Maintaining your heating and air conditioning unit is essential if you want your team to last you in the long term. Regularly maintaining your heating and air conditioning unit over time can also help you save money on more expensive repairs in the future. Considering that the average team on the market costs about $3500 to $8000, you want to make sure that you are taking the best care of your heating and air conditioning unit that you can. One important part of that is making sure that you take care of your HVAC filter on a regular basis.
What is an HVAC Filter?
The HVAC filter is a vital part of the heating and air conditioning unit in your home. The HVAC system is the filter that is responsible for keeping all of those tiny little particles that collect in your home out of the air your family is breathing. Whether you are looking to rid of excess dust, pollen, pet dander, or other small particles out of the air, you will find that your HVAC system helps filter those particles for you. When these particles are trapped in the HVAC filter, then they are not circulating through the air for your family to breathe in. The cleaner your air, the easier it will be to control things like allergies, which can help you breathe easier.
How Often Do I Need to Change My HVAC Filter?
Experts recommend that you change your HVAC filter once every 1 to 3 months or generally once every 30 to 90 days for the standard 1″ thick filter. If you purchase a thicker filter that is 3″ to 4″ then it could last between 6 and 9 months. If your filter is 5″ to 6″ thick, then you might be able to get up to 9 to 12 months out of those filters.
It will depend on some other factors as well, including who lives in your home and how many small particles circulate in the air in your home. Some families may have to change their HVAC filters on a more frequent basis if they have several pets or if they live in a particularly dry, dusty climate that causes the filter to fill up faster than the traditional filter would.
5 Signs That It’s Time to Change Your Filter?
When you look at your HVAC filter, you will be able to tell when it’s coming close to time to change your filters. Look for the following signs that you will be needing to change your HVAC filters, and it will help you stay ahead of having all those little pesky particles in the air that make breathing harder:
- Dust and dirt are collecting around the exit vents which leaves your home dustier than usual
- The filter looks either dirty or college and the filter is coated with additional dust
- The electric bill goes up but your company has not raised its rates
- It takes longer for your home to heat or cool when you set the temperature (it doesn’t heat or cool as quickly)
- The back of the AC unit is hot to the touch which can lead to overheating the unit (and cause major, costly repairs)
If you notice these signs with your heating and air conditioning unit, then it’s time to replace your filter immediately. Not only can you cause critical damage to the unit if it overheats, but your family is also breathing in air that is not of a clean and sustainable quality in the long term, which can cause allergy flare-ups and damage your health.
Conclusions
If you think that your need your HVAC filter changed, please contact us at Maffei Services to schedule your maintenance appointment. We are here to help ensure that your air conditioning unit has a clean HVAC filter and is primed to continue working to keep your family warm or cool, no matter what the weather holds.
