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

Occassionally we’re asked what is the best thing that Fort Lauderdale area homeowner’s can do to secure their air conditioning and heating system between their seasonal tune-ups? It’s a simple question with a simple answer; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Buying new furnace and return air filters is crucial to the ideal operation of your HVAC system, in addition to your home’s air quality. Did you know indoor air pollution is in the top five environmental health risks? We know it’s the last thing on your mind, but this is really important stuff. Changing the air filters is not all that hard for most Fort Lauderdale homeowners, but there are often two obstacles to actually accomplishing this task: 

  1. Determining just how often to replace your furnace or air conditioner filter. 
  1. Changing them when you’re suppose to. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a timeline printed on the wrapping. It may instruct “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Check out the filters at the store and you’ll notice that some are engineered to only last a month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have released media air cleaners with filters meant to be swapped once every 6-12 months. The standard seems to be once every few 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 contribute or cause damage to expensive equipment, like your compressor, so it’s best to change it out more often than not. If you want to stick to the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest writing the date on the filter when you swap it out, and setting a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also note that your filter manufacturer might have a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer. 
 
Deciding how often to change your air filters can depend on several factors: 

  • Type of filter your A/C system requires 
  • The collective air quality of your Fort Lauderdale area home 
  • Pets – Dogs, cats, etc. 
  • Occupancy of the home 
  • How much construction is taking place in the neighborhood around your home 

For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically tell you to change them bi-monthly, which is in fact a great rule of thumb. Still, general guidelines are not applicable to all. If you have to tolerate light to moderate allergies, you might require an upgraded air filter or change them even more frequently than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a remote 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 we call out our beloved pets? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter fast. Obviously, the air filter is just doing its job by containing pet hair and dander, but extremely dirty filters can cause seriously reduced HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

  • Infrequently occupied home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months 
  • Average suburban home without pets: Change every 90 days 
  • Got a cat or dog: 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 

Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning offers a simple solution; 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. Also, 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 the date of your choosing. 

How to replace your return air filter 

Most people know how to replace the air filter in their equipment, but some homes have an extra filter in the return ductwork. Whether you have one or not is dependent on what your unit’s manufacturer recommends. Your HVAC is designed to handle a set amount of pressure in your house, and the more filters you have the fiercer the blower motor works, which can decrease the life expectancy of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Finding out whether you have a return filter and replacing it is easy: 

  • Locate your return air vents. 
  • Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to take off the wall. 
  • Look for a filter. If one is in place, pull it out and record 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. 

Crazy as it may seem, filters can dramatically impact your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend asking the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch tinier debris will reduce airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes greater pressure on your system, so you ought to verify that your HVAC system was engineered to handle it. Otherwise, you might experience uneven heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and unit parts may wear out much faster than otherwise. 

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