Many homeowners don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the health of their home’s HVAC system. Of course they check it out when they get their pre-purchase inspection. And, if there’s a problem such as a lack of hot air coming from the vents after turning on the heater, they’ll take a closer look. However, routine upkeep is just not something that is high on most people’s priority lists.
The simple truth is that by doing even some minimal maintenance can save you and your family a fair amount of your hard earned money. It can help keep your HVAC system running as efficiently as possible helping keep your monthly energy usage as low as possible. Plus, a well maintained system should also have a much longer lifespan than a poorly maintained one.
One of the easiest aspects of basic HVAC upkeep a homeowner can tackle is to change their HAVC’s air filter.
What Does it Do?
The air filter is a small and not overly expensive part of your heater and air conditioner. It’s a really important part though.
The way both your heater and air conditioner work is that they pull in outside air, either raise or lower its temperature, and then push that air throughout different zones of your home. Add up all of the hours and the days they are on, and that’s a lot of air moving around.
That air is full of impurities and they can not only gum up your HVAC system, they aren’t something anyone would consider healthy either. Do you really want dust and outdoor air pollution making their way through your entire house?
Your air filter does exactly what its name says it does. It filters and clean the air that your climate control system moves through your home and that you and your family breathe.
How Long do they Last?
The time you can get out of your air filter depends a lot on the type of environment you live in. Do you have one or several pets? Do you or someone in your family have allergies? Do you live next to a major highway?
All of the these things shorten the lifespan of your air filter.
While the normal lifespan of your filter can be anywhere from 6 to 12 months, heavy pollution, a pet, or allergies can shorten that to 2 or 3 months. If you own multiple pets or any combination of the above factors, you should really consider replacing it each and every month.
How Much Do They Cost?
While it’s nice to know how often you should replace your air filter according to your family’s individual needs, you also need to know how much you have to set aside and add to your home’s annual upkeep budget.
The cost depends on a couple of factors. First, there are basic air filters and whole home air filters. Next, like all things, there are budget air filters and higher quality ones that you might get away with replacing a little less often.
A basic filter can run anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars up to around $500. Whole home filters can easily double that and even run up to $5,000.
In Summary
Your HVAC unit’s air filter is not something to set and forget. In order for your heating and AC systems to function efficiently, you need to replace filters much more often than most homeowners realize.
If you need help with your air filter, get in touch with BWS Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today!
