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31.08.2024
Brooke Kirshne
The quality of air is decreasing day by day in this futuristic world because of global warming, air pollution, and deforestation. People are facing the problem of poor indoor air quality, but this issue has a solution that is known as an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) air filtration system. With the help of this, you can improve indoor air quality and protect yourself from the harmful effects of poor air. But things don’t end up here when you use an HVAC filter; you will face the issue of replacing it from time to time.
Changing a filter can be challenging if you don’t know anything about it. After knowing this, many questions will come into your mind, like how to choose the right HVAC filter? Are there any types of filters? How often do you need to change a filter? Don’t worry, you came to the right place. In this blog, you will get all the answers to your queries, so read it carefully till the end.
Types Of HVAC Filters
There are mainly five types of HVAC filters available on the market, and five of these have different functionality and are made of different materials, so here they are:
- HEPA Filters: HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate air; these filters can remove airborne particles 99.97 percent; they are specially designed to capture small particles of 0.3 microns, which makes them the most effective HVAC filter available on the market.
- ULPA Filters: The meaning of ULPA is ultra-low particulate air. These filters’ specialty is that they can remove 99.999 percent of dirt, dust, allergens, and other airborne pathogens and particles. Only 120 nanometer-sized (ultrafine) particles can penetrate it.
- Pleated Filters: These filters are made of cloth or paper, which is folded in a series of small pleats that increase its surface area and cause the removal of more particles. Pleated filters are effective at removing pollen and dander that can cause allergies in some people.
- Fiberglass Filters: HVAC filters that are made of spun glass or woven glass are known as fiberglass filters; they are also called disposable filters due to their non-biodegradability (non-recyclable). These filters are effective at removing large particles like dust and dirt.
- Reusable Filters: As their name suggests, these filters are reusable and made of woven polypropylene, metal, or plastic. Just like fiberglass filters, they can only remove particles larger than 10 microns.
How HVAC Filters Work
The HVAC filters work with of principles of filtration. The air in your house is consumed by your HVAC system and passes through the filter. A filter is made of dense materials that have passages or pores that allow air to pass but not the particles. Dust and other pollutants that are larger than the opening of pores will be captured. Denser filters remove small particles.
Importance of Changing Your HVAC Filter
The air inside your home is filled with dust, debris, and other pollutants. When your HVAC system does its work, the air passes through the HVAC filter, and all the contaminants get stuck in the filter. This can cause clogging if you don’t change your filter. Other key factors that show the importance of changing the filter are:
Improves Indoor Air Quality
Replacing your HVAC filter regularly helps to improve and maintain the quality of air inside your home. Dusty and pollutant-filled air will be filtered more effectively because your filter never gets old. Over time, the efficiency of the filter decreases. This is the reason why changing regularly is recommended by experts.
Saves Energy Usage
For proper air filtration and temperature control, an HVAC system needs a good airflow rate. So changing the filter frequently is important to prevent filter clogging. By doing this, a proper airflow rate will be maintained, and the consumption of electricity will not increase.
Increases The Life Of HVAC System
Replacing an old filter with a new one can be beneficial for your HVAC system's life. Your system will work without putting any extra stress on its components due to a clean filter that allows air to pass without restriction. This makes your HVAC system run smoothly, and it works for a longer time.
Prevents Unnecessary Damage
Regularly changing the filter prevents the possibility of unnecessary damage. Your HVAC system can be vulnerable when it needs to work harder due to an old, dirty filter. Clogging starts to happen over the time of the filter, and this makes the system put pressure on its components to do their work; this increases the chances of damage. Getting a new clean will prevent this from happening.
Improves Control Of Temperature
When the HVAC system works properly and the air passes through its components smoothly because of using a new, clean HVAC filter, then the temperature control improves. This happens because everything is working properly without any restrictions.
Factors Affecting Filter Replacement Frequency
The recommendation of experts says that you should change your HVAC filter once every 90 days. The frequency of filter replacement depends on other factors too; this can cause you to need to change your filter earlier or later. These factors are:
Type of Filter
The type of filter is one of the key factors that will decide when you need to change your HVAC filter. Individuals who are using fiberglass filters might change them once a month because the life span of these filters is not long. HEPA filter users can expect a replacement in 6 months to 3 years, depending on the quality. People who have washable filters in their HVAC system will need to change them every 5 to 10 years if they clean them regularly. The pleated filters last for around 90 days.
HVAC Usage
The usage of your HVAC system also plays a role when it comes to the matter of frequency of changing a filter. If you use your system often, then the filter needs to work more due to this scenario of dust and dirt sticking to the filter faster and making it dirty. So the solution for this is to use your HVAC system when it is needed.
Household Factors
The condition inside your house can also affect the frequency of changing the HVAC filter. Many things inside your home can affect the quality of the air, and if the air quality is poor, then your filter will work more. As a result, you need to change. So these household factors are:
- Pets: Your furry friends like dogs and cats shed hair every day; because of this, skin cells also come out with hair, which is known as pet dander. It decreases the quality of air and will make your HVAC filter dirty more often. The solution to this problem is to groom your pets properly outside your home so they don’t create dander.
- Allergies: People who have allergies to dust or respiratory issues like asthma should always use a clean filter. Individuals like this need to take care of indoor air properly because a small decrease in air quality can start affecting them. These people should change their filter more often than a normal person.
- Dust Levels: A high amount of dust in the air is one of the major factors that will lead to filter replacement frequently. Houses that are not properly cleaned by their owners generate a lot of dust; due to this, the quality of the air becomes poor. To tackle this problem, regularly clean your household with a vacuum cleaner and with other cleaning methods.
- Doors and Windows: When the condition of the outdoors is not good, for example, dusty weather, then opening the doors and windows will become dangerous for the air that is inside your house. The indoor air will become poor, and as a result, your HVAC filter will work harder to clean it, and you will need to change it before its scheduled time.
- Smoking Indoors: Many people smoke inside their houses without knowing that it will harm their family, throwing harmful toxins inside their homes. To tackle this, smoke outside of your house, invest in a good-quality filter, and replace it more frequently.
Environmental Conditions
Replacement of your filter also depends on the condition of the environment where you live. If the environment has poor air quality, then the air inside your house will be affected, and it will cause frequent changing of your HVAC filter.
Signs That It’s Time to Change Your HVAC Filter
As you can understand by reading the above section, changing the filter is crucial. Now a question must be coming up in your mind: how to indicate your filter needs a replacement? Well, in this section, you will learn about the signs that will tell you that filters need to be changed. The signs are:
Reduced Airflow
When your filter gets old and it is time to change it, your HVAC system will become less effective at controlling temperature due to a reduction in airflow caused by the clogged filter. So indicating your room temperature can tell you that your HVAC filter needs a replacement.
Increased Energy Bills
One of the main signs that your filter needs to be changed is by observing the electricity bills. A dirty filter will restrict the air from going inside the HVAC system, which will make the system work more due to this energy consumption increase and money in your pocket decrease.
Dust Everywhere
Over time, the effectiveness of HVAC filters decreases, and as a result, they stop filtering airborne particles. Due to this, your home is filled with dust. So if you find a high amount of dust in your house, that is an indication that it is time to change your filter.
Frequent Running
If you see yourself in a situation where you need to run your HVAC system more frequently to get a clean atmosphere in your house, that is a sign that your filter is not cleaning the air efficiently. So change your filter as quickly as possible because it happens when the time of replacement exceeds the recommendation date.
Allergy Symptoms
People who have allergies from a dust-filled environment or have respiratory issues like asthma can easily indicate that their filter needs a replacement because they will start having allergic symptoms due to poor indoor air quality.
Unpleasant Odors
Poor indoor air quality can cause unpleasant odors in your house. It indicates that your filter is not working properly and causing dirty air. Bad odor also indicates that your furniture has started decaying because of the bacteria that was in the air.
When Is the Right Time to Replace Your Air Filter?
According to experts, the right time to replace your air filter is between 90 days and three months, approx. The replacement of your filter also depends on some factors; individuals who are living with their pets should change the filter every 2 months. Someone who suffers from allergies or any respiratory issues should be replaced every 20 to 25 days. Here is the table that shows when you should change your filter according to their depth:
| Filter Depth | How Often to Change |
|---|---|
| 1-inch filters | 1 to 3 months |
| 2-inch filters | 3 to 6 months |
| 4-inch filters | 6 to 12 months |
| 5-inch filters | 6 to 12 months |
Choosing the Right Filter
There are many types of filters available on the market, and each of them comes with different functions. Selecting an HVAC filter that suits perfectly to your needs is challenging. You can check some key features before investing in any filter. Here are the features:
Filter Type
There are 5 main types of filters, and five of them provide filtration according to different individuals. HEPA filters are considered the best filters for indoors that remove small particles of size 0.3 microns, which is helpful for those who are allergic to dust or have respiratory issues, so people like this should invest in HEPA filters. People who want a perfectly sterile environment in their place should buy ULPA filters due to their 99.999% airborne particle-removing ability. If you want a less costly filter that removes allergens, you should go for a pleated filter. Fiberglass filters are one of the most commonly used filters in households and are very cost-effective. Individuals who want a filter that they can use for a long time should buy a reusable filter.
Size
Finding a filter that is the right size for your HVAC system is important. If you use a smaller filter, it will let the dust pass through your system and cause you trouble. Lager filters can cause the same problem because they will leave gaps, and this will allow airborne particles to enter your system. You can easily identify the required size of the filter by checking the information of the size printed on your previous filter. The HVAC system manual can also provide you with size. The last thing you can do to find the right size is to measure your previous HVAC filter.
MERV Rating
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is a rating system that goes from 1 to 20. It was created by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). It helps to identify the efficiency of an HVAC filter. Here is a chart of MERV ratings:
| MERV Ratings | Effectiveness of HVAC Filters |
|---|---|
| MERV 1-4 | Good at capturing large particles of more than 10 microns, like pollen, dust, dust mites, etc. |
| MERV 5-8 | Removes particles like mold spores, pet dander, etc. that have a size of 3 to 10 microns. |
| MERV 9-12 | Effective against auto emissions, legionella, etc. that are 1.0 to 3.0 microns in size. |
| MERV 13-16 | Efficient at removing particles larger than 0.3 microns like bacteria, tobacco smoke, etc. |
| MERV 17-20 | Able to remove contaminants effectively like viruses, carbon dust, etc. of size less than 0.3 microns. |
How to Change Your HVAC Filter
Selecting a suitable filter can be challenging, but after you choose it, then what? Yes, you are right! Now it's time to change your filter. Don’t worry about how you will do it because here is the step-by-step process for changing it:
Step-1: Turn Off The Power
Before doing anything, taking a safety measure is a must. You need to cut off the power of the HVAC system. To do you can flip the switch, which is located on the side of the unit. If you are unable to find the switch, then look at the manual of your HVAC system.
Step-2: Locate The Filter
The filters are mostly located in the return air duct or sometimes in the blower compartment of your HVAC unit. After finding the filter, remove it carefully and remember the direction of the arrows on the filter’s edge so you can install a new one easily. Clean the component where it was placed.
Step-3: Replace The New Filter
Bring the new filter. Check its arrow's direction and place it carefully inside the return air duct. People who are using a washable HVAC filter don’t need to change their filter; just go outside and clean or wash your filter and let it dry completely, then place it where it was. After all of this, turn on your HVAC system.
When Should You Call a Pro About Your HVAC System?
Everyone should call a professional once a year for their HVAC system. There are things that you can’t check but pros can, like electrical connections, movement of mechanical parts, and coolant levels. If your HVAC unit suddenly stops working (not turning on), makes unnecessary sounds, or stops controlling the temperature of your room, these are indications that your unit has some issues. If you fail to check it by yourself, then definitely call a professional as soon as possible because sometimes waiting can cause problems to become worse.
Conclusion
HVAC filters help to purify the air that is inside your home, and due to today’s world air condition, which is very poor, it is necessary to have a filter for everyone. There are many types of filters, like HEPA, ULPA, and pleated, and over time they require a new replacement. If you don’t change the filter, it can clog and harm the health of your HVAC system and the indoor air. Depending on the environment, household condition, and type of filter will decide the replacement time for a new filter.
At Custom Filter Direct, we provide you with the best HVAC filter for your home and office. Our specialty is that we provide customized-sized filters with high MERV ratings to our customers so they don’t need to worry about finding a proper fitting and efficient filter. For more information on our services, contact us at (877) 812-7983.
