When it comes to maintaining your home's air quality, one of the most important things to consider is how often you should replace your air filters. The general consensus is that you should replace your home air filter every 3 months, or 90 days. But what happens if you let that time go by for a while? Before we talk about WHEN you should change your air filter, let's start with the WHY. Both washable and disposable HVAC filters require regular maintenance.
Replacing disposable filters is relatively easy, since all you have to do is remove the old filter and put a new one in its place. The Griffith Energy Services team recommends replacing disposable filters every 30 to 90 days. If your family doesn't suffer from allergies or asthma, a 90-day schedule usually works well for your home. However, if you have allergies or if you use the air conditioning system constantly, a 30-day program will be better for your family. Washable filters offer a reusable alternative to disposable filters with their own unique qualities.
You can use washable filters until they break. The cleaning process is easy and quick, but requires a constant program. Air filters need maintenance every 3 to 5 months to avoid any airflow or quality problems. Disposable air filters allow you to skip the work and just put in a new air filter. New filters may even be delivered right to your door.
While the starting price of a disposable pleated air filter may be lower, this type of filter will need to be replaced every 3 months. Since the production and disposal of pleated filters can be harmful to the environment, we recommend that you consider buying an air conditioner filter or a washable oven. Fiberglass air filters are the more affordable of the two, but they are less efficient at capturing dust and particles from the air. They usually need to be changed every 30 days or less. When it comes time to buy new air filters for your air conditioning system, there are a few things to consider: In smaller homes, the air conditioning system has to move less air, which may mean replacing air filters less frequently. The air system will continue to consume energy and wear out its parts as it continues to push forward airflow.
It is not used to purify the air you breathe, but to protect the sensitive components of your air conditioning system. Outdoor air quality can have a big impact on how often the air filter gets dirty and needs to be changed. To ensure that only clean air comes out of the air conditioning system, replace the air filter before it clogs so you can breathe better. To improve air quality, turn the thermostat fan switch from the AUTO position to the ON position. Since using a humid filter can encourage biological growth and problems related to indoor air quality, you don't want to skip any of these steps. After a period of smoky days and poor outdoor air quality, inspect the air filter to see if it needs to be changed.
During these months, pollutants in your home may increase, but the air filter doesn't catch them. Your home air filters are tools used to keep the flow of incoming air clean and comfortable to breathe. You won't need to buy washable filters very often, so the long-term cost of washable filters is likely to be the same or lower than the cost of disposable filters. When it comes down to it, there are several factors that determine how often you should replace your disposable or reusable home air filters. The most important factor is whether or not you suffer from allergies or asthma; if so, then you should replace your disposable filter every 30 days instead of 90 days.
Washable filters require more maintenance but offer a reusable alternative that can save money in the long run. Additionally, outdoor air quality can have an impact on how often you need to change your filter; if there has been an increase in pollutants in your area then it's best to inspect your filter more frequently than usual. Ultimately, replacing your home's air filter regularly will help keep your family safe and healthy while also protecting sensitive components in your HVAC system.
