Breathe Easy: Essential HVAC Maintenance Tips for a Comfortable Home

Breathe Easy: Essential HVAC Maintenance Tips for a Comfortable Home

As we start the new year, there is no better time than now to be sure your home heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is operating efficiently.  A simple and key task to maintain your HVAC is to replace your filter.  Here are a few good things to know before you step into your local home improvement store or shop online.

The filter removes particles and other allergens from your HVAC system to improve the quality of the air circulating in your home. Typically, air filters are located in the system’s return air and are made of spun fiberglass or pleated cloth. The filter cleans impurities removing things like:

• • Pollen 
  • Dust and dirt
  • Mold and mold spores
  • Fibers and lint 
  • Metal, plaster, or wood particles
  • Hair and animal fur
  • Dead skin or dander
  • Bacteria
  • Smoke
  • Other microorganisms

Frequency

How often you change your home’s air filter matters. Filters do get clogged, slowing down airflow and letting allergens pass through. Some people only change their air filters twice a year, typically in the summer and winter. However, it might not be often enough.

30, 60 Replacement Duration

There are a few factors to consider when you’re deciding how often to change your air filter. If you don’t have pets or allergies, twice a year is fine. Otherwise, you want to consider replacing the air filter more frequently.

·         60 Days: People with one pet and/or allergies will want to replace their air filters every two months.

·         30 Days: Anyone with multiple pets should change their air filter once a month. It also applies if someone in the home suffers from a breathing condition.

Changing A Furnace or AC Air Filter

It’s not hard to change your HVAC filter, though you will need to follow a few steps.

Locate Your Filter

Your old filter is usually located behind a panel, either in the wall or on the HVAC unit. If you’re having problems finding it, a professional HVAC specialist can give you advice.

Get The Right Replacement

Not all ac units and furnaces take the same size air filter.   Double check the size.  The best HVAC air filters for the home fit your system perfectly. You don’t want gaps around the edges or a filter that’s bent to fit inside. Thicker filters are better equipped to prevent dust, pollen, and other allergens from getting into the air you breathe at home.

An easy way to determine the size is by pulling out the old filter. 

Now that you know what size to get, here is a little more information to help you decide which filter is the right one for you.

·         Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV), is actually a form of measurement, rather than a type of air filter. MERV values indicate how efficiently various particle sizes are trapped by your home’s air filter. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filtration. A filter with a MERV rating of 13- 16 is considered a high-ranking MERV filter and can remove up to 75% of all airborne particles. Simply put, the higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles can be trapped. A lower MERV rating means larger particles are trapped but smaller ones still pass through. Below is a breakdown of MERV ratings and what each category of an air filter is able to stop.

Which Air Filter Is Best For My HVAC System?

So what air filter should you choose for your home? 

This is very much like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  A lower rated air-filter is cheaper but won’t be as effective in eliminating airborne particles could result in reducing the life of your system or cause expensive repairs.  However, too high a rating could also reducing the life of your system or cause expensive repairs by restricting the airflow and causing your system to work too hard.

For most residential homes, you should typically go with something between a MERV 6-8 unless you suffer from asthma, allergies or other respiratory issues.  Then you may consider a filter with a a MERV rating between 10-12.