How often should you change your air filter in your home?
How many times have you considered what is actually in each breath you take? Sure, there’s oxygen. There’s even more nitrogen.
But what about the other things you can’t see? Like dust, mites and allergen spores — things that can make you seriously sick with prolonged exposure?
Fortunately, there’s something you can do to eliminate the majority of these airborne particles from your home. It all starts with ensuring your air filter stays clean and pristine.
Today we answer the question: How often should you change your air filter in your home?
Where is your home air filter located?
If your home has a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, there is a definite chance that this system is also equipped with an air filter. If not, your HVAC system, your home and your health, could be in serious jeopardy (more on that down below).
When trying to determine where your home’s air filter is located, check the area where the return air duct meets your HVAC unit. In most cases, your air filter will dwell here. There are exceptions to this rule, however, depending on your home’s HVAC setup.
What does a home air filter do?
The purpose of your home air filter is very straight forward. Each particle of air – big or small – that floats around your home passes through your HVAC system as often as two times every hour. As this air passes through your filter, the hazardous particles we mentioned in our opening statement (dust, mites and allergen spores, etc.) become trapped, leaving your home free of contaminants so that you can breathe easier.
If your home doesn’t have a properly installed air filter, these contaminants are pushed back out into your home, exposing you and each of your rooms to dirt. This could result in your home’s occupants becoming frequently ill and/or significant amounts of dust building up around your living spaces.
How often should you change your air filter in your home?
Finally, we’re down to the question you’ve been waiting for: How often should you change your air filter in your home?
Taking into consideration the seasonal allergies in your area, the amount of people living in your home and whether or not you have a pet, you should change your home air filter no less than once every three months. This way, you ensure that the air in your home stays clean all year long, regardless of the contaminants that are tracked into your living space.
If you don’t change your air filter once every three months, it will become clogged, thus forcing your HVAC system to work harder to push air through your home. While this may not sound like a big deal, the continuous stress on your HVAC system could cause significant damage to your home’s heating and air conditioning unit while also increasing your monthly electricity costs to force the air through.
So that’s it! Maintaining a clean home starts with having a clean air filter. How long has it been since you last checked yours?