Among the key things which any homeowner can do to lengthen the lifecycle of an A/C unit and make sure it works just as expected is to merely replace the air filter on a semi-regular basis. That healthy «habit» keeps the unit operating in a proper manner and also aids in keeping one’s electricity bills low. Regrettably, it’s also the thing that gets oftentimes overlooked and disregarded by people for months and months to no end, prompting the bills to get out of hand, along with creating a risk of pricey future repairs.
Still, there’s a question of how often should one change the air filter? Honestly, it varies from case to case. In this article, we’re going to talk about some general guidelines to help one determine which suits best for their very own HVAC unit.
Important Guidelines
It’s a good idea to swap the air filter on a monthly basis if you’re utilizing the considerably cheaper fiber glass/disposable filters. A pricey pleated filter (also called synthetic panel filters) can be replaced every half a year or so, but those generic instructions presume median usage and don’t take into consideration the filter’s measurements and its type.
On average, you ought to swap synthetic panel filters every ninety days. To put it bluntly, the longer one waits, the more rubbish, mold, and allergenic substances get jammed inside, cluttering up a filter and lessening its effectiveness. If your answer is «yes» to whichever questions you see further down, you’ll have to swap the filter more frequently than suggested. Read on in order to learn whether or not you’ll have to replace it every month or less.
Important Questions to Ask
Do you have kids?
In case you have adolescent offspring living at the household, you have got to keep the interior quality of air at the very top level. To prevent it from getting out of hand, you’ll need to swap your filter every two to three months.
Do you own any pets?
In case you got feline or canine companions living with you, you’re well aware of the fact that the smell can accumulate really fast and that excessive shedding is a huge pain to deal with. In case you got domesticated animals living with you, you must swap the filter every sixty days.
Do any of people you live with suffer from an allergy or allergic asthma?
In accordance with information put forth by the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), «interior quality of air is every bit as significant as external air quality. External air might be full of allergy-inducing particles, but the interior air could be even more harmful.» If there’s someone suffering from allergy or asthma living with you, you have to understand that they’re way more susceptible to aerial allergens such as mold and pollen. If there’s indeed someone with these types of issues living with you, you must swap the filter every six weeks to make sure that their quality of air is suitable.
Key Factors Shortening Lifecycle of Filters
1. Home size
In case your house is a small one, the HVAC units need to process less air for the same exact adjustment in temperature, and that means smaller-sized houses require a lesser number of filter replacements.
Nonetheless, small HVAC units are oftentimes fitted with small filters, so maybe you’ll have to replace it just as often as a regular-sized filter in a bigger house.
2. Quality of air
Quality of air is a major influence on the filter’s replacement cycle. Here, we’re talking about both interior and outdoor air. In case you have poor-quality air outside or domesticated animals in the house, you’ll have to replace it more often.
3. Usage
In case you live in a moderate climate and turn the HVAC unit for a couple of hours per day only, a filter might hypothetically last up to twelve months. At the same time, if you’re using your unit/system almost 24/7, best bet would be to swap your filter every fourteen days (that’s rings especially true in case you’ve a synthetic panel type).
How Can One Tell That Filter Has to be Replaced?
All the air which travels thru an HVAC unit to either lower or increase the temperature of the household will ultimately go thru the filter. That’s the main reason why it’s so vital to keep them fresh and swap them systematically. Unclean, jammed filters could:
* Be unable to eliminate allergy-inducing particles and pollutants as efficiently as you would expect, ultimately releasing them back into the living space for your loved ones to «enjoy.»
* Lead to breakdowns and damage to your unit/system.
* Lead to bigger electricity bills due to the equipment being forced to work «overtime.»
* Lessen the system’s inner air circulation, increasing the wear and tear on the fans and, therefore, rendering them unusable.
* Lead to the build-up of pollutants in ductwork.
The filters need to be checked at least one time in the span of thirty days. In case they’re unclean, they must be swapped. When examining your air filter, there’s a great way to tell if it’s dirty or not – hold it up against a source of light to ascertain if it’s unclean or jammed: in case you can’t see a thing thru it, then it needs to be replaced, without any doubt.
Ace Air Has Filters to Suit All Types of HVAC Systems
It doesn’t really matter what kind of a system you’ve set up at your house, it definitely needs a high-quality filter which suits it perfectly so that your interior air will be clean. Finding the right one also helps the unit attain its max effectiveness, helping you save money along the way. We can supply you with the best-suited filter for the HVAC unit or system and we can even replace it for you.
Do not hesitate – give us a call at 714-786-8225. We’ll be more than happy to address any HVAC filter issues you might have.
