Wed, 08/15/2018 – 11:39 / By jon

How To Change Your Home’s Air Filter

Air filters in your HVAC system are there to avoid harmful particles from entering your home. These are categorized by how effective they are at doing this job through the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value or also known as the MERV rating.

No matter what category this falls on though it still has a limit. When it has trapped too much dust and debris, it becomes obstructed preventing air from flowing through. Many times this has caused homes not to feel the necessary warmth or coldness that their system’s are suppose to provide for them. It can cause some homeowners to make false assumptions that something is wrong with their heating and cooling equipment.

Getting The Right Filter

It should be stressed that you must get the right filter appropriate for your HVAC. That means you should get one of proper size for where it goes. This may vary so make sure to check with your system.

Next is to get the matching MERV rating. Note that more power would be needed from your units as you move up the MERV scale. This is because the higher marks mean it will capture smaller particles but make it harder for air to pass in the process. If this is mismatched it could end up causing damage to your hardware in the long term.

Changing Air Filter

When performing this keep your HVAC off so that it won’t operate without anything protecting your home’s air from becoming contaminated. This should be practiced every months depending on the certain factors of your residence, like where you are situated and if you have pets or not.

Temporary Filters

This would be the most common filters in the market as it has more choices available.

  • Get ready with your brand new filter. Have it close by.
  • Slowly take off your filter. (Doing this will vary per system and location of filter) avoid dropping any dust as much as possible.
  • Wipe the surrounding areas especially if they have particles on it.
  • Usually there will be arrows to guide you when installing the new filter. Follow these and set it in carefully.

Permanent Filters

Permanent filters will not require replacing but rather cleaning and can be used again.

  • Take it off slowly while still being careful not to drop any dust. You may keep a container close by so you may place it there to avoid dirt from falling on your way to where you are to wash this.
  • Rinse it and be gentle as you might cause damage. You may use brush with soft bristles and a mild detergent.
  • Dry it before putting it back in place. Avoid using it while still wet.

Make sure not to take this practice lightly and be disciplined enough to do this whenever necessary. Take note that these filters help your family achieve good health. If you neglect to keep these in check it will either end up endangering your equipment or your loved ones in the long term. Avoid this easily by hiring licensed technicians to regularly check your HVAC system. Schedule it with Absotemp for hassle-free service and get the best value for your money: peace of mind. Call us at (248) 960-3100.