You should replace your air conditioner filter approximately every 90 days, if you don't have allergies. However, AC professionals generally recommend changing it every 45 days for maximum efficiency. Be sure to replace it with the correct size and type of air filter. If your air conditioner worked properly, you could remove the filter and buy one that was identical to it.
In general, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing your air filter every 90 days or 3 months. That may change depending on the location of your home (e.g. dry and dusty climates), if you have pets and the age of your system and equipment. If you have pets in the house, you should consider changing the filter every 60 days or 2 months, and for households with multiple pets or people with allergies or respiratory conditions, we recommend changing the filter every 20-45 days.
Usually, vacation homes or vacant homes that don't have much use can expect to change filters every 9-12 months. The general consensus is that the more you use your home, the more you need to change the air filter. The only way to ensure how often you need to change your air filter is to perform a visual inspection of the filter every month. After a few months, you'll get an idea of how quickly it gets dirty. You will need to re-evaluate if you have a new pet or if the outdoor air quality has been poor. How often you need to change your air filters depends on how often you use your home.
For a little-used vacation home, you could get away with changing filters once a year. However, for a typical suburban home, you'll probably want to change filters at least every 90 days. But that time frame changes depending on the additional circumstances listed below. A general rule of thumb for pleated air filters (such as those manufactured by FilterBuy) is to replace the filter every 90 days. As the filter traps more dirt, dust and allergens from the air, the efficiency of the filter decreases.
Find out below if you should replace the filter more often. Air filters trap pet hair, dust, and other irritating particles so that the air conditioning system returns fresh, clean air to your home. A single person without pets may extend the time between filter changes, while a busy household that has several pets may want to closely follow a monthly filter change program. If you have an asthmatic or allergic person at home, change the filter every 6 weeks to ensure the best indoor air quality. The strongest filters are reusable, usually with metal frames, and can be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions. A medium-sized family of 4 would need to replace the air conditioner filter more often than a single person. However, it's easy for busy people to overlook this task, and some may find that it takes several months before they remember to replace their air conditioning filter.
When you buy a new air filter, you'll find the manufacturer's recommendations for the replacement program. Filters with higher MERV ratings trap small particles more effectively than filters with lower MERV ratings. However, these appliances are often built with smaller filters and, therefore, may need to be changed as often as a filter in a larger home. Any use will cause a certain amount of dirt to be trapped in the air filter; after all, that's its job! Air filters are usually made of spun fiberglass (the same as attic insulation) or & pleated paper framed with cardboard for added stability and rigidity. Cats and dogs typically lose the most when winter turns to spring and summer to fall, which are key times to replace the filter.
The HVAC air filter helps keep indoor air clean by trapping mold particles, pollen, and other contaminants moving through the system. To ensure that only clean air comes out of the HVAC system, replace the air filter before it becomes clogged so that you can breathe better. If you have a pet (or a few), or someone in your household has allergies, you may be given higher-grade air filters. Fiberglass air filters are the more affordable of the two but less efficient at capturing dust and particles in the air.
A general rule of thumb is that if you use your home frequently then you should replace your AC filter more often than if it is used less frequently. It's easy for busy people to overlook this task but it is important for maintaining good indoor air quality in your home. When buying a new AC filter make sure to read through manufacturer's recommendations for replacement programs as well as MERV ratings which indicate how effective they are at trapping small particles.
