Why Homeowners Should Replace Their Air Filters
The air filter plays a vital role in a home's HVAC system: it filters out dust and debris, making the air cleaner, easier to breathe, and healthier. Air filters also protect the motor and moving parts that make their HVAC system functional. For optimal performance, the air filter should be changed every 30 days to three months, depending on the filter style. Most filters have the recommended lifespan printed on their cardboard frame.
The advantages of replacing the air filter include improved air quality, lower energy bills, and cleaner homes.
Benefit One: Improved Air Quality
Poor air quality can worsen allergies, asthma, and other respiratory conditions. It can also contribute to lung disease, heart disease, and cancer. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that indoor air in our homes and workplaces can be 70% more polluted than outdoor air. This is because the already polluted outdoor air infiltrates buildings and mixes with indoor air, not to mention the indoor pollutants.
Common indoor pollutants include tobacco smoke, pet dander, burning fuel, fresh paint, new carpeting, certain building materials, and more. People can experience immediate side effects from these pollutants, like itchy eyes, irritated throat, headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and fatigue.
Air filters with a high MERV rating (Maximum Efficiency Reporting Value) can filter out most air pollutants and harmful particles, including viruses and bacteria, smoke and smog, pet dander, pollen, dust mites, and mold. Even the more basic filters, which are only rated for dust and pollen, help improve indoor air quality.
Once an air filter has reached its lifespan and is observably dirty, it is no longer effective at filtering out dust, debris, or particles.
Benefit Two: Lower Utility Bills
When a home's air filters clog with dirt and debris, the furnace or air conditioner must work much harder to push air through. This can cause the unit to turn on and off more frequently or stay on longer. The more the system runs, the more electricity and fuel it uses.
However, with a clean air filter, the system doesn't have to work as hard or run as long. This saves money on utility bills since the unit will be consuming less electricity and fuel.
Replacing the air filter also extends the life of their HVAC unit. New air filters are more effective at catching dust, debris, and particles, which might otherwise end up inside the furnace or air conditioner, clinging to moving parts and slowing or stopping them altogether. Protect their HVAC system from needing expensive repairs by routinely changing the air filter.
Benefit Three: A Cleaner Home
For homeowners who do not replace their air filter, dust and dirt will enter the HVAC system and exit through the air ducts. Some of this dust and dirt will collect inside air ducts, coating the metal duct pipe walls. This coat of dust will act as an insulator, causing condensation to form on the metal. The condensation is the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew, which is harmful to humans.
Much of that dust and debris will blow through the air vents and into the home. The residents of the home will breathe it in, experiencing coughing, sneezing, and respiratory irritation. Not only that, but it will also settle onto furniture, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the floor. They will find themselves working twice as hard to keep the home clean.
Work With Wolfgang's Cooling & Heating
For almost 40 years, Wolfgang's Cooling & Heating has been providing expert HVAC services to Ahwatukee, AZ and its surrounding areas. Their NATE Certified technicians and installers are committed to customer satisfaction.
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