Keep the air in your home clean and fresh

Most of us have been there before. There’s an “oh no” moment when you remember it’s been a very long time since you replaced your HVAC system’s air filter and you scramble to find a new filter and get it changed immediately. Maybe you or a family member started to get a little sick, or maybe your unit wasn’t running as smoothly as usual so you realized the issue. Either way, waiting too long to replace your air filters can be detrimental to the air in your home and can shorten the lifespan of your heating and air system. Our company is based right here in the Bay Area, and we have been proudly serving the heating, ventilation and cooling needs of residents in Antioch and the surrounding areas. We’re licensed and experienced HVAC contractors and our goal is to keep you feeling comfortable in your home year-round Today, we’ll be going over a few recommendations for keeping your air filters replaced on schedule, and when it’s a good idea to deviate from the recommended schedule. Check out the points below for a few best practices regarding air filter replacement. Know the Manufacturer’s Recommendations It’s important to understand how your HVAC system works, and a large part of knowing your system is having a good knowledge of the manufacturer’s recommendations for the system’s upkeep. Almost all manufacturers recommend replacing air filters at least every three months. There are scenarios where this time can be adjusted, more on those later, but for the vast majority of HVAC systems the recommended maximum use of an air filter is 90 days. Check your system, or have it professionally inspected, to ensure this is the case. Air Filters Aren’t All the Same Many people think all air filters can help the air quality in their home, but this isn’t the case. Standard air filters are designed to keep your system running smoothly by keeping dust, dirt and debris out of your HVAC system, not to purify or improve the air quality in your home. HEPA filters are designed to do this as well, with the added benefit of catching allergens or mold spores. If you are prone to allergic reactions to air particles, it might be wise to give HEPA filters a try in your home. Replace More Often with Pets, Allergies While most manufacturers do recommend replacement every 90 days, there is precedent for changing your filters more often if you have pets. When dealing with the dander, additional dust and other particles which our furry friends can bring with them, a more routine air filter change can prolong the life of your HVAC system. If you have one pet, 60-90 day changes are likely helpful and with 2 or more pets it might make more sense to change every 45-60 days. More frequent changes can also benefit people who have allergies to airborne particles, when HEPA filters are used. If you have questions about the air filter replacement process, or have any HVAC needs in the Bay Area, we would love to help. Browse our website for more information on our services or give us a call today!