How Often Should You Replace the Air Filters in Your House?

How and When to Change Household Air Filters

September 21, 2022

There are several reasons to change your home’s air filters on a regular schedule. Clogged air filters make your HVAC equipment work harder, which leads to additional wear. Dirty air filters also affect your indoor air quality, which is a concern for everyone in the home, but even more so for those with allergies or other health complications.

Luckily, changing your air filters is a straightforward process, and the pros at A+ Heating Cooling Electrical can help with any other air quality concerns you may have.

Signs You Need to Change Your Home’s Air Filter

A good general guideline is to change your air filter every three months. Using the start of a new season is an easy way to keep track of when it’s time to deal with your home’s air filters. But there are some circumstances in which it might be better to change the filters more often. If any of the following is true for your home, consider changing the filters every two months. If you have more than one of these situations, every four to six weeks might be best.

One or more members of the household have either asthma or severe allergies.
There are multiple pets in the home.
The air quality in the area is poor. This could be either a permanent situation, or if there is construction, high pollen count, or other conditions that affect your indoor air quality.
The filters you’re currently using have a MERV rating below 4.

Changing your air filters regularly is better for your HVAC equipment and can help reduce respiratory issues. And unlike many home improvement chores, this one’s pretty easy to take care of.

How to Change an Air Filter in a Standard HVAC System

Once you’ve decided on a schedule for replacing your air filters, changing them is easy. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Turn off your HVAC system. It shouldn’t be running while you’re replacing the filter.
Wondering where is the air filter in your house? For homes with furnaces, the filter usually slides into a one- to four-inch slot near the air handler. Some homes may have air filters behind a vent in one or more rooms.
Be sure that your replacement filter is the right size for your system. There are a few ways to verify: check the owner’s manual, search online for your HVAC system model’s recommended air filters, or simply check the size of the existing air filter (it’s normally printed right on the edge of the filter).
Clean off any accumulated dust on your register covers.
Remove the old filter and dispose of it.
Slide the new filter into place, making sure everything lines up as it should. Look for directional arrows on the filter to be sure that you’re installing the new one the right way.
Make note of when you replaced the filter, so you’ll know when you’ll need to do it again. An easy way to track the age of an air filter is to write the date you installed it right on the edge.

Need HVAC Help in Ocean Isle?

Whether you have questions about indoor air quality or need a repair or upgrade to your system, A+ Heating Cooling Electrical can help. We’ve been providing quality service for HVAC in Ocean Isle, NC, and the surrounding area for over 20 years. Call us at (910) 600-6025[OUW5] or request service online.