When it comes to home maintenance, one of the most important — and overlooked — tasks is regularly changing or cleaning the air filter(s) in your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Not only does this simple task improve your home’s air quality, but it can also keep your HVAC system running efficiently. This, in turn, can help you save money on your energy bills and extend the life of your equipment.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of air filter maintenance, how often you should change your air filters, and things to consider when buying and installing HVAC air filters.
What do air filters for home do?
HVAC systems work in a continuous loop. They pull air in through return vents in your living spaces, pass it through ductwork, and push it across your HVAC system’s heating or cooling component. After it passes through the air filter, it’s blown back into your living spaces via supply vents.
During this air circulation process, it’s inevitable that dust, hair, and other particles from your home can get pulled into the system. HVAC air filters attempt to remove as much of this debris as possible.
Why are HVAC air filters important?
An air filter is a relatively inexpensive but essential part of your HVAC system. It improves the air quality in your home by trapping allergens, microbes, and other particles. It also keeps debris out of your furnace and air conditioner, which helps them run more efficiently.
Why is efficiency so important? The average home spends nearly $1,900 a year on energy bills. And nearly half of that goes to heating and cooling costs. Maintaining clean air filters means your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard, which can help reduce these costs.
How often should HVAC filters be changed?
Several factors determine how often HVAC air filters must be changed or cleaned. These include the type of filter you’re using, whether you have pets or allergies, and your home’s air quality.
Changing the air filter every 1-3 months is recommended for most homes. However, if you have pets, have allergies, or live in an area with high air pollution, you may need to change them more frequently. Inspect your air filters to see if they’re dirty to help you make this decision.
What are MERV ratings?
When shopping for replacement air filters, you’ll probably come across the term “MERV rating.” MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, which measures an air filter’s ability to capture particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (µm) in size.
The higher the MERV rating on an air filter, the better it works at trapping these particles. For example, a filter with a MERV rating of 1 to 4 only captures these particles with 20% efficiency. A MERV 13 filter, the highest rating for most residential air filters, captures particles with the following efficiency:
- 0.30-1.0 µm: greater than or equal to 50%
- 1.0-3.0 µm: greater than or equal to 85%
- 3.0-10.0 µm: greater than or equal to 90%
Higher MERV ratings provide better filtration but can also restrict airflow and be more expensive — $40 or more per filter. Experts advise balancing filtration efficiency and airflow restrictiveness, recommending a MERV 11 rating or lower for most residential HVAC systems.
What are HEPA ratings?
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) is a stricter standard for air filters than MERV. These pleated filters remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and other airborne particles of 0.3 µm in size. However, HEPA air filters restrict air so much that they’re not practical for most residential forced-air systems. They’re more commonly used in air purifiers and vacuum cleaners.
How do I know what HVAC air filters I need?
The best way to determine what type of air filter or filters your heater and air conditioner need is to check your system’s user manual. You can also check to see what HVAC air filters your system currently uses.
When choosing new HVAC air filters, you should first determine the correct size filter(s) for your system. If the filter dimensions are not listed directly on the filter, measure its length, width and height.
Then, you can determine the MERV rating that matches your household’s needs. (For example, if you’re prone to mold or dust allergies, you may want to invest in a higher MERV rating.) Just remember, the highest MERV rating isn’t always the best choice — restricting airflow too much can also make your HVAC system work harder.
Finally, decide what filter material, or media, you want to use. Options, include fiberglass, pleated, electrostatic and activated carbon.
How do I install a new air filter?
Installing a new HVAC air filter is usually straightforward. For safety, turn off your furnace, air conditioner, and fan via your thermostat, circuit breaker panel, or switch. The filter will most likely slide in and out of place easily from behind an access cover or grill. Just make sure that when you insert your new filter, it’s facing the correct way, as indicated by the airflow arrows on the frame.
Conclusion
Now that you know the basics about home HVAC air filters, you can double-check that you’re using the correct type and set reminders to change them regularly. This will improve the air quality in your home and help ensure your heater and air conditioner are running efficiently — which can translate to savings on your monthly electricity bill.
To find the best energy plan for your home and habits, visit Everything Energy.