recommended by the manufacturer.
- If the filter is dirty, replace with the manufacturer’s recommended filter of the same size and type.
Crazy as it may seem, filters can really impact your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend referring to the manufacturer. A top tier HEPA filter that is designed to catch tinier particles will reduce airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes greater pressure on your system, so you need to verify that your HVAC system was made to handle it. Otherwise, you could experience uneven heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and system parts may wear out much faster than otherwise.
