When it comes to air filters, the general recommendation is to replace them at least once every 90 days.
You may have heard your HVAC technician explain how to change the air filter
, but how long should you wait before replacing it? The consensus is that you should replace your home air filter every 3 months, or 90 days. But what happens if you wait longer than that? Let's take a look at why it's important to replace your air filter and how long it should last. Pleated air filters are more expensive initially, but they are also more effective at trapping particles and can last up to 90 days, depending on usage. These filters can be changed up to every six months.However, these general guidelines do not take into account filter sizes or types, such as coarser filters or smaller filters. Therefore, it is recommended that you never leave an air filter unreplaced for more than 90 days. If you live in a big city, pollutants such as smoke, dust, and other debris will enter your home and clog the air filter much faster. If you have someone with asthma or allergies in your home, change the filter every 6 weeks to ensure optimal indoor air quality. We also offer filters for 5-inch ovens (16x25x5 or 20x25x1), whole-house air filter brands, and filters for rigid cell ovens.
Pleated filters are usually better than non-pleated ones, as they provide a larger surface area to collect dust, pet hair, and other airborne particles. In general, filters with a MERV 16 rating or lower are considered suitable for residential, commercial, and general hospital air conditioning systems. It should also be noted that thicker oven filters tend to last longer and provide better filtration over time, so they usually cost more than 1 or 2 oven filters. In general, most air filter manufacturers and air conditioning companies recommend changing them every 90 days or 3 months. Some air conditioning systems are designed to have a single air filtration system instead of a separate system for the air conditioner and oven. However, if it's impossible to replace the air filter for an extended period of time, spending more than 90 days won't cause irreparable damage to your air conditioning system.
As air circulates through a building's air conditioning system, air filters trap and accumulate large and small particles such as dust, allergens, and microorganisms. In addition to keeping the air conditioning system free of contaminants, oven filters also help clean the indoor air you breathe. And in doing so, the air conditioning filter will work twice as hard to overcome these barriers, reducing the unit's energy efficiency. If you have young children at home, it's a good idea to use high-quality pleated air filters and change them every two months. If there is a layer of visible dirt that covers most of the surface of the filter and is thick enough to hide the filter material itself, it is a sign that the filter has been in the air conditioning system for too long.
