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To ensure that your HVAC system is running effectively, you need to change your air filter. Accordingly, you’re the manufacturer of your air filter subscription. At times filters last longer than usual and might not need to be changed as per schedule. Here are some signs to know if your air filter needs to be changed –
Dirty Looking Filter
Look at your filter carefully. If it looks dirty or clogged, it might be affected the airflow in your home. The HVAC system gets contaminated by holes and wrinkles. A dirty and dusty filter is a clear sign that it needs to be changed. Blocked filters impede airflow as a result of which your HVAC system has to do more work than usual.
The Allergies of Family Members getting Worse
If any of your family members suffer from asthma or allergies, and you see the symptoms worsen, your air filter is at fault. Overused, dirty and clogged filters recirculate dust and other harmful particles in the air of your home. As opposed, a new filter traps dust and helps stop dander, pollen, and bacteria from entering the air you breathe.
A Dustier Home than the Usual
Furniture, walls, and vents covered in dust are clear signs telling you to replace your filter. Jammed air filters can’t effectively remove pollutants from the indoor air resulting in a poor quality of air indoors. A dirty filter causes dust to accumulate in your house, damaging your HVAC system. Hence it is crucial to keep changing your filter.
Longer Heating and Cooling Time
A dirty air filter limits the amount of heated or cooled air circulating in your HVAC system. It results in the heating or the cooling process to take longer than usual as the components have to work harder than usual. It makes the HVAC system experience reduced energy efficiency.
Higher Energy Bills than Usual
With a dirty filter, the HVAC system has to work very hard to function properly. The more effort the system has to put in, the more energy it consumes. Resulting in higher energy bills. Keep replacing your air filter regularly to avoid extra expenditure on power bills.
Overheating of the Unit
To know if your filter needs to be replaced, check it is overheating. If more than a month has passed since it was last time to change the filter, the back of the unit will start getting too hot or and even start expelling hot air. When you have an air filter subscription, it makes things more convenient for yourself.
The Unit fails the White Sheet Test
There is a straightforward DIY method that can be used to understand if your filter needs to be changed. To do the test, you need to hang a white sheet 5-8 inches away from the vent for a minimum of an hour. After the mentioned time, check the condition of the sheet. The greyer the sheet becomes, the dirtier the filter is.
Duration of Usage
Filters need to be changed more often during times when your HVAC system is used more often. During the peak of summer or winter, the system runs more than the other times of the year. Hence more air passes through the filter, and more dust particles need to be removed.
In addition to having an air filter subscription, it is vital to keep checking if the filter is working correctly. Careless usage may result in various issues. Replacing the air filter as and how suggested by your manufacturer is very important for maintaining a healthy atmosphere at home.
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