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

Sometimes we’re asked what is the most important thing that Winnipeg area homeowner’s can do to secure their air conditioning and heating system between their regular tune-ups? That’s an easy one; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Changing furnace and return air filters is extremely important to the ideal operation of your HVAC system, as well as your home’s air quality. Studies show that indoor air pollution is one of the top five environmental health risks? It’s not thought of often, but it is extremely important to consider. Changing the air filters is not difficult for most Winnipeg homeowners, but there are often two obstacles to actually accomplishing this task: 

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

2. Changing them when you’re suppose to. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a timeline printed on the box or plastic. It may instruct “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 one month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have created media air cleaners with filters meant to be changed once every 6-12 months. The industry standard seems to be once every three months for most higher quality filters, but we have a rule of thumb that we suggest our readers to go by. If they’re dirty, change them! A dirty air filter can add or cause damage to expensive components, like your compressor, so it’s best to change it out more often than to let it go. If you want to stick to the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest marking 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. 
 
Deciding how often to change your air filters relies upon several factors: 

• The type of air filter you are using 
• The collective air quality of your Winnipeg area home 
• Pets – Birds, cats, dogs, hamsters (do you have one?), etc. 
• Number of occupants in the house 

• General air pollution in the Winnipeg area or construction taking place nearby 

For the common 1″-3″ air filters, the OEM specs basically tell you to change them bi-monthly, which is in fact a great rule of thumb. However, generalities may not be suitable for your specific needs. If you have to tolerate light to moderate allergies, you might need to upgrade your air filter or change them even more regularly than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a low population area, own a infrequently occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area with few automobiles and trucks, replacing your air filters each year may be quite sufficient. Why do pets matter so much? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter fast. Naturally, the air filter is just doing its job by containing pet hair and dander, but extremely dirty filters can cause seriously reduced HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

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

• House with a pet: 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 

Winnipeg Supply Service Experts offers a simple solution; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. This is a convenient way to get money-saving discounts and other helpful information on your smartphone, tablet or desktop. Also, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Winnipeg area home’s air filter every 30, 60, 90, 120 or 365 days, or any date you find most convenient. 

How to replace your return air filter 

Most people know how to replace the air filter in their equipment, but some residences have another filter in the return ductwork. Whether you have one or not is dependent on the HVAC manufacturer’s recommendation. Your system is made to handle a certain amount of pressure in your home sweet home, and the more filters you have the harder the blower motor works, which can shorten the life expectancy of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Discovering whether you have a return filter and replacing it is easy: 

• Go to your return air vents. 

• Some covers have screws and some have tabs. Unscrew or pull tabs to remove from the wall. 

• Inspect for a filter. If one is there, pull it out and record 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 alter your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend checking in with the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch tinier particles will reduce airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes more pressure on your system, so you ought to verify that your HVAC system was made to handle it. Otherwise, you may experience lowered heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and system parts may break down much faster than normal.