Looking After Your Air Filter Should Be at the Top of Your HVAC Preventative Maintenance Checklist
Your air filters are some of the most important components of your HVAC system, removing dirt, dust, pet dander, and other pollutants from the air that you and your household breathe. These contaminants are trapped in the filters’ fibrous material to keep them from being recirculated throughout your home.
Routinely replacing or cleaning your air filters is a crucial task on your HVAC preventative maintenance checklist. If neglected, your filters will clog, ultimately hindering airflow and causing your system to work harder than it should. Over time, this continued wear and tear can cause overheating and, in extreme cases, a complete breakdown of your HVAC.
To help you better understand this key component of HVAC maintenance, we’re covering everything you need to know about your home’s air filters.
Types of Air Filters
There are several kinds of air filters available to homeowners for different price points and residential needs. All filters are ranked on the MERV, or Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, scale, which measures how effectively the filter stops larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns from entering the air stream. In general, the higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is at capturing pollutants.
However, just because a filter has a high MERV rating doesn’t mean it will work well with your specific system. A highly-rated filter creates more air flow resistance and may reduce the efficiency of some units. It’s best to work with your local HVAC specialist to determine the right solution for your home.
Some of the most common types of air filters for HVAC preventative maintenance include:
- Fiberglass Filters: These disposable filters are often the most economical choice but have the lowest MERV rating. If you or someone in your household is prone to allergies, you may want to consider a different filter or multiple filters.
- Pleated Filters: Pleated filters are a step up from fiberglass by more effectively trapping particles. Some have more pleats than others, though, which allows even more filtration.
- Reusable Filters: The biggest benefit of reusable filters is that they’re able to be washed and returned to your system after they’ve dried. A filter that’s still wet can cause mold and bacteria growth if put back too soon. Because reusable filters are available in many styles, including pleated and electrostatic, their MERV ratings vary.
- Electrostatic Filters: Washable or disposable, electrostatic filters create static electricity through the use of cotton and paper fibers. These charged fibers act like magnets to trap airborne particles within the filter screen.
- HEPA Filters: High efficiency particulate air filters exceed MERV ratings and offer maximum filtration. To receive the classification, a filter must remove at least 99.97% of particles, like dust and pollen, in the 0.3-micron range.
How Often Should I Change My Air Filter?
It’s generally recommended that you replace or clean an air filter every three months for HVAC preventative maintenance. However, you may need to do this more or less often depending on the type and size of filter you have.
Some other factors that influence the frequency of changing your air filters include:
- If you have allergies or asthma
- The size of your home
- If you have any pets
- How often your system is being used
- Overall air quality
It’s a good idea to check air filters monthly for cleanliness. If light doesn’t pass through the filter when you hold it up to a light source, it’s too dirty to do its job effectively. Over time, you’ll have a better understanding of when your filters require maintenance.
When in doubt, contact an HVAC contractor near you. They’ll be able to help you determine the right service schedule for your system’s filters.
Steps to Replacing Your Air Filter
Changing an air filter is one of the easiest HVAC preventative maintenance jobs you can do yourself. Because most filters are disposable, you’ll need to know the size filter you need and your preferred MERV rating before you get started. Your filter size is often printed on the frame and measured as length by width by depth, like 16x25x1.
Once you’ve purchased the best air filter for your system, you can follow these steps to replace your old one:
- Start by finding your filter, often inside your air handler cabinet. If you have trouble locating your filter, refer to your unit’s manual.
- Turn off your HVAC unit. You can check your manual here, too, if you need help.
- Carefully remove the old filter, and clean up any residual dust that may have accumulated.
- Pay close attention to the arrow on your new filter, which indicates the direction of airflow. Insert the filter with the arrow pointing toward the unit.
- Check that there aren’t any gaps around the newly installed filter’s frame. If so, you could have the wrong size, or the filter may be defective or damaged in some way.
- Resume power to your unit. Stick around to make sure everything is operating correctly and the filter stays snugly in place.
In addition to the filter in your air handler cabinet, you may have others located in a return air register or window unit. These also require consistent care to help your HVAC run smoothly.
Contact a Contractor for HVAC Preventative Maintenance
While changing an air filter is simple enough, there are other routine HVAC maintenance tasks that go beyond DIY capabilities.
A trained technician can perform a full HVAC inspection, checking and testing your system’s components to make sure everything is working properly. Regular maintenance visits can also help catch any early signs of problems before they grow too serious and result in costly repairs. Not to mention, you can still count on a professional for smaller services like filter replacement, if you just don’t want to add another thing to your home to-do list. And this way, you’ll never go too long without changing it.
To learn more about HVAC preventive maintenance, reach out to a heating and cooling expert.
