Your HVAC technician has likely lectured you on the importance of changing your air filter every 3 months or 90 days. But what happens if you let that time go by? As an expert in the field of air filtration, I'm here to explain why it's important to replace your air filter regularly and how often you should do it. In the case of basic 1 to 3 air filters, brands usually recommend that you change them every 30 or 90 days. If any member of your family has mild to moderate allergies, you can put a better air filter on them or change them even more often.
A general rule of thumb for pleated air filters (such as those made by FilterBuy) is to change them every 90 days. As the filter traps more dirt, dust and allergens from the air, filter efficiency decreases. You usually need to replace a fiberglass air filter approximately once every 30 days or as recommended by the manufacturer. A pleated air filter should be replaced approximately once every three to six months. However, the frequency of air filter replacement depends on several important factors, such as the home, the occupants and their location. The most important thing to remember about air filters is to change them regularly.
In general, it is recommended to change residential air filters every 30 days when using regular fiberglass filters. When air filters remain unchanged, dust, pollen, dirt, and other contaminants accumulate and decrease filter efficiency. On the other hand, more expensive pleated filters can work well if you replace them once every three to six months. The MERV rating is a scale from 1 to 20 and evaluates how well an air filter can remove particulates from the air. In general, filters with higher MERV indexes are more capable of trapping small particles than filters with lower MERV indexes. If an air filter is not replaced, the appliance will attract more particles from the surrounding air, making it inefficient.
Another crucial home maintenance job that every homeowner should know about is changing the oven air filter. If this is the case, you'll likely notice that you're dusting more often and that air quality seems to have dropped, making things difficult for people with allergies or respiratory conditions. Dirty or clogged filters can negatively affect air quality and, in addition, overload the air conditioning system, resulting in decreased efficiency and potential damage. In most cases, air filters with a MERV rating equal to or lower than 16 are designed for residential, commercial, and institutional HVAC systems. MERV 17 to MERV 20 filters are commonly used in operating rooms, clean rooms and other settings that require absolute cleaning.
They are not used to purify the air you breathe, but to protect sensitive components of the air conditioning system. When it comes time to buy new air filters for your HVAC system, you need to consider a few things. The usual recommendations range from every 30 days for cheaper fiberglass filters (which often don't filter very well), to 6 months for high-end pleated filters. This type has filtering capabilities similar to those of the MERV 8, but with greater efficiency for filtering pet fur. Invented in 1902 by Willis Carrier, air filters work by transferring unwanted components of the air from indoor to outdoor spaces. Air filters are designed to allow air to flow freely through them while at the same time trapping dust, dirt, bacteria and other contaminants. It's essential that homeowners understand why it's important to replace their air filters.
Not only does this help keep your home clean and free of allergens and pollutants but it also helps keep your HVAC system running efficiently. Regularly replacing your air filter will help ensure that your HVAC system runs smoothly and efficiently while also improving indoor air quality.
