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

Occassionally we’re asked what is the best thing that Calgary area homeowner’s can do to maintain their air conditioning and heating system between their regular 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 extremely important to the effectiveness of your HVAC system, plus your home’s air quality. Did you know indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks? You probably don’t consider it as you sit and watch TV, but this is the air you breathe day and night. Changing the air filters is not difficult for most Calgary homeowners, but there are often two obstacles to actually completing this job: 

1. Determining just how often to swap out your furnace or air conditioner filter. 

2. Remembering to change air filters when needed. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a recommended guideline on the box or plastic. It may read “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Check out the filters at the store and you’ll see that some are designed to only last a month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have created 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 customers to go by. If they’re dirty, change them! A dirty air filter can exacerbate or cause damage to pricey equipment, like your compressor, so it’s better to change it out more often than not. If you want to follow the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest scribbling the date on the filter when you swap it out, and adding a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also note that your filter manufacturer sometimes has a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer. 
 
Determining how often to change your air filters can depend on several factors: 

• Type of filter your A/C system requires 
• The entire air quality of your Calgary area home 
• Pets – Dogs, cats, etc. 
• Number of people in the home 

• How much construction is taking place in the neighborhood around your home 

For the common 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically suggest to change them bi-monthly, which is really a great rule of thumb. However, generalities may not be suitable for your specific needs. If you put up with light to moderate allergies, you might require an upgraded air filter or change them even more regularly than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a less populated area, own a seldom occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area with little auto traffic, annual replacement of your air filter may be quite sufficient. Why do we call out our beloved pets? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter quick. Clearly, the air filter is just doing its job by containing pet hair and dander, but extremely dirty filters can cause weak HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

• Vacation home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months 
• Average suburban home without pets: Change every 90 days 

• Add a dog or cat: Change every 60 days 
• More than one pet or have allergies: Change every 30-45 days 

How To Remember To Change Your Air Conditioner’s Air Filters 

A1 Chesney Service Experts offers a simple solution; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. When you do, you can elect to receive (or not) great email coupons and newsletters with a lot of tips and discounts on AC repairs and tune-ups. Also, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Calgary area home’s air filter every 30, 60, 90, 120 or 365 days, or a specific date of your choice. 

How to replace your return air filter 

Most of you know how to replace the air filter in their equipment, but some houses have an extra filter in the return ducts. Whether you have one or not is dependent on which HVAC system you have. Your system is made to handle a set amount of pressure in your house, and the more filters you have the fiercer the blower motor works, which can shorten the lifespan of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Discovering 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 pull off the wall. 

• Check for a filter. If one is inside, pull it out and note 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. 

Incredible though it may seem, filters can really impact your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend asking the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch smaller debris will restrict 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 system parts may wear out much faster than normal.