Your furnace filter is one of the most important parts of your HVAC system. It removes debris and other contaminants from the air before it reaches your family, keeping them safe from harmful pollutants. Unfortunately, filters need to be changed regularly to keep your home clean and healthy. If you have to change your filter too often, your HVAC system won’t be able to do its job properly, reducing the efficiency of the entire system. For this reason, it’s important to keep track of how often you change your filter so that you can maximize the lifespan of your HVAC system. There are several factors that will determine how often you need to change your filter, but there is one general rule to follow: Change your filter every two to three months.

How often should you change your filter?

To determine how often you should change your filter, consider the quality and type of air you breathe. If you have allergies or asthma, it’s important to change your filter more often. If you live in a dusty area or have pets, you’ll need to change your filter more frequently. If you have young children or elderly family members who are more sensitive to dust and other pollutants, you may want to change your filter more often as well. If you live in a home that has a central air system, you’ll probably want to change your filter every two to three months. If you live in a house that has a forced-air heating system, you’ll want to change your filter every three to six months.

Why is it important to change your filter?

An unclean filter can trap dust, debris, and other harmful contaminants in your HVAC system. This can lead to a buildup of bacteria and mold inside your HVAC system, which can be dangerous to your health. If you have pets or live in a dusty area, you’ll want to change your filter more frequently to prevent these harmful contaminants from entering your home. If you have a central air system, you’ll want to change your filter every two to three months to prevent these harmful contaminants from finding their way into your home. If you have a forced-air heating system, you’ll want to change your filter every three to six months to prevent these contaminants from damaging your system. If you have a humidifier, you’ll also want to change your filter every two to three months to prevent these contaminants from damaging your humidifier.

How to change your filter?

There are two ways to change your filter: manually and automatically. If you have a central air system, your filter is likely to be a disposable filter that you change every two to three months. You can buy a special tool to help you change the filter, or you can use a pair of pliers or a wrench to remove the filter. If you have a forced-air heating system, you’ll want to change your filter every three to six months. You can buy a special filter that you change every few months, or you can use a disposable filter. You can change a disposable filter by rolling it out of the way and replacing it with a fresh filter. You can also buy a special tool for changing your filter, or you can use a wrench to remove the filter.

Bottom line

The best way to determine how often you need to change your filter is to check the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you have a central air system, you’ll want to change your filter every two to three months. If you have a forced-air heating system, you’ll want to change your filter every three to six months. If you have a humidifier, you’ll want to change your filter every two to three months.

Frequently Asked Question

The furnace filter needs to be replaced depending on your location. For colder zones, you might want to change it every 30 – 60 days because furnaces usually go on for many months and do not take a break. For warmer areas, you may only replace it twice during the winter or after 90 days. It also varies on the thickness of the furnace filters. The thinner your filter, the more frequent you get to replace it.
If you fail to change your furnace filter, this might affect the performance of your furnace. It will pressure your equipment to work harder because of a decrease in airflow. Worse, it might damage your equipment forcing you to have it repaired or replaced. The furnace will overheat once you turn it on without a new air filter.
Technically without a furnace filter, your furnace will still operate. However, you will risk your family’s health and your equipment’s performance as well. Furnace filters make sure that contaminants, dust, and microbes do not get inside your house so you will not breathe dirty air.
A dirty furnace filter looks darker than the first time you bought it. The air also smells funny. You get lower airflow and your equipment works hard causing your electric bills to soar. Soon you will get sick, and develop headaches and allergies.
The fibers can’t do their job when it is placed backward. The furnace will work harder to keep up with its desired output. This will increase your energy cost and damage your equipment. Smaller particles will accumulate causing build-up.