How Often Should You Change Your Air Filter?

When it comes to air filters, the general consensus is that they should be replaced every 90 days or 3 months. However, this may vary depending on the location of your home, if you have pets, and the age of your system and equipment. If you have pets in your house, you should consider changing the filter every 60 days or 2 months. For households with multiple pets or people with allergies or respiratory conditions, we recommend changing the filter every 20 to 45 days.

Vacation homes or vacant homes that don't have much use can expect to change filters every 9-12 months. The more folds an air filter has, the better the chances of removing contaminants from the indoor air. A pleated air filter should be replaced every 30-60 days, a 2-fold air filter should be replaced every 3 months, a 3-fold air filter should be replaced every 120 days, and a 4-fold air filter should be replaced every 6 months. Investing in a relatively inexpensive air filter and replacing it at the right time can save you a lot of money on repairs. Before we talk about when you should change your air filter, let's start with why. As the filter traps more dirt, dust and allergens from the air, its efficiency decreases.

If you wait too long to change the filter, indoor air quality will suffer. A typical manufacturer recommends replacing air filters every 30 to 90 days; however, this depends on the life of the filter and other environmental factors within the home. So how can you determine if your air filter has trapped more than enough dirt and needs a change? A good rule of thumb is that if debris needs to be vacuumed more frequently from the floor, it can be safely said that this debris also goes to the air filters. During allergy season, air filters can work overtime to remove allergens, dust, and other debris circulating through the heating and cooling system. Using an air filter with a MERV rating higher than recommended by the manufacturer of your oven or air conditioner may impair its performance. If you have any questions, call a professional or the manufacturer of your air cleaner to determine its useful life.

Another 12 particles are used to determine which air filters are best for trapping different air pollutants. In general, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing your air filter every 90 days or 3 months. The ideal is to change your air filter every three months; however, there are certain factors to consider when determining when to change an old filter. A general rule of thumb for pleated air filters (such as those manufactured by FilterBuy) is to replace the filter every 90 days.