Replacing your air filter is an essential part of keeping your HVAC system updated and working correctly. However, it’s a significant task that most homeowners forget to do which can cause their energy bills to increase drastically leading to a variety of maintenance problems. But, how often should you change your air filter? We’ll discover the answer below with Beam HVAC!
In General
When it comes down to it, you should replace and change your air filter depending on the type of filter you use and how dirty your home is. For example, if your house is relatively clean and the filter doesn’t have to work as hard, you’re not going to have to change the filter as frequently. Your filters MERV Rating is another a good way to help judge the effectiveness of the filter. MERV means Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value which was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers - ASHRAE. MERV values vary from 1 to 16. The higher the MERV value is the value the more efficient the filter will be in trapping airborne particles. Below, are a few other factors you should consider when determining how often your air filter should be changed.
Allergies in the Family
If someone in your family has allergies or asthma, they may be more sensitive to particles in the air of pollutants that could spread around due to an unchanged air filter. If anyone in your family has allergies, you should try to change the air filter every six weeks, to ensure that your home has the best air quality to suit their needs.
Number of Pets
If you have pets, you know how much they can shed, which can put a toll on your HVAC system’s air filter. If you have a few pets, you should change your air filter every several months. For example, having your filter changed in the Spring and then in the Fall would be a wise choice. However, if you have a particular breed of pet that sheds more than average, you should consider changing your air filter more frequently than that.
The Frequency Use Your HVAC System
Another factor that will determine how often you should change your air filter is how much you use your HVAC. There’s a wide range for homeowners, from a few hours a season to full-time for an entire year. Obviously, if you run your HVAC system continuously for a year, you’re going to have to change it more often than running it minimally for a year. However, in most, cases changing the filter all comes down to how much you use your heating and cooling system.
House Size
When figuring out how often to change your air filter, contact Beam HVAC. The larger your house is, the more often you’ll need to change it since there will be more pollutants and particles in the air that your HVAC system will need to filter. For smaller homes that require less usage of the cooling and heating systems, you’ll have to change the filter much less often.
There are quite a few factors that determine how often you should change your HVAC’s air filter, from the size of your home to what allergies your family has. Hopefully, this guide could help you figure out how frequently your air filter should be changed in your home. It’s never a bad idea to change your filter heading into a new season.