Residential air filters may be a small part of your home’s HVAC system, but they play a critical role in its overall performance. They filter out debris like dust and pollen that improves your home’s air quality. Air filters also do a great job of making your Irving residence more comfortable, but if you neglect your air filters, it’ll take a toll on your HVAC unit’s heating and cooling efficiency. Eventually, it’ll collect so much pollen, pet dander, mold spores, lint, and more so the air won’t be able to pass through the mine mesh fibers. When it does, the air will circulate those contaminants and can lead to allergy-like illnesses.
The Function of Residential Air Filters
We’ve already established that air filters play an important role in the heating and cooling of your home. Now, we’re going to explain why that is and exactly what they do. Air filters use a fabric material to filter the air that passes through them. They trap all kinds of contaminants that would reduce your home’s air quality if left to float around freely. Some debris that your air filter should catch include:
- Dust and dirt
- Pet dander
- Bacteria
- Mold
- Pollen
- Lint
How Often Should You Replace A Residential Air Filter?
Generally, you should replace your air filter every 90 days. Of course, different scenarios call for different HVAC maintenance schedules. If it’s a vacation home that you rarely visit or you live alone, you might be able to get away with replacing your filter every 6-12 months. However, if you have a big family with lots of pets, you’ll probably need an air filter replacement every couple of months. Some signs that it’s time to change your air filter include:
- Warm air blowing out of your air conditioner
- A hot HVAC unit
- More expensive energy bills
- An uptick in allergy symptoms
- Dust in the air vents
What Happens If You Don’t Have An Air Filter
Your air conditioner won’t stop working just because you take out your air filter, but if you don’t replace it, you’ll run into some other HVAC issues further down the road. Unfortunately, these issues tend to be pretty expensive. The main problem you’ll encounter is excess condensation in the Freon tubing since the condensation drain can’t drain moisture without an air filter.
This causes water damage, and can ruin your HVAC system. Aside from the water damage, your home will feel stuffy and once dust starts to settle, it’ll clog up the whole system. The loose contaminants can also cause your family to experience health problems.
What Type of Air Filter is Most Efficient?
A lot of people choose whichever air filter is cheapest at the hardware store because they don’t think it’ll make any difference. However, different residential air filters have different efficiency ratings. To find the best air filter for your Irving home, make sure you’re checking the MERV rating.
The scale ranges from 1-20 and the higher the number, the better the rating. However, just because an air filter has a 20 MERV rating doesn’t mean it’s the best filter for your HVAC system. Sometimes, air filters with higher MERV ratings can actually impede airflow. So make sure you do your research or ask the Ellis AC technicians about the pros and cons of different air filters and their MERV ratings. We’ll be able to determine if you need a fiberglass, electrostatic, pleated, high-efficiency pleated, or HEPA air filter.
Ellis AC– Irving HVAC Maintenance Services
It’s important to maintain an air filter replacement schedule to maximize your home’s breathability and to keep your family healthy. If you notice any of the aforementioned warning signs, or it’s coming up on 90 days since your last air filter replacement– call Ellis AC Irving. We’ll send out an HVAC technician that can pop in a new air filter with ease so you don’t have to worry about the inconvenience of buying and replacing it yourself.
Contact us today for a quote and feel free to ask us any questions you have about residential HVAC maintenance. If you have any concerns, we can schedule a consultation and your Ellis AC technician can assess your system and provide recommendations that will improve its performance.