Generally, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing the air filter every 90 days or 3 months. This may vary depending on the location of your home, if you have pets, and the age of your system and equipment. The only way to be sure how often the air filter needs to be changed is to perform a visual inspection of the filter every month. After a few months, you'll get an idea of how quickly it gets dirty and need to re-evaluate if you're going to have a new pet or if the outside air quality has been poor.
The type and thickness of the filter can affect how often you need to replace it. As a general rule, it's a good idea to replace your HVAC system's air filter every month. However, several factors can affect this time. For example, in Florida, during the warmer months of the year, you probably use your cooling system a lot while during mild winters, you may not use your HVAC system much.
During the times you use your system frequently, you can even benefit from replacing your filters every few weeks instead of every month. The MERV rating is a scale from 1 to 20 that evaluates how well an air filter can remove particles from the air. Cats and dogs generally lose more hair when winter turns to spring and summer to fall, which are key times to replace the filter. Compared to other DIY projects for the home, changing air filters is a quick and painless process that can be done in less than an hour.
When you change your air filter, you allow more air to flow through the system with lower energy consumption, which translates into better circulation, cleaner air and a lower electricity bill. To determine when to replace an old filter, it's important to consider several factors such as location of your home, if you have pets, age of your system and equipment, type and thickness of the filter, MERV rating, home occupancy and outdoor air quality. If you have allergies and are sensitive to air pollutants, it's a good idea to change your air filters every 30 to 45 days. Children are more sensitive than adults to indoor air pollutants, such as mold, dust mites, dander and pollen, so make your home an oasis by using quality air filters and replacing them before they become too clogged and dirty. If you live alone without pets and with good surrounding outdoor air quality, the manufacturer's recommendations for changing filters are likely to work well for you.
After a period of smoke-filled days with poor outdoor air quality, inspect the air filter to see if it needs to be replaced. If you want a dog or cat that is hypoallergenic or doesn't lose hair or hair, you may not need to replace your air filter as much. In conclusion, it's recommended that homeowners change their air filters every three months as a general rule. However, there are certain factors that can affect this time such as location of your home, if you have pets, age of your system and equipment, type and thickness of the filter, MERV rating, home occupancy and outdoor air quality. If you have allergies or small children in the house it's a good idea to use high-quality pleated air filters and change them more often.
