Is there anyone in your home who is starving for air? “No,” you say. Are you sure? How about your HVAC system, is it starving for air? If you haven’t changed the filter lately, you can be sure that it is starving.
All forced-air HVAC systems have air filters installed in the system. These filters ensure that the air flowing over the heat exchanger coil, evaporator coil, or burners in your system is clean, dust-free air. Dust can not only form a fire hazard in your furnace, it can also clog the evaporator coil in your air conditioner, reducing air flow and ultimately rendering it useless.
Regularly changing the air filters on your HVAC system is one of the easiest and least costly ways of reducing your family’s energy bill. A dirty filter blocks air flow, meaning that less air is being heated or cooled for dollar spent on energy. Ouch!
Most air filters are designed to be changed every 30 days. There are some exceptions, with filters which have been designed to be changed every 60, or even 90 days. These air filters will be marked on the packaging and will cost more per filter. Even with these, it is recommended to visually inspect your air filters every 30 days to ensure that they are not overly dirty.
If you have programmable controllers for your system, they typically include an alarm to let you know when the 30 days are up. Of course, if you forget to push the button, starting the timer won’t help.
An easy way to make sure that you change your air filters every 30 days is to make a habit of doing it at a regular time. This could be the first day of the month, the day you write the check for your energy bill, or any other monthly recurring date.
Just remember, forgetting to change your air filter is like throwing money away.
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