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

Every once in a while we’re asked what is the most important thing that Fort Lauderdale area homeowner’s can do to ensure efficient functionality of their air conditioning and heating system between their regular tune-ups? That’s an easy one; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Buying new furnace and return air filters is critical to the proper performance of your HVAC system, as well as your home’s air quality. Did you know indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental health risks? It’s not thought of often, but it is extremely important to consider. Changing the air filters is not a tough thing to do for most Fort Lauderdale homeowners, but there are often two obstacles to actually accomplishing this task: 

1. Understanding just how often to change your furnace or air conditioner filter. 

2. Remembering to change air filters when needed. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a printed “expiration” date on the box or plastic. It may say “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Pay attention at the store and you should see that some are designed to only last a month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have created media air cleaners with filters meant to be swapped once every 6-12 months. The norm seems to be once every 3 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 add or cause damage to pricey components, like your compressor, so it’s recommended to change it out more often than not. If you want to stick to the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest scribbling the date on the filter when you swap it out, and programming a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also be aware that your filter manufacturer may have a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer. 
 
Choosing 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 Fort Lauderdale area home 
• Pets – Birds, cats, dogs, hamsters (do you have one?), etc. 
• Number of people in the home 

• General air pollution in the Fort Lauderdale area or construction taking place nearby 

For your standard 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically tell you to change them every 30-60 days, which is really a great rule of thumb. Still, general rules aren’t always for everybody. If you put up with light to moderate allergies, you may need to upgrade the air filter or change them even more often than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a low population area, own a seldom occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area with few automobiles and trucks, changing your air filter every 12-months may be quite sufficient. Why do pets matter so much? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter quick. Obviously, the air filter is just doing its job by trapping pet hair and dander, but tremendously dirty filters can cause diminished HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

• Infrequently occupied 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 

It’s simple; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. This is a great to receive discounts on service, tips and other helpful information directly to your email. But wait… there’s more, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Fort Lauderdale area home’s air filter every 30, 60, 90, 120 or 365 days, or a specific date of your choice. 

How to replace your return air filter 

Most of you know how to replace the air filter in their unit, but some homes have an additional filter in the return ducts. 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 house, and the more filters you have the harder the blower motor works, which can reduce the life of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Finding out whether you have a return filter and replacing it is easy: 

• Find your return air vents. 

• Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to remove from the wall. 

• Look for a filter. If one is inside, pull it out and write down 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. 

Incredible though it may seem, filters can dramatically affect your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend checking in with the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch finer particles will obstruct airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes increased pressure on your system, so you ought to verify that your HVAC system was engineered to handle it. Otherwise, you may experience lowered heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and system parts may die off much faster than otherwise.