How Often Should I Change My Air Filter?
Do you want to breathe easy? We do! All too often homeowners pick the air filter that fits the air duct and while this strategy saves time, it doesn’t do much to improve your health or save money on your energy bill. One of the easiest ways to ensure that the air quality in your home remains purified is as simple as changing out your air filter consistently. Exactly how often should you change your air filter? The answer is: it depends.
Types of Air Filters
One of the main things to consider is what your air filter is made out of. There are several types of air filters commonly found in HVAC systems. This includes polyester and pleated filters, fiberglass filters, high efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filters, and lastly washable air filters.
A polyester or pleated filter is made up of cotton or polyester-blend fabric. Typically, it has higher resistance to airflow and has a lifespan of 30 days. A fiberglass filter is the most commonly used filter, and is made up of layered fiberglass fibers. This filter is not the best if you have allergies, but is prime in filtering out large dust particles. A HEPA filter, one of the more expensive filters can capture up to 99.7 percent of all contaminants and its recommended with those suffering from allergies. Lastly, there are washable air filters, although not as common as the ones listed above, they can last for years if properly maintained.
Frequency of Change
How often you change your air filter can also be determined by the manufacturers or the size of the filter. For example, filters ranging in the 1”-3” size should be changed every one to two months. Another scenario where the air filter would need to be changed less frequently would be if you live in a residence with few people living it, have no pets and live in a less polluted area. On the other hand, if you or someone in your residence suffers from allergies, upgrading the air filter or changing the air filters out more frequently might be necessary.
Rules of Thumb
These are just a few of the many factors to consider when deciding if it’s time to replace your air filter. If you aren’t sure about these details regarding your air filter, here is a handy point of reference you can use for your home.
- A vacation home or single occupant and no pets or allergies can be changed every 6-12 months.
- The “Average” suburban home without pets should consider changing it every 90 days
- If you have a dog or a cat, look to change the filter every 60 days
- Add more than one pet or anyone that has allergies, you’ll want to change it much more frequently. Think 20-45 days.
Of course, there are some things you will want a professional opinion on no matter what. If you are having issues with air filters or other HVAC issues, contact the experts at SameDay Heating & Air. To learn more about our services and offers, give us a call today at (801) 726-3329.
