Daily life has its stressors; there’s family life to tend and work to attend. Certain unforeseeable events may occur and throw a wrench in plans or flip your world upside down. We understand; life isn’t always easy and sometimes we may fall behind on projects and responsibilities at home.
Specifically, you may forget to change your air filter from time to time. While this replacement process entails a simple switch between old and new filtering components, it helps to know what happens to your air when you forget to change filters.
In this article, we’ll discuss all changes including indoor air quality, how it can encourage bacteria growth, and how it affects your HVAC unit over time.
Indoor Air Quality
Many homeowners consider their home a haven where they can take shelter and relax from the stressors of the outside world. However, your home can make you feel ill if you neglect your air filter. Filtering systems do their best to trap outside pollutants that could negatively impact your quality of life.
It’s easy to let your guard down when surfaces in your home are clean; most airborne contaminants are microscopic, therefore not visible to the naked eye.
This quality makes it easy for particles to travel up airways and cause health concerns, while making it challenging for us to determine the cause of illnesses in the first place.
Health Concerns
Poor indoor air quality can lead to various respiratory issues, allergies, and infections. Due to lack of ventilation from clogged filters, particulate matter can build up, resulting in concentration of pollutants.
Without ventilation, you can breathe in dirty air containing carbon dioxide and other odorless emissions, resulting in complications. Residents that fail to change their filters may also experience skin dryness, irritation, headaches, and nausea.
Un-Optimized System
An un-optimized HVAC system essentially means your heating, ventilation, and cooling are working harder than they should. They are not working with the best efficiency because the air conditioner must now push warm air past a barrier that is clogged.
The purpose of the air filter is to filter out contaminants, dust, and allergens; not to prevent the flow of air entirely. Most standard manufacturers will recommend switching out your air filter every six months.
If you have pets, live in a more humid environment, or have household members who’re sensitive to allergies, it’s recommended to switch out your air filter every three to four months to improve efficiency and optimize your HVAC system.
Energy Expenditure
In the example above we looked at how your air conditioner will need to work harder to expel the same amount of warm air because of a clogged system.
This tends to be less prevalent with auto-regulating units, but if you were to set your thermostat at 70 degrees and your system is working harder and taking longer to reach its set temperature, you are throwing money down the drain.
While it does cost money to change your air filter, and more if you are changing it out more frequently, you are making up the difference by not spending as much money on the utility bill; clear air is a plus.
System Failures
Most HVAC system failures are the result of over usage and overheating. This can happen in hotter summer days when your HVAC system is working exponentially harder to stay at its set temperature and is not optimized fully because of blocked passageways.
By regularly keeping the filter and outside areas clean, you are reducing the likelihood of a complete system failure due to overheating. When comparing the cost of replacing air filters three to four times per year, it certainly beats the cost of completely overhauling a new HVAC system. Most HVACs should easily last 15 to 25 years when properly maintained.
Benefits of Changing Air Filters
Changing air filters routinely provides many benefits, but most importantly, it prioritizes your health and well-being by helping supply clean air.
Dust- and Allergen-Free Air
Different filters are required for every situation. Air filters are typically rated by material, size, and MERV Rating (MERV rating is the filter’s ability to capture dust and allergen).
A filter with a higher MERV rating tends to be more ideal and more expensive. The longer you wait to change your air filter, the more dust and allergen build up. Your HVAC system will start to inevitably push air through and not capture as much as it would if it were clean.
Changing your air filter regularly leads to cleaner air, thus promoting a better night’s rest, clearer skin, and less respiratory issues. If you have pets and kids, it’s important to keep a log on how fast your filter is building up contaminants.
How To Remember When To Change Your Air Filter
The easiest way to remember to change your air filter is to keep a maintenance log. This maintenance log can be in the form of a notebook, on your calendar, or an Excel worksheet that reminds you how often the filter is being swapped out.
Also, a professional HVAC company can help you keep a log of how maintenance and performance has been. They will typically leave a log on the HVAC system and keep notes on other key performance metrics, like air intake flow, pressure readings, and more.
This investment can certainly help you extend the life of your HVAC system with relatively less stress than updating a log yourself. They’ll have access to tools and equipment that can help gauge the current performance, as compared to the normal homeowner who will just visually inspect the air filter.
How To Change Your Air Filter
How do you go about changing your air filter? Most standard manufactured air filters will be predetermined in size. Also, depending on the age of your HVAC system, it may require a special or custom air filter instead. Most standard air filters are measured by the size in length, width, and depth.
The material is also something to consider, as paper and polyester filters tend to be the cheapest but have the lower MERV ratings. Aluminum filters can run more expensive but have higher MERV ratings and are ideal for more humid environments. This all depends on your specific household or situation.
In short, there are many factors to consider when looking at how often to change your air filter, but the main point still stands: change it! If you forget to change your air filter, do not fret. Take the necessary steps located here to prevent potential dust and allergen buildup.
Forgetting to change your air filter is a very common mistake. With that being said, it’s important to set reminders or keep a log of how often you are changing your filters to optimize your HVAC’s performance.
While you’re here, take a look at our inventory at Remember the Filter. You can order air conditioning filters online through our webpage and be a step closer towards having cleaner air.
