HVAC Filter Replacement Newport News – HVAC Filter Replacement | How Often Do You Need to Change Your HVAC Filter?

One of the most important things you can do to take good care of your HVAC system is to change your air filter regularly. This keeps everything working properly and helps keep your energy bills low. Unfortunately, it is a task that is easily forgotten by many homeowners for months at a time, leading to higher energy bills and future maintenance issues.

But how often should you change your air filter? How often should you change your furnace filter? Well, it depends. Here are some general rules and recommendations to help you figure out what time frame is best for your HVAC system.

How Often to Change Home Air Filters

It is a general recommendation to change the air filter in your home every 30 days when using less expensive fiberglass filters. High-end pleated filters can last as long as six months, but these typical guidelines assume average use and don’t consider the filter size and type.

Generally, you’ll want to replace pleated air and furnace filters in your home every 90 days. The longer the filter is in place, the more dirt, dust, and allergens are trapped, clogging the filter and decreasing efficiency.

If you answer yes to any of the questions below, you’ll want to replace your filter more often than may be recommended. Find out below if you should replace your filter more often than you think.

Does anyone in your house have allergies and/or asthma?

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA), “indoor air quality is just as important as outdoor air quality. Outdoor air can contain harmful pollution. But indoor air can be worse than outdoor air.”

If there is an asthmatic or allergy sufferer in your home, they are much more sensitive to airborne particulates than those who don’t suffer. If you answer yes to this question, you’ll want to change your filter every six weeks to keep your indoor air quality at its best.

Do you have any pets?

If you own a cat or dog, you know all too well that odor can build up over time and that shedding is at its worst during the change of seasons. If you’re a pet owner, you’ll want to change your air filter every two months, especially when winter turns to spring and summer turns to fall.

Do you have younger children?

When you have young children in your home, you want to keep your indoor air quality at its best. To keep your air quality under control and your home clean, you’ll want to replace your filter at a minimal interval of every 2-3 months.

Things That Can Affect the Lifespan of Your HVAC Air Filter:

1. How often you use your heating and cooling system
If you live in a mild climate and only use your AC or furnace a few hours daily, one filter could last you a whole season or up to a year. On the flip side, if you’re running your HVAC system nearly constantly, the filter will need to be changed every few weeks (especially if you are using fiberglass filters).

2. The size of your house
If you live in a “smaller home,” your air conditioners and furnaces must pump less for the exact temperature change, which could mean fewer filter changes. However, the smaller the appliance used to cool the small space often comes with smaller filters, therefore you may need to change the filter as often as a filter in a larger home.

3. The air quality in your home
The air outside and within your home affects your air filter and furnace filter’s replacement cycle. If you have poor air quality outside or pets inside, you must replace your air filter more frequently.

How to Tell When You Need to Change Your HVAC Air Filter

All the air circulating through your HVAC system to either heat or cool your home will eventually pass through the air filter. This is why keeping your air filters clean and changing them regularly is essential. Dirty, clogged air filters can:

They do not remove particulates and contaminants as effectively as they should, releasing them back into your indoor air (or the air that you and your family breathe).

If dirty, they should be replaced with fresh, clean air filters. When removing the air filter from the air handler, hold it up to a light source to see if it is dirty or clogged—if you can’t see the light through the filter, it will need to be changed.

If you need a HVAC filter replacement call us today, or schedule service online!

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HVAC Filter Replacement Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Tabb, Grafton, Seaford VA

Also, see Home Cooling.