How Often Should I Change My Furnace Filter?

Furnace filters collect pollutants and prevent them from being sucked into the return air vents and re-circulated throughout your home or business. Though filters do not necessarily clean your air, they at least keep it from becoming dirtier, and they also play a crucial role in maintaining proper airflow while the furnace is on.

Filters can only trap so many particles, though, before they start to impede airflow and lower indoor air quality. Replacing them is a basic maintenance task, one that the technicians at Integrity Heating & Cooling can handle for anyone in Charlotte, NC. However, it still pays to know when they should be replaced.

The Filter Material

The frequency of replacement mostly depends on the material the filter is made from. The cheapest filters are fiberglass filters; they can trap large particles of dust and dirt but not much else. They become dirty rather quickly and thus should be replaced every 30 days: hence, their nickname “throwaway filters.”

Pleated filters represent a step up as they can trap smaller particles of dust and dirt in addition to mold spores and pet dander. They also trap more because their pleats increase the surface area of the filter. Pleated filters are usually effective for 90 days.

Indoor Air Quality Concerns

Even with pleated filters, though, you may need to bump up the date for your next replacement. For instance, you may own a dog or cat, which means pet hair and dander will clog the filters sooner. Replacing the filters every 60 days, then, would make sense. If you own two dogs or cats, 45 days would be better. Forty-five days would also be ideal if an occupant suffers from a respiratory condition like asthma.

Customer Satisfaction 100% Guaranteed

If you leave furnace maintenance to the experts at Integrity Heating & Cooling, you’re guaranteed to be satisfied. We’ve been serving the people of Charlotte for nearly 40 years, and we provide a wide range of services. These include heating and AC work, and indoor air quality testing. Call us for more information.