When To Change Your Air Filters
This is not a trick; simply put – when your air filters are dirty, change them. Choosing how often to change your air filters can depend on several factors:
- Type of filter your A/C system requires
- The overall air quality of your North America area home
- Pets – Birds, cats, dogs, hamsters (do you have one?), etc.
- Number of occupants in the house
- General air pollution in the North America area or construction taking place nearby
For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically say to change them bi-monthly, which is, in fact, a great rule of thumb. However, general guidelines are not applicable to all. If you have to tolerate light to moderate allergies, you may need to upgrade the air filter or change them even more regularly than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a remote area, own an infrequently occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area where there are fewer cars around, replacing your air filters each year may be quite sufficient. Why do pets matter so much? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter fast. Clearly, the air filter is just doing its job by capturing pet hair and dander, but tremendously dirty filters can cause weak HVAC performance.
In summary:
- Seldom used home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months
- A typical 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
