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The purpose of an air filter in a typical residential house is to protect the HVAC system from damage due to particulates in the air, period. A residential home & HVAC system are not designed to achieve air quality inside the home that is substantially cleaner than air outside the home.
On tighter built homes, the indoor air is usually 5X to 10X more polluted than the outdoor air.
It depends on how clean you keep your house and how often your HVAC system runs. I keep my house pretty dust free, don't have pets and the system runs less in winter than in summer. I'm in Las Vegas and it's dusty, but I rarely open the windows or doors. I change my filters every six months and keep an eye on them in between. They turn gray, that's a sign to replace them. I had my AC and heat systems serviced this year, everything looked good. The AC unit needed to be cleaned because I didn't do it for too long, lesson learned. I can use a hose and do it myself, but it's a good idea to have each system cleaned and inspected for problems on a routine basis. Preventative maintenance helps extend the life of the hardware.
When I bought my pre-owned house (only a year old), it had been sitting empty for a while. The owner passed away unexpectedly and it was in a trust, the family members did not live in Vegas. The filters were black, they were gross. They might have never been replaced since the house was new.
Oh, gosh, thanks for reminding me. They will start excavating 14 of the 30ish acres out behind me some time next year. You make a good point that I will likely need to step up my game on a lot of things including changing the air filter (for several years during construction). Gah!
I am glad I helped you. You will need to make sure you change your filters more often. I buy at HD online and get them in packs so I have them handy. I do suggest you buy the good brand and make sure they are covered in plastic because who knows what could be attached to them from particles in the air. I bought a pack of 4 cheap filters the first time and I was sorry I did.
Also, I don't know about your area but by me with the digging at the oil company there was also on the other side of the blocks cutting of trees and adding a new building. I got so many silver fish in my home I had to buy those silverfish paks to get rid of them. No sprays just put out the packs in the corners and they sure did work so well I have not seen one since for years.
I am glad I helped you. You will need to make sure you change your filters more often. I buy at HD online and get them in packs so I have them handy. I do suggest you buy the good brand and make sure they are covered in plastic because who knows what could be attached to them from particles in the air. I bought a pack of 4 cheap filters the first time and I was sorry I did.
Also, I don't know about your area but by me with the digging at the oil company there was also on the other side of the blocks cutting of trees and adding a new building. I got so many silver fish in my home I had to buy those silverfish paks to get rid of them. No sprays just put out the packs in the corners and they sure did work so well I have not seen one since for years.
I buy the Lennox that fit my Lennox Air Purifier system from a discount furnace place. I used to get them from a hvac service company that didn't rip me off.
The beauty of the PNW is there are barely any bugs.
I buy the Lennox that fit my Lennox Air Purifier system from a discount furnace place. I used to get them from a hvac service company that didn't rip me off.
The beauty of the PNW is there are barely any bugs.
I have the GermGuardian home air purifier I replace every 3 to 4 months and the HVAC filters brand Honeywell at the HD store. So I actually have 2 air filters I need to use. Cuts down a lot on my asthma coughing.
I have the GermGuardian home air purifier I replace every 3 to 4 months and the HVAC filters brand Honeywell at the HD store. So I actually have 2 air filters I need to use. Cuts down a lot on my asthma coughing.
I also have air purifiers for certain rooms due to wildfire smoke being a normal occurrence now.
I'm on the 3 months schedule change but I often forget and it turns into a bit longer. Plus, there is one filter I can't reach, so that one usually gets changed much less often. The filters don't look bad when I changed them out.
1. Those ultra cheap polyfiber filters are worthless as filters. While they do allow more air to flow than pleated filters, they also allow very large particles through to the A coils. Depending on your home central air unit, location, and condition of the home then these filters may be fine.
2. Even the cheapest pleated filter will filter better than the polyfiber filters.
3. Don’t go by the date printed on the package. Inspect your filters monthly. Depending on your location and environment you may need to change monthly or more than 3 months.
4. There are electronic devices that can be added to a unit to improve air quality in the home. They can include UV lights, electrostatic, fresh air exchange systems, and other devices can improve air quality.
5. Do you really need such a high MERV rated central air filter? At this level you’re getting closer to the HEPA level for a fan that only runs when needed. If you really need this level of filtering then perhaps you need a separate air purifier. A more expensive option is to speak with a licensed and reputable installer about either replacing your home’s central air system or adding onto your existing system one or more of those inline are purification systems.
In our home we use a MERV 10 filter because of age of home, surrounding trees’ pollen, and pet dander (dog). Our return vents are near floor level. Dust and wet mopping the floors help to extend the life of the filters. Add in occasional dusting (flat surfaces and ceiling fan blades) and the filters can last longer. Our central air runs longer and more frequently in the summer and so we have to replace filters monthly. In milder temperature months we can go more than 3 months without changing the filters. Our central air unit is new (less than 5 years old) and so can handle the extra filtering. Older systems may not be able to safely handle good pleated air filters. Have your unit serviced and have your A coils checked and cleaned. In humid climates things can stick to and grow on damp A coils reducing their efficiency.
I have 6 HVAC systems (7 if you count the garage) covering 10 zones (11 if you count the garage), and each HVAC system uses two Honeywell electronic air cleaner cells.
In my Park City home, heat is supplied by warmed floors heating rather than by forced air, so there are no air cleaners to clean.
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