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When Should I Change My Air Filter at Home?

when-should-i-change-my-air-filter-at-home

When Should I Change My Air Filter at Home?

It may be unwise for you to base only on the recommended air filter change intervals indicated by the manufacturer of that filter. This is because many other factors come into play to determine how often those filters should be changed. This article discusses some of those contributory factors which Sacramento heating and air conditioning companies, such as Fox Family Heating and Air, have in mind as they formulate a filter replacement schedule for Sacramento homeowners.

The Size of Your Home

Larger homes generally require the indoor air to be turned multiple times by the HVAC system before the desired temperature can be reached. The filters in those larger homes will clog up faster since they will have more air to clean up (removing contaminants). The filters in smaller homes generally do less work since there is less air to clean. The filter in a smaller home may require to be replaced at longer intervals than is the case for filters in a larger home. However, this can change based on the size of the filters installed. Your preferred air conditioning repair technician in Sacramento will advise you accordingly.

HVAC Usage Patterns

The air filters in a home whose HVAC system operates 24/7 may need to be replaced more frequently when compared to the filters in a summer home which stays locked up for most of the year. Greater HVAC system use exposes the filters to more contaminants. With greater use comes shorter replacement intervals, such as once each month as opposed to twice a year for the summer home.

Number of Home Occupants

Sacramento heating and air conditioning companies also consider the number of people in your home when recommending how often the air filters should be replaced. The more the occupants, the more dust and other contaminants will be stirred. Homes with three occupants will have a longer filter change interval than homes with ten occupants, for example. This is assuming that the two homes in question are of approximately the same size.

The Presence of Pets

People who have pets in their homes have to change the air filters more often than are the filters in homes without pets. This is because the pet dander can clog the filters quickly, thereby necessitating frequent filter replacements. It follows that the more pets you have, the sooner you will have to change the air filters in your home.

The Health Status of Home Occupants

Homes which have people that suffer from asthma or allergies require more frequent air filter changes when compared to homes whose occupants don’t suffer from these health challenges. Any delay to change the filters when they are dirty will expose the sensitive people to contaminants which can trigger flare ups in their condition. Air conditioner replacement professionals in Sacramento can advise you to switch to a different kind of filter in case the asthma or allergy attacks aren’t addressed by the filter replacements you have been using.

The Type of Filter Installed

It is a known fact that not all AC filters are of the same quality. For example, a manufacturer of one type of filter will recommend that you change out that filter every month while a manufacturer of another type of filter (whose quality is better) will recommend that you replace the filter after three or four months of use. So, it is necessary for you to keep the manufacturer-recommended change interval in mind when planning how often you should replace the air filters.

The Location of Your Home

The location of your home can make it necessary to change the air filters more frequently or less frequently. For instance, a home in a busy metropolitan center will be exposed to more contaminants (car exhaust fumes, for example). The air filters in such a home will need to be changed frequently to maintain acceptable indoor air quality. In contrast, a home located away from industrial or commercial locales may be exposed to less dust and other pollutants. Such a home will require less frequent air filter changes.

As you can see, the right air filter replacement schedule can only be developed once all the factors above are kept in mind. Work with a professional from Fox Family Heating and Air to develop an appropriate air filter replacement schedule for your home so that you don’t take too long or replace those filters too soon. You can also inspect the filters each month and notice when light no longer penetrates through the filter media. That will signal that you should change the filter since it will be dirty/clogged.

Fox Family Heating & Air serves Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, and all of Northern California. If you’re looking to schedule HVAC service in these areas, give us a call!