One of the most common questions homeowners in Florida have about their home’s air conditioning system is how often they should replace their AC’s air filter. Your air conditioner’s air filter is responsible for removing the majority of particulates from the air, which can impact indoor air quality as well as the efficiency of the entire system. It can also affect the longevity of the system and its repair needs over time.
Factors that Affect How Often You Should Replace Your AC Filter
Considering the air filter has such an important job, it’s essential to keep your air filter clean. But how often do you really need to change the air filter in your HVAC system? Learn about four factors that impact how often you should replace your air conditioner’s air filter.
1. How Frequently You Use Your HVAC System
How often you should change your air filters depends on how frequently you use your house. For a seldom used vacation home, you could get away with changing your filters once a year. However, for a typical suburban home, you probably want to change your filters at least every 90 days. But that time frame changes based upon the additional circumstances below.
As a general rule of thumb, it is a good idea to replace the air filter in your HVAC system every month. However, multiple factors can affect this timing. For example, in Florida during the warmer months of the year, you probably use your cooling system heavily. While during the mild winters, you may not use your HVAC system much at all. During times you use your system frequently, you may even benefit from replacing the filters every few weeks rather than every month.
2. How Many People and Pets Are in Your Home
The number of people and pets in your home will impact your home’s air quality. A single person without pets will need to replace their air filters far less frequently than a household with kids and multiple pets.
Pets can add excessive dander to your home’s air and can bring more particulates like dust, pollen, and dirt from outdoors into your home. If you have at least one cat or dog, you should change your filters at least every 60 days.
The more pets you have, the more frequently you’ll need to change the filter. For every pet you have in your home, you should expect to get 30 fewer days of performance from your air filter though. If you have multiple pets, then change your filters once a month.
3. What Type of Air Filter You Have
A final factor to consider relates to the efficiency of your air filter. More efficient air filters are designed to trap more particles and last for longer periods of time. It is wise to pay attention the filter manufacturer’s recommendations regarding replacement, and make adjustments based on your usage and how many occupants are in the home.
4. Do You Have Allergies?
In Florida, you may need to change your air filters more frequently because of the presence of moisture, mold, dust, and other allergens. If you have allergies and are sensitive to contaminants in the air, then it’s a good idea to change your air filters every 30-45 days. This helps you and your guests and fellow house dwellers breathe and rest easy in the days to come. Cleaner air means better health for everyone at the end of the day.
How Often Do I Need to Change the Filter?
Unoccupied vacation homes, depending on how often you use the system, could change the air filter every 6-12 months.
Single person households with no pets could replace their air filters as little as every 4-6 months.
Family households with no pets should change the filter at least every 90 days.
Single pet households should change the filter every 60 days.
Households with multiple pets may need to change their filter as often as every 20 days.
Call Energy Air for AC Service
Changing the air filter in your HVAC system is a simple, easy step to take to keep your system running great and to promote superior indoor air quality. If you have questions about air filter replacement or if you need any air conditioning or heating services, Energy Air can help. Give us a call today to learn more about our AC products and services, or schedule an appointment online with one of our experienced technicians.
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Orlando: (407) 501-6275 | Tampa: (813) 314-7261
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How Often Should I Change My HVAC Air Filter?
Do you know how often to change your HVAC system’s air filter? There is no one set answer for all Grand Rapids area homes, as many different variables come into play affecting the service life of a furnace filter. How often you change your home’s HVAC air filter depends on how long your filter is expected to
last and the different qualities of your home that impact the filter. When in doubt, call A-1 Mechanical for expert advice and indoor air quality services for your Michigan home. As mentioned above, there is no set service life for an air filter – it requires an evaluation of many different aspects. Air filter manufacturers include a recommendation for how often to change air filters. You can find this information on
the product insert that comes with a new filter. Furnace filters are expected to last anywhere from one month to one year. How Long Do Air Filters Generally Last?
Factors Affecting How Often to Change HVAC Air Filters
The manufacturer’s recommendation isn’t the final answer on how frequently you should change your furnace filter. The biggest factors affecting filter service life are detailed below.
Pets in the Home
Indoor pets shed hair and dander that easily become airborne in your home. These materials clog air filters faster. Homes with one pet should generally replace filters after two months; those with more than one pet may need to replace the filter monthly.
Heating & Air Conditioning System Use
How frequently your heating or air conditioning system is in use impacts filter service life as well. During periods of the year when HVAC equipment runs often, air is circulated more times through the home compared to times when the HVAC system is used sparingly. More cycles mean more passes through the filter and opportunities to trap contaminants, so filters typically fill up faster during high-use periods.
At the peak of summer and winter, air filters need to be changed more frequently than required during the spring, fall and the milder months.
Allergy & Asthma Sufferers
If there are allergy or asthma sufferers in your household, clean air is critical to their health and comfort indoors. You’ll need to change your HVAC filter more frequently when allergy and asthma sufferers are present. Changing the filter on a more frequent basis ensures the filter has the available surface area needed to filter out the contaminants that trigger symptoms among your loved ones.
Have Questions? A-1 Mechanical Is Here to Help!
Estimating how often to change an air filter can be tricky because of so many different variables at play. If you’re unsure how often your furnace filter requires replacement, call A-1 Mechanical! Our knowledgeable team of NATE-certified HVAC system technicians is always available to assess the indoor air quality needs of your home and help you create a plan for cleaner air indoors, from an accurate filter replacement schedule to installing advanced filtration solutions.