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

Occassionally we’re asked what is the most important thing that Calgary area homeowner’s can do to secure their air conditioning and heating system between their seasonal tune-ups? That’s an easy one; remember to change the heating and air conditioning air filter. Changing furnace and return air filters is crucial to the effectiveness of your HVAC system, not to mention your home’s air quality. Research suggests that indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks? You probably don’t consider it as you sit and watch TV, but this is the air you breathe day and night. Changing the air filters is not a tough thing to do for most Calgary homeowners, but there are typically two challenges to actually completing this job: 

1. Determining just how often to replace your furnace or air conditioner filter. 

2. Remembering to change air filters when needed. 

When To Change Your Air Filters 

Most filters have a printed “expiration” date on the wrapping. It may instruct “Lasts up to 3 months” or “Change filter every 90 days”. Look around at the store and you should see that some are meant to only last one month, while other manufacturers (like Honeywell) have created media air cleaners with filters meant to be swapped 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 recommend our customers to go by. If it’s dirty, change it! A dirty air filter can contribute or cause damage to expensive parts, like your compressor, so it’s recommended to change it out more often than neglect it. If you want to listen to the manufacturer’s recommended limit, we suggest writing the date on the filter when you swap it out, and programming a reminder for yourself in your phone or on a calendar. Also be aware that your filter manufacturer may have a different recommendation from your HVAC system manufacturer. 
 
Choosing how often to change your air filters hinges on several factors: 

• The type of air filter you are using 
• The collective air quality of your Calgary area home 
• Pets – Dogs, cats, etc. 
• Occupancy of the home 

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

For your typical 1″-3″ air filters, the manufacturer specs basically say to change them every 30-60 days, which is actually a great rule of thumb. Still, generalities may not be suitable for your specific needs. If you suffer from light to moderate allergies, you might require an upgraded air filter or change them even more regularly than OEM specifications. On the other hand, if you’re in a less populated area, own a seldom occupied home (like a vacation home) or an area with few automobiles and trucks, annual replacement of your air filter may be quite sufficient. Why should you factor in your pets? They have a tendency to shed, which can clog your air filter in no time, just like a vacuum. Of course, the air filter is just doing its job by containing pet hair and dander, but tremendously dirty filters can cause weak HVAC performance. 

In summary: 

• Infrequently occupied home or single occupant homes without pets or allergies: Change 6-12 months 
• Common suburban home without pets: Change every 90 days 

• House with a pet: Change every 60 days 
• Multiple pets or have allergies: Change every 30-45 days 

How To Remember To Change Your Air Conditioner’s Air Filters 

It’s simple; sign up for the Service Experts Email Club. This is a great to receive discounts on service, tips and other helpful information directly to your email. Plus, your email subscription preferences let’s you set a reminder to change your Calgary 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 of you know how to replace the air filter in their system, but some homes have an extra filter in the return ducts. Whether you have one or not is dependent on the HVAC manufacturer’s recommendation. Your unit is engineered to handle a maximum amount of pressure in your home, and the more filters you have the fiercer the blower motor works, which can decrease the life expectancy of your system if it isn’t designed for it. Learning 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 take off the wall. 

• Check for a filter. If one is inside, 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. 

Amazing as it may seem, filters can greatly alter your home’s airflow, which is why we recommend asking the manufacturer. A more expensive HEPA filter that is designed to catch tinier debris will obstruct airflow more than a cheaper filter. With restricted airflow comes increased pressure on your system, so you need to verify that your HVAC system was engineered to handle it. Otherwise, you could experience uneven heating and cooling efficiency in your home, and HVAC parts may die off much faster than the standard.