Changing HVAC Filters Monthly - Necessary? (houses, to buy, schools)

[Corgi Dad]

I just changed the air filters in our house. There are six in various sizes. The utility and HVAC manufacturers all recommend monthly changes. The total cost of top of the line filters for our house cost about $130, $20-$25 each depending on size. I bought cheaper filters, total about $25, made by the same company.

So I'm wondering about the payback or savings for monthly filter replacements. $130 is about the same as our monthly cooling and/or heating bill. I guess it does offer lower the energy cost a little, but it would probably require some sophisticated equipment to measure it.

While I favor energy conservation, it seems that the cost of following the recommend monthly filter changes works against me. A year's supply of top of the line (most effective) filters would cost us over $1,000 and I have difficulty believing we would be saving that much money or energy.

Your thoughts?

[Edward Teach]

I think changing every 2 or 3 months is usually fine, unless your house is extremely dusty. Its more about indoor air quality, comfort and extending the life of your hvac unit than energy savings.

[danielbmartin]

Originally Posted by Corgi Dad

Your thoughts?

There are two schools of thought on this subject.

1) Buy the expensive filters and change them at 4, 5, or 6 month intervals.
2) Buy the low-buck filters and change them monthly.

I choose #2 and buy filters at Walmart, less than $2 apiece. Works for me.



.

[wheelsup]

If anything you would change the higher dollar filters more often assuming they trap more particles. They would clog more.

Unless you have allergies the main point of the filter is to protect the evaporator from dust buildup. After over a decade of using web washable filters I didn't have a spec of dust on my evaporator. I washed them every 3 months sometimes longer when we no longer had a dog.

[goldenlove]

I buy the middle of the road filters (I found them in bulk, I think on Amazon) and change them monthly. But we have 3 dogs of our own and train dogs who live in our home, so they need to be changed that often. I believe it costs me about $15-20/month, I have two downstairs intakes and one upstairs one. I do only change the upstairs one, where nobody every hangs out, every other month.

[hertfordshire]

I buy mid-range filters and change them every three months. I use a service that auto ships them quarterly, so I don't even have to think about when to change them.

I use Second Nature (formerly FilterEasy). Bonus: they're a local company!

[Universe93B]

After living in many houses and in many states, the best is to buy a relatively cheaper filter and change every 3 months. Unless you are doing something in your house that creates more dust/air particles, like air spraying paint in one of your rooms for a hobby, etc.

[C_Lan]

I use the cheapest cloth filter that I can find that has the lowest flow restrictions. Usually just a few bucks more than the cheap fiberglass resin filters. Better air filtration. I do not see how thise green fiberglass strand filters can catch as much dust.

[twingles]

Originally Posted by hertfordshire

I buy mid-range filters and change them every three months.!

Same. $130 a month on filters? Nope.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by Corgi Dad

I just changed the air filters in our house. There are six in various sizes. The utility and HVAC manufacturers all recommend monthly changes. The total cost of top of the line filters for our house cost about $130, $20-$25 each depending on size. I bought cheaper filters, total about $25, made by the same company.

So I'm wondering about the payback or savings for monthly filter replacements. $130 is about the same as our monthly cooling and/or heating bill. I guess it does offer lower the energy cost a little, but it would probably require some sophisticated equipment to measure it.

While I favor energy conservation, it seems that the cost of following the recommend monthly filter changes works against me. A year's supply of top of the line (most effective) filters would cost us over $1,000 and I have difficulty believing we would be saving that much money or energy.

Your thoughts?

$130/month?
Jeeze.... No chance.
Mid-range filters, with 90 day changes. Unless you have multiple dogs, etc.