Summer time is here! Everyone wants their homes cool round the clock and their air conditioners working perfectly. Now, it is no news that a clean residential air filter equals clean air and low energy bills in and for your home. It is recommended that you replace your air filter at least every three months. However the frequency of filter change depends on a number of factors we shall discuss.
Changing Your Air Filters During Summer
During summer, you probably run your air conditioner frequently to keep your home cool. Now, the thing is more air is blown through the air filter when your air conditioner runs more frequently. And when more air is constantly moving through the air filter, more dirt and other pollutants such as dust, pollen, and mould get sucked in. You don’t want your air conditioner to work inefficiently or to be recirculated with polluted air.
So what do you do?
The general rule of thumb with air filters for home is to replace them every three months. During summer, forget that rule. It is advised to change your custom air filters for your home monthly through summer.
Here’s why:
- Most places in the United States have a central air conditioner that runs longer cycles and for longer periods of time during a normal summer day than a furnace does during the winter months. A higher volume of air circulates through the system each day as a result of longer cycles and longer running hours, which means that the filter can catch more airborne particulates. The summer months necessitate more regular filter replacements.
- Summer cooling is also affected by the presence of humidity. Summertime brings a rise in indoor humidity levels. Filter media can become polluted with moisture, bacterial growth, mold, and other pathogens as it circulates through the system’s ductwork. In addition, a wet or damp filter is less effective at capturing airborne particles than a dry filter.
- Allergens are more frequent in the summer than they are in the winter, when plants and fungus are dormant. Indoor air quality may be continuously contaminated by a filter full of pollen and mould spores that have been caught. Changing the filter monthly reduces the amount of allergens in the air, which is especially important during the summer months.
Other Important Considerations When Deciding How Often to Replace Air Filters in Your Home
Depending on your geographic location, you may not need to use your air conditioner or heater during the day. If you use your air filter for fewer than five hours every day, you can extend its lifespan by several months.
Period of Year
During peak summer and winter months, residential filters with a normal lifespan of 90 days should be changed every 30 days (monthly). This occurs when HVAC systems are functioning at maximum capacity and, consequently, demand maximum efficiency to continue operating smoothly.
Size Of Your Residence
Larger homes require more regular filter replacements because furnaces and air conditioners must release more air to accommodate temperature swings.
Allergies
It is essential for allergy sufferers to replace their air filter more frequently. We advise replacing your filter every thirty to forty-five days.
Family And Pets
To protect your family from potentially hazardous airborne particles, you should replace your filter more frequently. Families with children should replace their filters every 60-90 days, whilst those with pets should do it every 60 days for one pet and every 30 days for two.
Environmental Quality
Obviously, if the air quality in your home is poor, you will need to replace your air filters more frequently. To guarantee that your home’s cooling and heating system performs efficiently, routine maintenance is required. Proper maintenance will preserve the air quality in your home, extend the life of your system, and reduce energy consumption, so lowering your utility bills.
Conclusion
Every month, whether it’s winter or summer, you should inspect your air for damage or dirt. We agree that during winter air filter change can be performed every three months if the filter does not appear dusty, clogged or broken. As weird as it may sound, changing your filter should be done more often during the summer months. If you do not have a filter, you can buy one from a trusted residential filters supplier, like Custom Filters Direct.