We spend a lot of time inside our homes and businesses, so we should be concerned about the air we breathe while inside. Indoor air quality can be affected by several things, from built-up dust, chemicals from cleaning, mold, mildew, and more. To keep the air in our homes and businesses clean, filters are an essential part of an HVAC system. They are meant to catch all the dirt, debris, and more flowing through the ducts in our homes and businesses before it’s released into the air we breathe.
You must regularly change your furnace’s and HVAC system’s filters to keep indoor air clean. Depending on the size of your filter, it may be designed to last only a few months. Here’s a handy rule to help you remember: the thicker your filter is, the longer you can go between switching it out. For example, a 1.5-inch filter is designed to last for 1-3 months, while 5- 6-inch thick filters are meant to last 9 to 12 months.
Regularly changing the filter in your furnace, especially during the winter months when it’s being used all the time, is a great way to keep your HVAC system clean. But as you know, it’s very easy to forget this important task. The longer you leave a filter in your system without switching out, the less effective it will be. More dust and debris will slip by the filter and into your ducts, which is much harder to clean.
A clogged furnace or HVAC system filter doesn’t seem like a big deal. But it can be. Over time, the excess dirt and debris can affect your health. It can lead to allergy symptoms like dry eyes, skin irritations, coughing, and even sinus or cold infections. Headaches are also a common side effect of poor indoor air quality, which can result from a dirty HVAC system. The filters in your furnace and HVAC system are the first line of defense for protecting the air quality in your home or business so you stay healthy.
So, if this blog post reminds you that it’s been over a few months since you changed your filter, go change it now! And if it’s covered in a thick layer of dust and dirt when you pull it out of our furnace, don’t worry. We can help. We offer HVAC and duct cleaning services, too! With our specialized tools, we can suck out all the dirt and debris that your clogged filter missed. Once your system is cleaned, you can start a regular routine of switching out the filters in your furnace or HVAC system. We recommend setting up a regular order of filters from Amazon or other retailers every few months as a reminder. This way, when the filter shows up, you know it’s time to make the switch, and you already have a new filter ready!
