Step 1: Locate the return ventilation grilles. Step 2: Vacuum or remove dust from the return vent cover. Step 3: Open the ventilation grille and remove the old filter. Step 4: Type the installation date on the new filter.
Step 5: Look for the airflow direction indicator when installing the new filter. In general, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing the air filter every 90 days or 3 months. This may change depending on the location of your home (e.g., dusty and dry weather), if you have pets, and the age of your system and equipment. If you have pets at home, you should consider changing the filter every 60 days or 2 months, and in the case of households with several pets or people with allergies or respiratory conditions, we recommend that you change the filter every 20 to 45 days.
Usually, vacation homes or empty houses that aren't used much can wait to change filters every 9 to 12 months. The general consensus is that the more you use your home, the more you'll need to change your air filter. Deactivating it prevents air from entering dust and sand into the system. Open the ventilation grille and remove the used filter.
Air filters usually have a MERV (minimum efficiency report value) that determines the type and size of contaminants against which the filter will operate. Using an air filter with a MERV rating higher than recommended by the boiler or air conditioner manufacturer may affect its performance. Air filters can also be made of cloth or pleated paper, but the average consumer filter will be made of cardboard and fiberglass. The importance of HVAC air filters is that they trap different types of contaminants and particles.
Most central HVAC systems have at least one return air outlet, sometimes more if you have a larger home. A fiberglass filter is the cheaper option, pleated filters are a little better at trapping particles in the air, while HEPA filters can filter 99.97% of all particles. When you can replace the air filters in your home, you'll move toward cleaner air in every room. In general, it is recommended to have an air filter on each return vent (as long as you choose the right size and thickness).
Central forced-air heating and cooling systems rely on filter maintenance to work optimally in the long term. Filters with higher MERV values trap small particles more effectively than filters with lower MERV scores. If you tend to use your air conditioning system all the time, have a lot of family members, a few pets, and if you have any respiratory problems, then you'll need to change the filter more often. If the return vent grille has a filter slot, installing a new filter would be easy: simply slide the new component into the slot.
However, you should always consult an HVAC expert or the manual that came with your heating and cooling system to get the right type of filters. The only type of filters that capture allergens and spores are HEPA, or high-energy particulate air filters. Filters protect HVAC equipment and capture a lot of particles that would otherwise end up in the air you breathe.