When is the Right Time to Replace Your Home Air Filter?

Learn how often should you replace your home air filter and why it's important for your health and wellbeing.

When is the Right Time to Replace Your Home Air Filter?

The only way to be sure how often the air filter needs to be changed is to perform a visual inspection of the filter every month. After a few months, you'll get an idea of how quickly it gets dirty. You'll need to re-evaluate if you're having a new pet or if the outside air quality has been poor.

Air filters

should be changed every 90 days on average.

An HVAC filter will only last one to three months on average. This means that you should keep track of the date you installed them. If you wait too long to change the filter, indoor air quality will be affected. Your home air filter usually needs to be replaced once every one to six months, and the average is every three months.

If you can't remember when you last replaced it, chances are that you are behind schedule. If you buy an older system, plan to replace the filter more frequently in order to maintain filter quality. Studies have shown that the air in your home can be between two and five times more polluted than outdoor air. The MERV rating is a scale that ranges from 1 to 20 and evaluates how well an air filter can remove particles from the air.

If you want a pet that is hypoallergenic or doesn't shed hair, you may not need to replace your air filter as often. During periods of the year when HVAC equipment is operating frequently, air circulates more times around the house compared to times when the HVAC system is used sparingly. Your once-new air filter, white and clean, will turn dusty and gray as you start to spend months returning it. By removing the air filter from the air controller, if you hold it close to a light source, you'll be able to see if the filter is dirty or clogged; if you can't see the light through the filter, it's definitely time to replace it.

Not only can a dirty air filter make you sick, clean air has been shown to improve physical and mental health. As a general rule, pleated air filters and oven filters in your home should be replaced every 90 days. In addition, during house renovations, there is a possibility that dirt and dust that circulate around the house may increase and block the filter. If someone in your family has mild to moderate allergies, you can put a better air filter on it or change it even more often.

If you or a loved one suddenly start having allergy symptoms such as a sore throat, red eyes or a runny nose, take a look at your air filter. The more creases an air filter has, the greater its chances of removing contaminants from indoor air. It will be easier for you to remember this important task if you learn how often you should change your air filter in the first place. The purpose of an air cleaner is to remove dirt and dust from the air before it circulates around your home.