Did you know your indoor air filter needs regular checking and changing? Over time air filters in the home become clogged and dirty, which can make them inefficient.
But how often does the filter need to be changed? Let’s take a look at filters and when they should be changed, how often they should be changed, and how to change them.
Why Change the Filter?
Over time your indoor air filter becomes filled with dust particles that travel through your home’s air ducts. The filter’s purpose is to pick up dust and prevent it from entering the heating and cooling unit, and from cycling through your home. Filters are made to catch dirt and debris, so over time they should and will become dirty and full.
When the filter has caught all the dirt and dust it can handle it will stop being effective. When this happens it becomes harder for the air to pass through the filter and the air that does pass through isn’t cleaned as well as it should be. Changing the filter is an important part of maintaining your air duct system and maintaining clean breathing air in your home.
How to Determine if the Filter Needs to Be Replaced
To determine if your filter is in need of a replacement you can simply pull it out and examine it. A filter that needs to be changed will appear dusty and dirty. If you are unsure whether the filter needs to be replaced, consider replacing it on a regular schedule, such as every three months.
There are some other considerations to take into account when deciding how often to change your filter. The amount of pets you have in the home will greatly impact the amount of time you can get out of a filter. On average a filter can last approximately three months, but if you have several pets you will want to change it every 30-60 days instead.
Steps to Replacing the Filter
To replace the filter you’ll first want to figure out what type of filter to use, this information should be available with your HVAC units information.
Once you’ve determined the type of filter to use, turn off the unit and remove the existing filter from its place in the unit, the air filter slot. If you have trouble locating this consult the units guide, or contact the company that installed the unit for you.
Once you’ve removed the existing filter you can insert the new one, close the slot, and turn the unit back on. Before turning the unit back on quickly check the new filter to ensure it fits in the slot properly.
After you are finished you can throw away the old filter as you won’t need it anymore. If you were unsure of which kind of filter to purchase, it may be a good idea to write that information down for the next time the filter needs to be changed.
There are Many More Home Maintenance Tasks
Changing your home’s air filter is a simple but important part of home maintenance. Replacing the filter frequently can help your HVAC unit run smoothly and efficiently. In addition to changing your home’s air filter are a multitude of other home maintenance tasks. Changing the air filter is one of the more common of these home maintenance items. In the video below, we go into some of the… lesser known home maintenance tasks.
If you are unsure how to locate or replace your air filter, call us at Highland Homes Inspections, we’d be happy to help. Our team of Maryland home inspectors can help you ensure everything in your home is as it should be.