How to know if your HVAC filter needs changed?
Filter is a different color. If you notice your filter is severely discolored and covered in dust or hair, this is a very obvious sign that your filter needs to be replaced. The particles that you find on this dirty filter are more than likely getting spread throughout your home’s air.
Why it's important to change your HVAC filter?
- It saves money. When your air filter is functioning properly, your HVAC system runs more efficiently. ...
- It increases your furnace's lifespan. A clogged filter can result in an overworked system, reducing your furnace's lifespan and turning "replacement time" into a necessity rather than an option.
- It improves indoor air quality. ...
When is it time to change your HVAC filter?
When an HVAC filter is very dirty, the unit needs to work harder to push air through it and cool or heat the house. When the unit works harder, it creates excess heat. If you feel extra warm air coming off the unit, it’s time for an HVAC filter replacement. 2. The Air Is Not Cold (Or Cold Enough)
How often should I change filters on a ventilation system?
The amount of time between filter changes really does depend on your home and location. There are lots of different factors at play that can affect how your home takes in air. As a rough guide, the filters in your ventilation system should be changed out twice a year.
How do I know if my HVAC air filter needs to be replaced?
5 Signs Your Air Filter Needs to Be ReplacedDust and Dirt Around Vents. Dust and dirt collecting around AC vents may be caused by a clogged air filter. ... The Filter Looks Dirty or Clogged. ... Rise in Electricity Bill. ... It Takes Longer to Heat or Cool Your Home. ... The AC Unit Is Hot.
What happens if you don't change HVAC filter?
A dirty filter reduces the airflow to your HVAC system and causes it to work harder. It uses more energy, which costs you more money. It also might not be able to keep your home at the proper temperature. This means it may have to run for longer periods, which strains the system.
How often should HVAC filters be cleaned?
As a general rule, you should clean your air conditioner filters within the indoor unit every two weeks. In more dusty or polluted environments you should clean your filters more regularly. Cleaning your filters is the most important maintenance task you can do to care for your air conditioner.
Can I run my HVAC without a filter for one day?
The short answer: You can get away with running your AC without a filter for a short period of time. However, doing so for longer than 6-8 hours can hurt your system and decrease your home's indoor air quality.
Is no air filter better than a dirty one?
Running your air conditioner without a filter is worse than running it with a dirty one. Instead, get to the store as soon as possible for a replacement or call an HVAC professional for replacement. Without a filter, your air conditioner is at risk for severe and expensive problems.
Is it better to have a dirty air filter or no air filter?
No, you should never run your AC without a filter! While your HVAC unit will run, it should never run without an air filter. Dirt is the number one cause of air conditioners breaking down, so running your unit without an installed air filters can cause serious damage.
What happens if HVAC filter is dirty?
A dirty filter restricts the air flow into your HVAC systems air handler. This restricted air flow places additional strain on the air handler fan motor and could, over time, burn out the motor and cause your system to overheat and ultimately fail.
Can I wash my HVAC filter?
If your HVAC filter is only mildly dirty, place the filter in a sink or bathtub and rinse thoroughly with warm running water. You can also use an outdoor hose on your filter—just make sure that you aren't using any pressurized settings as this could damage your filter.
Does cleaning AC filter make it colder?
Q: Does cleaning the AC filter make it colder? In a sense, yes. A clogged AC filter can trap cold air inside the air conditioning unit, preventing it from circulating through the ductwork and into the home. Replacing the filter improves that air flow, thereby allowing colder air to make its way inside.
Why does my furnace filter turn black?
Furnaces can produce carbon monoxide, which then leaks into your house. Carbon monoxide can leave a sooty residue and turn your furnace filter black. Carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous in high concentrations. If carbon monoxide levels are high, it could be a problem with your furnace.
What happens if you dont clean AC filter?
If you don't change your AC filter, it will begin to fail. It will no longer be able to filter the air properly, letting dust and contaminants get into the AC. Dust jams the moving parts of an AC such as fan motors and valves. Airflow is restricted which creates a strain on the system.
Does every vent need a filter?
In general, it is recommended to have an air filter in every return vent (as long as you choose the one of the right size and thickness). The filters will improve the air quality in your house and will protect the HVAC equipment from dust, pollen, pet dander, and hair.
How long can I run my HVAC without a filter?
6-8 hoursThe short answer: You can get away with running your AC without a filter for a short amount of time without hurting your system. That being said, running your AC without a filter for longer than 6-8 hours can cause serious damage to your AC system and significantly lower the quality of the air in your home.
What happens if HVAC filter is dirty?
A dirty filter restricts the air flow into your HVAC systems air handler. This restricted air flow places additional strain on the air handler fan motor and could, over time, burn out the motor and cause your system to overheat and ultimately fail.
What happens if AC filter is dirty?
A clogged filter forces the air conditioner to work harder to keep the house cool. This will lead to more frequent AC repairs and, ultimately, shorten the lifespan of the unit. Lessen the load by simply changing the AC filter regularly.
Are HVAC filters necessary?
Proper maintenance of air filters — either replacing or washing them regularly — is crucial not only to providing clean air in your home, but also to keeping your HVAC system functioning properly.
How Often to Change HVAC Air Filters
The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors ( InterNACHI ), which is the world’s largest residential and commercial property inspection trade organization, recommends changing your HVAC filters at least every 90 days. However, there are some good reasons to replace your HVAC filters more often. These include:
Where is Your HVAC Air Filter Located?
Depending on the size of your home and its number of air conditioning units, your HVAC system could pull air from one or more locations around your home. You will need to inspect each of these locations to determine how many air filters you need to replace every 30 to 90 days.
What Type of Air Filter is Best for Your HVAC?
First and foremost, the size of your HVAC filter is important to consider. Once you remove your old air filter, inspect the filter’s frame, or edge, for its dimensions. There should be three sizes listed. If your HVAC filter only has two sizes listed, or no size listed at all, your next step is measuring the filter.
How to Change HVAC Air Filters
Changing your home’s HVAC filters is a pretty straightforward process and only takes a few minutes. Whether you’re replacing HVAC filters located next to your unit or somewhere else inside your home, follow these steps to make the process easier.
When is it time to change a filter?
Our general rule is that when the pressure drop across the filter doubles from the initial, clean pressure drop, it’s probably time for a change. With big, deep filters this can take a loooooooong time, and the filters will look absolutely disgusting well before the pressure drop would indicate that it’s time for a change.
How to decide when to change a duct filter?
If you want to go to a performance-based method for deciding when to change the filter, you’ve got to make sure your duct system and filter design are appropriate. If they’re not, then you should fix those problems so you can get it to the point where a doubling of the filter pressure drop is your signal to change the filter.
What is the pressure drop on a MERV 13 filter?
If you put in a MERV-13 filter and the pressure drop across a brand new, clean filter is 0.25 i.w.c., which is not at all uncommon, you can’t let that filter load to the point where the pressure drop is 0.5 i.w.c. That would mean the pressure drop across the dirty filter by itself is equal to what’s allowed for the total external static pressure. That is, the filter has used up all the pressure that’s supposed to be used up in the drops through the whole duct system (and the air conditioner coil in the case of a furnace).
What does it mean when a dirty filter is equal to static pressure?
That would mean the pressure drop across the dirty filter by itself is equal to what’s allowed for the total external static pressure. That is, the filter has used up all the pressure that’s supposed to be used up in the drops through the whole duct system (and the air conditioner coil in the case of a furnace).
How many square feet of air conditioning is a ton?
The standard one ton of air conditioning capacity for each 400 to 600 square feet of conditioned floor area just doesn’t work. We know that a load calculation based on how a particular house is likely to perform is much better than a rule of thumb. Another area where a rule of thumb dominates is in replacing the filter in your air conditioner (or heat pump or furnace). Change it every thirty days, right?
Do high MERV filters hold dirt?
The good news with high-MERV filters, though, is that they usually hold more dirt. There’s more surface area with thicker, pleated filters so when they capture the same amount of dirt as a standard one inch filter, the change in pressure drop isn’t as much.
Does a filter stay clean?
And in a house that doesn’t have much infiltration or duct leakage and a low level of dust overall, the filter can stay clean longer even when being used a lot (unless your return vents are in the floor). And then there’s the issue of the type of filter.
How Often Do I Need to Change Out My Air Filter?
Generally, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing your air filter every 90 days, or 3 months. That can change based on where your home is located (ex. dusty, dry climates), if you have any pets, and the age of your system and equipment. If you have pets in the home, you should consider changing your filter every 60 days, or 2 months, and for homes with multiple pets or people with allergies or respiratory conditions, we recommend changing your filter every 20-45 days . Vacation homes or vacant homes that don’t see much use can typically wait to change out filters every 9-12 months. The general consensus is, the more you use your home, the more you need to change your air filter.
What happens if you don't change your AC filter?
If you don’t change your AC filter, it will begin to fail. It will no longer be able to filter the air properly, letting dust and contaminants get into the HVAC system. Dust jams the moving parts of an AC such as fan motors and valves. Airflow is restricted which creates a strain on the system.
What type of air filter is used to filter out allergens?
The only type of filters that catch allergens and spores are HEPA, or high energy particulate air filters. These are made of a much finer mesh than other filters, and so can screen out tiny particles such as allergens, pollen, dander, and mold spores. They are categorized by MERV ratings 1 through 20.
What is the purpose of air filters?
Most filters are designed to block out dust, dirt, pet hair, lint, mold, bacteria, and more . Air filters typically have a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) that determines the type and size of pollutants the filter will work against.
What is an air filter made of?
Air filters are typically made from spun fiberglass (the same thing that makes up your attic insulation) or pleated paper & framed with cardboard for stability and rigidity. They are inserted into a specific place within your return air duct (usually a large drop down vent in your hallway or other place in your home).
Why is airflow restricted?
Airflow is restricted which creates a strain on the system. The HVAC system will draw more power to overcome the obstacle. This is how dust makes the unit less energy efficient (at best) and can lead to breakdowns. The next effects to worry about are the other contaminants that enter a dirty system.
How long does it take to change an air filter?
Compared to other DIY home improvement projects, changing air filters is a quick and painless process that can be done in less than an hour.
Why do you need to change the air filter in your HVAC system?
Changing the air filters in your HVAC system is an essential practice that ensures clean air circulates throughout your home. In this article, we discuss the importance of changing an air filter and give you tips on how to do it.
Why does my air filter run longer?
This causes it to run for longer periods of time, increasing the energy your home uses. Health concerns— If a filter isn’t working properly, dust and allergens can circulate throughout your home and cause allergies and respiratory illnesses.
Why is it important to change your air filter?
Why Changing Your Filter Is Important. Air filters trap pet hair, dust, and other irritating particles so that your air conditioning system delivers fresh, clean air back into your home. Eventually, the filter traps so much dust and debris that air can’t properly filter or travel to the HVAC unit, leading to: ...
Where is the air filter located?
Locate the filter —Your air filter is located in one of two places: a return duct or the air handler located in an attic, basement, or utility closet. Remove the grille or cover to the air filter —If your air filter is located in the system’s air handler, open the access panel. This may require a screwdriver to remove the small screws securing it.
How long do air filters last?
Pleated air filters are high-quality filters that are very effective in trapping particles and last up to 90 days.
How to find the size of a filter?
Purchase the right size filter —To find the size of your filter, check the old filter, which should have the size printed on one of its sides. If you can’t locate the size of the old filter, use a measuring tape to check its length, width, and depth.
Filter Type
The biggest factor in how often you should change your filter is the type of filter you use. There are two main filter types to choose from: fiberglass air filters and pleated air filters. Both types are disposable, but there are some important differences between them.
Home Size
Home size is an essential factor in determining the frequency of your filter changes. Large homes, for example, circulate larger amounts of air through the furnace or air conditioner. This means that the filter may get dirtier faster and require more frequent replacement.
Air Quality
The air quality outside can have a big impact on how often your air filter becomes dirty and needs to be changed. If you live in a big city, contaminants like smoke, dust and other debris will seep inside and clog your air filter at a much faster rate. Wildfire smoke also plays a big role in needing frequent filter replacements.
Pets
Many people love sharing their homes with pets, but our furry family members do have an impact on the air quality inside of our homes. They release pet hair and dander into the air, and they track in dirt, pollen, mold and other contaminants from outside.
Allergies
If you have allergies, you can reduce your symptoms by using a high-quality air filter and adopting a more frequent replacement schedule. Excess dust, pet dander and other allergens floating around in your indoor air can make symptoms like coughing, sneezing and a runny nose even worse.
Season
The frequency of your air filter changes will likely depend on the change of the seasons. During the mild spring and fall, your HVAC system will be running less frequently, so your filter won't get as dirty as fast. But when the heating and cooling seasons kick in, the filter will trap more contaminants.
Occupancy
Children are more sensitive than adults to indoor air pollutants like mold, dust mite debris, dander and pollen, so make your home an oasis by using quality air filters and replacing them before they become too clogged and dirty.
Is 30 Days The answer?
How About Using The Pressure Drop Across The Filter?
- I recently wrote about how to get a low pressure drop across a high-MERV filter, and the issue of when to change the filter came up in the comments. Here’s what John Semmelhack wrote there: Our general rule is that when the pressure drop across the filter doubles from the initial, clean pressure drop, it’s probably time for a change. With big, deep filters this can take a loooooooong …
What About The Total System Pressure?
- One thing needs to be pointed out here: Waiting for your pressure drop across the filter to double will work only for a filter that’s designed properly and has a low pressure drop with a clean filter. And you also need a duct system that’s designed properly, without excessive resistance to air flow. If you put in a MERV-13 filter and the pressure drop across a brand new, clean filter is 0.25 …