We all know how important it is to make sure that we get the most out of the products and services we use. After all, nobody likes the idea of knowing that they are throwing money down the drain.  

When it comes to the HVAC unit in your home, this means you want to make sure that it is working efficiently and isn’t causing you to waste money on energy bills each month.

One way to make sure that your HVAC unit is working as well as it possibly can is to make sure that you are replacing your air filter as frequently as you should be, as this ensures that your unit won’t get clogged up with dust and particles that cause it run inefficiently.

So, how often should you be changing your air filter? Well, generally speaking, most manufacturers would recommend checking and changing your air filter roughly every 3 months. Whilst this is a good rough guide to follow, there are several factors that will impact how frequently you will have to change your air filter.

Pets

As much as we all love our pets, there can be no denying that they make keeping your home clean that much more difficult. When your pet sheds dander and fur, these particles can make their way into your HVAC filter, clogging it up and preventing it from working efficiently. So, if you have one or more pets in your home you should make sure you check your filter regularly, and replace it once it becomes clogged up.

Outside Environment

One factor that can impact how often you need to change your air filter is actually the air quality outside your home. If, for example, you live in an industrial or densely populated urban area, then the pollutants from outside will enter your home, and make their way into your air filter, resulting in you having to change it more often.

Health issues

If you have people in your home that suffer from asthma or similar respiratory issues, or if you live with elderly people, you may need to replace your air filter more frequently. This is because you need to make sure there are as few pollutants or dust particles in the air as possible, to avoid aggravating their conditions.

This is also true if you live with smokers who smoke cigarettes in the house, as you need to make sure that most of the smoke is removed from the air you breathe, or request that the smoker goes outside to smoke instead.

Strength of your air filter

If you find that you have to replace your filter much more frequently than your manufacturer recommends, then it may be worth looking into upgrading to a stronger air filter. Air filters are assigned a Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) and most standard domestic air filters have a MERV rating of 8, so consider upgrading to an air filter with a MERV rating of 11 or 13.