Marking your calendar every 90 days or trying to remember the last time you changed the filter can be challenging, so many furnace manufacturers recommend replacement at the start of each new season. You may also notice that your furnace runs more than usual. 1” and 2” Clear the Air Furnace filters are designed to last up to 90 days before needing replacement. Example: A 4-inch filter should be changed every 6-12 months, where a 1-inch thick filter should be renewed in every 1-2 months… Even … In homes where a family member has dust and/or pet allergies, change the furnace filter frequently to ensure good air quality. Insufficient flow of air can cause the furnace to break down. A fresh version should be installed at least once per season. Keeping new filters in your furnace will help ensure that your furnace runs smoothly and efficiently and, most importantly, the air you and your family breathes is as clean as possible. The heating/cooling system is running more frequently than normal. The old filter will be dirty, so have a large trash bag ready. Furnace filters typically require more frequent changing during periods where your HVAC system is in use more often. Having multiple animals means you should change a one or two-inch filter out every month, a four-inch filter every two months and a five-inch filter every three months. … Each furnace filter has different recommendations for when they should be changed. A good rule of thumb is to change 1-2 inch filters every three months, 4 inch filters every six months and 5 inch filters every 12 months. If you don’t change your filter, it will fill up and won’tbe able to trap new particles. Filters are relatively inexpensive and easy to change, so there is little reason to wait. Some folks who have 6" filters use a 2" + 4" filter and replace the 2" one every other month and the 4… For one animal living at home, you should change your filter every two months for a one or two-inch filter, four months for a four-inch filter and six months for a five-inch filter. Example- 1” filter in a 4 inch furnace filter housing(1st image). This means a thicker filter cleans the air better. We recommend doing a quick visual check on your filter every 3-4 weeks if you are unsure about your furnace filter replacement frequency. The more animals living in your home, the shorter your filter is going to last. Changing your furnace filter regularly ensures the air in your home will remain clear of dust and other contaminants. If they are dirty they should be changed with a fresh clean air filter. Note: You’ll change your HVAC air filter more often if it has a higher MERV rating, the place you live has low air quality, you… The deeper the pleats, the more surface area a filter has and the more room it has to collect airborne particles, so it may not clog as quickly as a flat filter. How Often To Change a 4 Inch Furnace Filter If you read the label on your 4 inch furnace filter, it probably says change it every 12 months or so. If you only have one animals then you can change that and change the filters every two, four and six months … The one and two inches thick media is usually rated for up to 3 months and the four and five inches thick for up to 6-12 months respectively. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is at blocking airborne pollutants. There are many factors and reasons you may be changing your furnace filters more often than the recommended time. Consult the owner’s manual for your furnace to determine the correct MERV filter rating. Remedy: Change the Filter More Often. If your pet sheds a lot, it’s a good idea to take them outside for a thorough brushing on a regular basis to reduce the amount of hair and dander that makes it into your home. Why? DustExcess dust is another factor that can shorten the life of your furnace filter. When removing the air filter from the air-handler, if you hold it up … This will prevent the furnace from turning on while you are checking or replacing the filter. If your windows and doors are often left open, one and two-inch filters will need to be replaced monthly, four-inch filters every two months and five-inch filters every three months. Yes, even in warm weather, when you’re likely to be using your air conditioner. Use a filter with a MERV rating of 12, such as the Nordic Pure Filter (available on Amazon), if your furnace can handle it. Additionally, a full furnace filter causes the motor on your furnace/hvac system to have to work harder, and it will subsequently become less efficient. A flat filter, such as the Flanders Front Panel Filter (available on Amazon), is designed to be changed every 30 days. The 6" thick ones are good for 6 months. Because filters with higher MERV ratings are denser, your furnace must work harder to draw air through them and not all furnaces are powerful enough to do so. Turn off your furnace before checking or replacing the filter. A higher quality filter will cost more, but can be effective in reducing allergens. Flat filters may clog more quickly because they have less surface area than do pleated filters. The purpose of the 4 inch filter is to give you more surface area for collecting dust, which translates into longer useful life of the filter. If you have multiple smokers in the house, you’ll need to adjust those numbers to once a month for one to two-inch filters, two months for four-inch filters and three months for five-inch filters. If you don’t change or clean your filter often enough the filter can get clogged with dust and other airborne particles, forcing your furnace to work harder to maintain airflow. Heater FanThe frequency at which your heater fan is running will affect how often you need to replace your filter. Filters with low MERV ratings will need changing more frequently than high-efficiency filters. Used furnace filters can be discarded along with your regular trash. ; Pleated air filters … All the sanding, scraping, and flooring installation involved with remodeling creates a lot of airborne dust and debris. The more smokers you have, the shorter your filter life will be. This will reduce your furnace’s efficiency and can cause damage. That means they have more surface area to catch particles, making them last 3–5 times longer than 1-inch filters. However, if there is a thick layer of dirt on where you can’t see the filter underneath it then it’s time to change it out. Generally the 1" filters are good for a month or two. Smokers If you have smokers in your home, this will have an effect on your filter as well. If the furnace turns on while there is not filter … Below are some guidelines to help you know what to expect in terms of frequency. The general rule is to change a furnace filter—usually located behind a return-air vent or in a slot on the furnace itself—at least once every 90 days. Several factors should be considered when deciding how often to change a furnace filter, and many filter manufacturers recommend how often their product should be replaced. If there’s a channel to house the filter at the bottom, but not at the top(2nd image). Set the furnace’s thermostat to the “off” position. This is because higher-rated filters have smaller holes so fewer particulates can get through. Another advantage of a thicker filter is … Dust is also an essential factor that plays a role to reduce its life. These are the things that most impact how long a filter lasts. Thus, the furnace filter should be of good quality as it plays an essential role in the air quality of your house. Owning pets, doing renovations, and keep your windows open all affect your filter replacement schedule. Signs your air filter needs changed: The filter is … How to determine how often you should change your furnace filter: Step 1: Determine your filter’s MERV and thickness. Long-haired pets will shed more than short-haired varieties, but all will contribute to pet dander in the air. Check your filter’s packaging to see how often the manufacturer recommends replacing the filter with a new one. If your heater fan is on constantly, you’ll need to change your filter each month, having it on sometimes will be every two months and never having it on can be every three months. The general rule for filter replacement is once every 3 to 6 months. Naturally, the denser the filter, the more material the air has to pass through before it reaches the inside of the furnace. Many of these can last between 6 months and a year … A four inch filter will need to be changed every two months and a five inch filter every three months. Take a peek at the filter: If it’s gray and covered in dust and lint, it’s time to replace it. Clogged filters not only negatively impact the air quality in a home, but they also force the furnace to work harder to draw air into the system so they can shorten the useful life of the furnace. No two homes are the same, so despite guidelines, you may need to change your furnace filter more often than your neighbor does. Each filter we sell features a different suggested replacement schedule, so use this as a guideline: One-inch thick filters: one to three months; Two-inch thick filters: two to four months; Four-inch thick filters and higher: three to six months; Yes, we know life can get busy. There’s no single answer to ‘how often you should change your furnace filter (aka air filter). Due to their pleats, filters such as the Honeywell Ultra Efficiency Filter (also available on Amazon), have more square inches of dust-trapping space, so they often require fewer changes—usually every 90 days. minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), keep allergy suffers as comfortable as possible, 8 Pest-Control Myths You Shouldn’t Believe. By Glenda Taylor and Bob Vila. Our beloved furry friends play a vital role in our lives, but pet dander—tiny flecks of skin present in the fur and feathers of animals—can become airborne and clog the furnace filter. Some 4-inch filters can even last up to a year. A clean filter is necessary to keep dust from being sucked through the HVAC system, where it can gather on the air conditioner’s inner coils and reduce the unit’s efficiency. With time, these air filters begin to fill with dirt and grime and ultimately block the airflow to the furnace. Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The frequency at which your air filter should be changed depends on a variety of factors, including the type of filter in your HVAC unit. You agree that BobVila.com may process your data in the manner described by our Privacy Policy. Get free, no-commitment repair estimates from licensed HVAC technicians near you. Our larger sized filters such as the 4… If you are still unsure about your furnace filter change frequency, you can complete a visual check. If you have only one smoker in the house, you can get away with changing out a one or two-inch filter every two months, a four-inch filter every four months and a five-inch filter every six months. If you're wondering when to change your filter, read our 7 biggest factors to your filter … Are there any guidelines for how often a furnace filter should be changed? If your furniture gets dusty soon after housecleaning, the furnace filter could be clogged and is no longer effectively removing dust from the air. Fiberglass filters are a lower cost option, but they need to be disposed of and replaced roughly every 30 days. Filter replacement frequency varies from house to house and from place to place. AllergiesIf anyone in your home has allergies, they will benefit from more frequent air filter changes. A full filter will not be able prevent additional dirt and debris from circulating through your home, causing your family to breathe more dust and allergens on a daily basis. 4 inch pleated filters. Most furnace filters come in two types, flat and pleated. Depending on your lifestyle and the type of furnace filter you choose, you may want to swap it out more often. There are also 2", 4", and 5" filters available but generally not at the local hardware store. Copyright © 2020 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. Certainly if you can’t see the material of the filter itself, it should be replaced. I checked the filter and found it caked with dust, so I replaced it with a new filter, and the indoor air is much fresher now. Every home runs their HVAC unit for different amounts of time, and every home has a unique amount of dirt, dust, pet dander and allergens in the air. AnimalsIf you have furry pets living in your home, this will shorten the life of your furnace filter. Rules of thumbs are 1 inch filters change at least every three months if not sooner, 2 inch filters 4 months, 4 inch filters can last 6 to 8 months and 5 inch filters can last as long as a year depending on the … Then, insert the replacement filter into the empty slot, and mark your calendar for the next switch. A: As you discovered, a clean furnace filter makes a big difference in air quality. Staying mindful of the factors that play a role in the air quality inside your home is a good measurement for how often your furnace filters need to be replaced. They vary in size with thickness 1,2,4 or 5 inches. Some are even reusable and require you to just wash them and put them back in your furnace. Air filters and furnace filters should be checked at least once a month. © 2020 Reddi Industries. In fact, filters with ratings of 11 or 12 will block not only dust and pet dander, but can also block some types of microscopic viruses and fumes. What’s more, the fresher the filter, the more efficiently your HVAC system runs, resulting in lower energy bills. Filters rated below 6 may not adequately block airborne particles, and filters with ratings higher than 12 are designed for specialized use, such as in hospitals. If your house is one that has a lot of dust, you’ll need to change one and two-inch filters out every month, four-inch filters every two months and five-inch filters every three months. How Often To Change 4 Inch Filters. Q: I turned on my furnace for the first time this year, and it made the whole house smell musty. You should expect to change them every 60-90 days, but it would be a good idea to check the condition of them every month. We wrote a Filter Change Frequency Guide which will help you decide when it is time to change your furnace filter. The answers is: it depends. Filters are designed to trap dust and airborne particles as air is drawn through the filter and into the furnace system. License #2215. 4. Typical recommendations range from every 30 days for cheaper fiberglass filters (which often don't do a great job of filtering), to as long as 6 months for higher-end pleated … Because 4 inch pleated filters have more area for particles to build up, they require less frequent changes. Northern dwellers whose furnaces don’t get a break for months, however, may want to change their filter every 30 to 60 days, because more air is being drawn through the filter, and it will clog more quickly. Most HVAC technicians recommend changing 1-inch air filters every 30 days, while 4-inch filters can be changed every 3–6 months. The frequency of 4 inch filter changes will highly depend on what is inside your home, where you are located and various other factors. As a general rule to keep allergy suffers as comfortable as possible, change the furnace filter every 30 to 60 days. Your furnace’s owner’s manual will specify the best MERV rating for your furnace, and in general, filters with a MERV rating of 6 through 9 should be changed every 90 days, while those with a MERV rating of 10 through 12 should be changed every 60 days. All rights reserved. We recommend that you change it every 8 months. Even if no one in the home is allergic, it’s wise to change your furnace filter frequently, as often as every 30 days if you have multiple pets, to keep the furnace functioning efficiently. It involves loosening the screws that hold the filter cover in place if it’s located behind a return-air vent or simply pulling the filter out from a slot if it’s on the side of the furnace. If you have one pet, your home experiences only moderate dust accumulation, or no more … If there is only a thin layer of dirt where you can still see the filter underneath it, then you probably don’t have to change the filter. The one and only solution to this problem is to be aware of when the filter gets saturated and change … Most experts agree that the average family needs to change their furnace filter at least every ninety days. You notice strange smells, or a burning smell near you HVAC unit. During a remodeling project, change your furnace filter every 30 days, or even more frequently, to keep construction-related dust from circulating through the house. Well, 4-inch filters have larger pleats. For this reason, it is essential … It will lead to replacing one inch and two-inch filters every month. Take out your current filter and check the side. Frequently Open Windows and DoorsWindows and doors left open allow dust and contaminants from the outside air to accumulate in your home and put an added layer of filth on your air filters. Unfortunately, those smaller holes tend to clog more quickly than lower-rated filters with larger holes. The time of how often to change furnace filter will be thefore, way longer. If you live in a temperate region, such as the Southwest, you may only run your furnace a handful of times during winter, and the standard 90-day guideline might be perfect for you. Filters are given a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), which ranges from 1 to 16, although ratings of 6 through 12 are best for residential furnaces. Furthermore, the owner should keep extra filters … The last thing you want to worry about is changing your furnace filter. You’ll likely need to replace a 4-inch filter every two months and a 5-inch filter every three months. You’ll change 4-inch filters a lot less than 1-inch filters. 4 Inch Furnace Filter … The filter is visibly dirty. However, you may …

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