When it comes to taking care of your home and yourself, the most important factors are often the simplest, and therefore, the easiest to overlook or ignore. A prime example of this is replacing your air filter. When was the last time you replaced your filter – or even checked on it to see if it needed to be replaced?
For many people, the air filter in their HVAC unit should have been replaced months ago. It is all too common to put off changing a filter, or to forget about it altogether. It may not seem important, but changing your air filter regularly can make a huge difference in your monthly utility bills, the lifespan of your HVAC unit, and your family’s health.
Benefits of a Clean Air Filter
- Improve Energy Efficiency – When your air filter is dirty, your HVAC system must work harder to push the air through the media. This requires more energy before it can bring your home to your desired temperature, and that means higher energy bills. Changing your air filter regularly will save you money and benefit the environment by improving energy efficiency.
- Improve Your Home’s Air Quality – Debris, dust, pollen, mold spores, animal fur, bacteria and other unwanted elements from a dirty air filter can shake loose and travel with the air that blows through your vents, sending allergens throughout your home. Breathing in all that dirty air can cause those in your home to develop allergies, respiratory issues, and other illnesses. One of the primary jobs of an air filter is to clean the air that travels through your home, so changing your air filter regularly will simply help it do its job.
- Extend the Lifespan of Your HVAC System – In addition to the unwanted allergens your family might breathe in, a dirty filter can also promote the growth of mold and bacteria in your HVAC unit. The additional debris on the filter provides an excellent home for moisture to collect, and nurtures the growth of mold that can colonize in your HVAC system. This spells trouble for your system (and your health). When you change your air filter on time, you will prevent the degradation of your HVAC system and extend its lifespan.
- Better Temperature Control and Less Frequent Repairs – When an HVAC unit has to work harder to push air through the filter, it can “freeze up” and stop working as it should. You will still be paying for it to attempt to cool your home, but you will not be receiving the benefits of that work. Changing your air filter regularly will ensure you can keep your home at your desired temperature and call your HVAC technician less frequently.
Remembering to Change Your Air Filter
Ideally, you should change your air filter every one to three months, depending on the concentration of allergens in your area, whether you have pets, and/or whether someone with extra sensitive allergies or respiratory problems lives in your home. Our favorite ways to remember to change our filters include:
- Write a reminder in your calendar or planner. Be sure to post a reminder somewhere you’ll see it once the time comes.
- Set a reminder on your smartphone using a digital calendar.
- Sign up for a subscription service (arguably the easiest option). Snyder Heating & Air Conditioning has partnered with FilterTime, a subscription service that takes the legwork out of remembering to change your air filter. If you haven’t heard of FilterTime, it’s owned by NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Blake Koch, and it’s the easiest way to remember to change your air filters on time. A box of brand new filters will be delivered right to your door at your specified intervals – no manual reminder necessary. If you order now and use code SNYDER at checkout, you will receive 10% off your first purchase!
Snyder Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric Has You Covered
Whether it’s giving your HVAC system a thorough checking over before winter or bringing you a filter subscription service to keep both you and your cooling system healthy, Snyder Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric has you covered. We’re here to help with all your heating and cooling needs. Contact us today!
