It is recommended that, regardless of operation or number of influences, air filters be changed at least every 3 to 3 months. You can hear it: your air conditioning technician is giving you lessons on how to change the air filter. How many days was that again? 30? 100? — The general consensus is that you should replace your home air filter every 3 months, or 90 days. But what happens if you let that time go by for a while? Before we discuss WHEN you should change your air filter, let's start with the WHY.
Most oven filters come in two types: flat and pleated. Flat filters can clog more quickly because they have less surface area than pleated filters. The deeper the folds, the larger the surface area of the filter and the more space it will have to collect airborne particles, so it may not clog as quickly as a flat filter. A flat filter, such as the Flanders front panel filter (available on Amazon), is designed to be changed every 30 days.
Thanks to their folds, filters such as the Honeywell Ultra Efficiency Filter (also available on Amazon) have more square inches of space to trap dust, so they usually require fewer changes every 90 days. If your furniture gets dusty soon after cleaning it, the oven filter may be clogged and can no longer effectively remove dust from the air. The panel filter can also help extend the life of air handling units in various applications, such as ventilation and air recirculation. The filters are designed to trap dust and particulates suspended in the air as the air passes through the filter and into the furnace system. Air filters usually have a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) that determines the type and size of the contaminants the filter will work against.
It is necessary to have a clean filter to prevent dust from passing through the air conditioning system, where it can accumulate in the indoor coils of the air conditioner and reduce the efficiency of the unit. Pleated filters are usually better than non-pleated filters, as they allow more surface area to accumulate dust, pet hair, and other debris that floats in the air. Filters with higher MERV indices trap small particles more effectively than filters with lower MERV indices. Even if no one in the house is allergic, it is advisable to change the boiler filter frequently, up to every 30 days if you have several pets, so that the boiler continues to work efficiently. Clogged filters not only negatively affect a home's air quality, but they also force the oven to work harder to get air into the system, which can shorten its lifespan.
During a remodeling project, change the furnace filter every 30 days, or even more frequently, to prevent construction-related dust from circulating around the house.
