How Often Should You Change Your HVAC Filter?

Learn how often you should change your HVAC filter for optimal performance and improved indoor air quality. Find out what factors affect how often you should replace your oven filter.

How Often Should You Change Your HVAC Filter?

The ideal is to change your air filter every three months, however, there are certain factors to consider when determining when to replace an old filter. The only way to ensure how often you need to change your air filter is to perform a visual inspection of the filter every month. After a few months, you'll get an idea of how quickly it gets dirty. You'll need to reassess if you have a new pet or if the outdoor air quality has been poor.

Generally, HVAC professionals recommend replacing your oven filter every 90 days or every three months. However, that depends on the thickness of the filter. Thicker filters have more room to collect dirt and dust, so there's no need to change them as often. Thomas & Galbraith Heating, Cooling and Plumbing of Ohio suggests replacing filters that are less than 2 inches thick every 30 to 90 days.

Three- or 4-inch filters can last 6 to 9 months, and filters up to 6 inches thick can be replaced once a year. A general rule of thumb for pleated air filters (such as those manufactured by FilterBuy) is to replace the filter every 90 days. If you have an asthmatic or allergic person at home, it's best to change the filter every 6 weeks to ensure that the indoor air quality is the best. Larger homes have large volumes of air circulating around them, which means that the filter may need to be changed more frequently. Therefore, in addition to causing breakdowns, it can also increase energy bills because the HVAC system has to work overtime. The air quality where you live can also affect how often your oven filter needs to be changed.

The HVAC air filter helps keep indoor air clean by trapping mold particles, pollen, and other contaminants moving through the system. Regardless of the HVAC system you have, each unit needs a properly tuned quality filter to keep your indoor air quality clean and your unit running at peak efficiency. Compared to other DIY home improvement projects, changing air filters is a quick and painless process that can be done in less than an hour. To ensure that only clean air comes out of your HVAC system, replace the air filter before it becomes clogged so that you can breathe better. This is a general guideline and, depending on the following factors, you may need to change it more or less frequently.

However, if your HVAC system works almost constantly, change the filter every few weeks (especially if you use a cheaper fiberglass filter).If your dirty air filter is completely covered with dust and dirt, it's a good idea to change the filter even if it hasn't reached the end of its recommended life. During a remodeling project, change the oven filter every 30 days, or even more often, to prevent construction-related dust from circulating around the home.