Are you curious to learn more about how to make your HVAC system more efficient? Do you wonder if there is a way to ensure the longevity of your air conditioning system? If so, then you should start by learning how to install an air filter.
Knowing more about your air filter is more than understanding how to switch one out for another. It’s important that you understand the importance of it and how it can further the efficiency of your home.
See below for an in-depth guide on how to install an air filter and the benefits of doing so frequently.
Why Should an Air Filter Be a Priority?
Most homeowners don’t realize that they have a role to play in the longevity of their air conditioning unit. They believe that mechanics are the only ones that dictate whether a unit wears out too early.
Your air filters are an essential piece to the puzzle. If not replace frequently enough, your air filter will be the primary reason that your unit gives out.
Did you know that an AC unit can last as long as 15 years or more with proper maintenance? Be sure to switch out that air filter to prevent yourself from paying a large amount of money towards a replacement.
The air filter is in charge of catching all dirt and dust as the air is circulated into your system. However, the dirtier that a filter gets, the harder it becomes for clean air to go through it.
Because of this, your air conditioning system is forced to work almost twice as hard to suck in enough air to keep the climate in your house at your desired temperature.
Over time, this extensive workload will cause your air conditioner to break down and, possibly, need to be replaced.
What Are the Benefits of Frequently Changing My Air Filter?
Other than the impending doom of your air conditioning unit if you don’t switch out your filter frequently, there are many benefits of doing so regularly.
See below for the advantages you’ll gain around your home if you make a healthy habit of changing the air filter on a routine basis.
1. Energy-Efficiency
What homeowner isn’t looking for a way to reduce the monthly costs of their energy expenditure?
If you change out your air filter frequently enough, your system will never have to work extra hard to pump air through a clogged filter. As a result, the unit will be on for less time and use less energy output.
All of that leads to you shaving off a significant amount from your monthly energy bills. Money that you can save towards other ventures in your home.
2. Improves Your Home’s Air Quality
Air filters are responsible for catching things like dirt, dust, germs, pollen, mold, dust mites, pet dandruff, and so much more. That level of responsibility requires that it be changed regularly.
A 20x20x1 air filter, for example, should be replaced every single month. That way, you can ensure that no dirt or grime is making its way into your unit and being pushed out into the rest of your home.
Without a fresh air filter, you risk the safety of your family. Filthy air can cause headaches, sickness, and can even cause you to develop asthma.
3. Budget-Friendly Maintenance
If you prioritize switching out your air filter often enough, then you’re lengthening the life of your entire HVAC system.
That means that you need only schedule for routine HVAC maintenance twice a year, in the spring and fall, to make sure it’s running smoothly.
There won’t be a need for any significant repairs or replacements due to your system wearing down.
How to Install an Air Filter
While it might sound difficult to install an air filter, the process couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is replace the old one with a new one. The entire process takes all of 2 minutes to complete!
Here is how to install an air filter step by step:
- Step 1: Go to your thermostat and turn off your unit. This will ensure that no dirt, dust, or gunk gets into your system while replacing the filter.
- Step 2: Walk to your HVAC system and locate the current air filter. Make sure you purchase an air filter with the same dimensions as the current one.
- Step 3: Remove the plastic packaging on the new filter (if applicable). Make sure that you do not remove the cardboard frame. This ensures a snug fit into your air vent.
- Step 4: Locate the arrows on your filter and make sure they’re pointing towards the system. This references the pattern in which the airflow gets sucked into the unit.
- Step 5: Switch out the current air filter for the new one.
- Step 6: Turn the unit back on (from your thermostat), then double-check to make sure the arrows on the filter are pointing the correct way.
Many homeowners find that remembering to switch out the filter is the hardest part of the process. If that’s the case for you, make a healthy habit of switching out your air filter after you pay your mortgage/rent each month.
Prioritize Your Air Filter From Now On
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide highlighting how to install an air filter and the benefits of doing so, be sure to make it a priority from now on.
Air filters are dirt cheap. Stock up on a few air filters at a time so that you can simply switch them out after you pay your mortgage or rent each month.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on how to switch out your air filters, as well as many other helpful topics.