When Should I Change My Air Conditioner’s Air Filter at Home?

Every once in a while we’re asked what is the best thing that Windsor area homeowner’s can do to protect their air conditioning and heating system between their regular 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 extremely important to the ideal operation of your HVAC system, plus your home’s air quality. Studies show that indoor air pollution is in the top five environmental health risks? You probably don’t consider it as you sit and watch TV, but this is the air you breathe day and night. Changing the air filters is not difficult for most Windsor homeowners, but there are often two hurdles to actually accomplishing this task: 

1. Determining just how often to replace your furnace or air conditioner filter. 

2. Remembering to change air filters when needed. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a timeline printed on the wrapping. It may read “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Look around at the store and you’ll see that some are engineered to only last a month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have produced media air cleaners with filters meant to be exchanged once every 6-12 months. The norm seems to be once every three months for most higher quality filters, but we have a rule of thumb that we recommend our friends, and family to go by. If the filter is dirty, change it! A dirty air filter can contribute or cause damage to pricey parts, like your compressor, so it’s best to change it out more often than not. If you want to listen to the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest writing the date on the filter when you swap it out, and setting a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also note that your filter manufacturer sometimes has a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer. 
 
Deciding how often to change your air filters hinges on several factors: 

• The type of air filter you are using 
• The overall air quality of your Windsor area home 
• Pets – Dogs, cats, etc. 
• Occupancy of the home 

• The level of air pollution and construction around the home 

For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically suggest to change them bi-monthly, which is actually a great rule of thumb. Still, general rules aren’t always for everybody. If you suffer from light to moderate allergies, you might need to upgrade your 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 few automobiles and trucks, replacing your air filters each year may be quite sufficient. Why do pets matter so much? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter in no time, just like a vacuum. Obviously, the air filter is just doing its job by containing pet hair and dander, but exceptionally dirty filters can cause weak HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

• Vacation home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months 
• Common suburban home without pets: Change every 90 days 

• Add a dog or cat: Change every 60 days 
• Multiple pets or have allergies: Change every 30-45 days 

How To Remember To Change Your Air Conditioner’s Air Filters 

Bryant Heating & Cooling Service Experts offers a simple solution; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. This is a convenient way to get money-saving discounts and other helpful information on your smartphone, tablet or desktop. But wait… there’s more, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Windsor area home’s air filter every 30, 60, 90, 120 or 365 days, or the date of your choosing. 

How to replace your return air filter 

Most people know how to replace the air filter in their system, but some homes have an additional filter in the return vent. Whether you have one or not is dependent on which HVAC system you have. Your HVAC is made to handle a maximum amount of pressure in your home, and the more filters you have the more the blower motor works, which can shorten the life of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Finding out whether you have a return filter and replacing it is simple: 

• Go to your return air vents. 

• Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to take off the wall. 

• Inspect for a filter. If one is inside, 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. 

Crazy as it may seem, filters can dramatically impact your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend referring to the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch finer dust will restrict airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes greater pressure on your system, so you ought to verify that your HVAC system was built to handle it. Otherwise, you could experience lowered heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and HVAC parts may break down much faster than the standard.