When Should I Change My Air Conditioner’s Air Filter at Home?
Sometimes 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 scheduled tune-ups? It’s a simple question with a simple answer; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Replacing furnace and return air filters is crucial to the effectiveness of your HVAC system, in addition to your home’s air quality. Did you know indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental health risks? We know it’s the last thing on your mind, but this is really important stuff. Changing the air filters is not a tough thing to do for most Fort Lauderdale homeowners, but there are typically two obstacles to actually accomplishing this task:
- Determining just how often to change your furnace or air conditioner filter.
- Remembering to change air filters when needed.
When To Change Your Air Filters
Most filters have a printed “expiration” date on the box or plastic. It may read “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Check out the filters at the store and you should see that some are engineered to only last a single month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have created media air cleaners with filters meant to be swapped once every 6-12 months. The standard seems to be once every few months for most higher quality filters, but we have a rule of thumb that we tell our readers to go by. If they’re dirty, change them! A dirty air filter can exacerbate or cause damage to expensive parts, like your compressor, so it’s better to change it out more often than neglect it. If you want to follow the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest scribbling the date on the filter when you swap it out, and programming a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Keep in mind that your filter manufacturer sometimes has a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer.
Figuring out how often to change your air filters can depend on several factors:
- Type of filter your A/C system requires
- The overall air quality of your Fort Lauderdale area home
- Pets – Dogs, cats, etc.
- Number of occupants in the house
- General air pollution in the Fort Lauderdale area or construction taking place nearby
For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically tell you to change them every 30-60 days, which is actually a great rule of thumb. Still, generalities may not be suitable for your specific needs. If you suffer from 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 with little auto traffic, replacing your air filters each year 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. Obviously, the air filter is just doing its job by trapping pet hair and dander, but exceptionally dirty filters can cause seriously reduced HVAC performance.
In summary:
- Seldom used 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
- More than one pet 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. This is a great to receive discounts on service, tips and other helpful information directly to your email. In addition, 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 any date you find most convenient.
How to replace your return air filter
Most of you know how to replace the air filter in their system, but some residences have an additional filter in the return ductwork. Whether you have one or not is dependent on which HVAC system you have. Your unit is engineered to handle a set amount of pressure in your house, and the more filters you have the more the blower motor works, which can decrease the lifespan of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Learning whether you have a return filter and replacing it is easy:
- Find your return air vents.
- Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to pull off the wall.
- Inspect for a filter. If one is in place, pull it out and note 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.
Amazing as it may seem, filters can dramatically affect your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend asking the manufacturer. A higher quality HEPA filter that is designed to catch smaller debris will restrict 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 may experience uneven heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and unit parts may break down much faster than normal.
