When selecting the right air filter replacement for your home, it’s usually wise to choose one rated at mid-range efficiency (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value – MERV 5-8) for the best results. After all, a low-efficiency filter (MERV 1-4) does little to improve indoor air quality, but a high-efficiency filter (MERV 13-16) could impede airflow and strain the system. This isn’t the case in all systems, though it’s a good rule of thumb.
Then don’t forget to replace the filter every month or two. Make it habit to check the filter on the first day of every month. Then, if it appears clogged, replace it with a new one, waiting no longer than three months between each air filter replacement. Here’s why it’s so important.
A Dirty Air Filter:
- Causes HVAC equipment to fail: There’s no more common reason for premature HVAC system failure than a heavily clogged air filter. It restricts airflow, which puts extra strain on the air handler fan motor. Over time, the motor may overheat and burn out. An air filter replacement is a small price to pay to keep your equipment in good shape for years to come.
- Causes greater energy consumption: A hard-working fan motor consumes more power than one working within recommended parameters.
- Raises energy bills: Anything that consumes more power costs more money to operate. The easiest way to keep your utility bills down is to make monthly air filter replacement a priority.
- Increases your carbon footprint: Every step you take to decrease your home’s energy consumption is a step in the right direction. Since air filter replacement improves HVAC efficiency, it’s an easy way to be more environmentally responsible.
- Reduces air quality: The purpose of an air filter is to trap contaminants as they circulate through the ductwork. If the filter is so clogged it can’t trap any more pollutants, indoor air quality suffers.
- Causes dirty ductwork: Lower airflow and difficulty trapping any more contaminants cause the ductwork interior to become dirty faster. This can impact air quality, resulting in the need for duct cleaning, which is just another expense.
To learn more about air filters, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing, proudly serving Indianapolis residents for over 40 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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