How Often Should You Change Your Home’s AC Filters?

For your AC unit to continue taking care of you, you’ll have to take care of it. Part of that care involves changing the filters regularly. The only thing you need to figure out is how often to replace your AC filter.

This article will help you come up with an ideal AC filter replacement schedule, offering some key air filter maintenance tips along the way.

How Important Are Your Air Filters in Barrington, IL?

The short answer is very. Your AC filters play a crucial role in your unit’s performance and in regulating your home’s indoor air quality. They are the first line of defense against pollutants penetrating your system or spreading throughout your home.

Here are some of the crucial roles your filters play.

Protect Your AC Unit

It’s quite easy for airborne particles to enter your HVAC unit and accumulate on vital components like the blower and evaporator coil. When this happens, it can lead to breakdowns that force you to look for professional AC repair in Barrington, IL.

Fortunately, your air filters prevent this from happening by acting as a shield against such contaminants.

Maintain Energy Efficiency

Filters also help maintain your unit’s performance and energy efficiency by allowing air to flow freely. This goes a long way in reducing your unit’s workload.

Improve Air Quality

By trapping dust, pollen, and other allergens, your filters ensure the air circulating your home is clean, improving the quality of the air you breathe.

How Often Should You Change Your AC’s Air Filters?

Since your filters are responsible for trapping airborne particles, they tend to get dirty over time. This is why it’s important for you to change your HVAC air filter regularly.

Want to know how often to replace your AC filter? The general rule is to do so every three to six months, depending on the factors below.

Filter Type

The type of filters you use will have a lot to say about how frequently you’ll need to replace them. If you’ve got basic fiberglass filters, you’ll need to change them every one or two months. For high-quality pleated filters, you can replace them every three months.

Home Size

The larger your home, the more frequently you’ll need to replace your filters. This is because there’s more air circulating and, consequently, more particles for your filters to trap.

Home Location

Your home’s location matters as well. For instance, if you live in an urban area with high pollution or heavy traffic, dust will accumulate on your filters quicker.

Pets

If you’ve got furry animals that shed, this will definitely impact your AC filter replacement schedule since the hairs and dander could clog up your filters a lot quicker.

Smoking

The contaminants released from smoking can also impact your filters. The more smokers you’ve got in your home, the more often you’ll need to change your AC unit’s air filters.

Excess Dust

Leaving your windows open is a great way of letting fresh air in. However, it also lets in more dust. When there’s excess dust in your Barrington home, you’ll need to replace your air filters more frequently.

Signs Your AC Filter Needs Changing

Even with the factors we’ve shared, knowing how frequently to replace an AC filter can still be a challenge. Fortunately, there are a few additional signs that will help you know when your filters need replacing.

We recommend changing your filters whenever you notice:

• Your filters are visibly dirty
• Your air conditioner is cycling on more frequently
• Unusual smells coming from your AC unit
• Your home has gotten dustier

What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Filters?

Why is it important to know how often to replace your AC filter? What are the effects of a dirty air filter?

It might be easy to underestimate the importance of regularly replacing your unit’s filters. However, doing so can create a world of problems for you and your system.

For starters, a dirty filter won’t be able to keep pollutants from entering your unit and ruining vital components. What’s more, the clogged filter will restrict airflow, straining the unit and eventually causing it to break down.