How Much Is An Air Filter

Air Filter Replacement Cost – How Much Should Yous Spend?

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Air filter replacement is an important component of heating and cooling system maintenance. While some HVAC systems have reusable filters that tin be washed, stale, and reinserted, many systems employ disposable filters that should be replaced at regular intervals.

In that location are many dissimilar air filter replacements bachelor for purchase, through HVAC contractors or your local hardware store. How much does an air filter cost? How practise I notice the right air filter replacement size? What does an air filter even do, anyway? HVAC.com answers your questions about air filter replacement, air filter cost, and more.

What Does an Air Filter Do?

An HVAC system'south air filter (besides referred to as a furnace filter) serves a primary office every bit protector of the system's blower motor. The air filter works to keep the blower motor clean by removing airborne contaminants passing through the system.

Without the air filter, all the dust, clay, danger, and other particles would pass into the blower motor sleeping room from the render ducting, settling on the blower motor. These contaminants accumulate, which has the potential to cause damage to the blower and other components within your HVAC system.

While creating a cleaner blower motor and compartment, air filters also create cleaner indoor air through contaminant removal. While not their main task, this is a valuable advantage they offering. Filters receive a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating that reflects contaminant removal efficiency. MERV values start at 1 on the depression terminate and go upwardly to 16, but MERV 12 or 13 is the highest that should be used in a residential HVAC system, depending on the model.

How Much Does an Air Filter Cost?

Furnace air filter cost varies greatly from one production to the next. This is based on MERV rating, filter material, thickness, retailer, and other factors. A standard disposable 1" air filter replacement costs every bit little equally a few dollars at your local home comeback store, and it lasts nigh a month. A half dozen" pleated filter that is meant to be changed every 9 to 12 months has a higher cost, but delivers better value.

What's the Right Size for My Air Filter Replacement?

There are many air filter replacement sizes available – the size you need depends on your HVAC organization. Your equipment owner's manual should provide filter sizing info, just frequently the quickest and easiest fashion to make up one's mind the right size air filter replacement is to look at the existing filter.

Remove the existing filter from the filter compartment. The filter's frame will have information including the make, filter dimensions, MERV rating, and possibly even the part number. With this information, you know what to look for when you store for an air filter replacement.

How Frequently Is Air Filter Replacement Necessary?

With air constantly flowing through your abode'due south heating and cooling arrangement, over fourth dimension the filter becomes clogged and must exist changed. How ofttimes you need air filter replacement depends on many factors, such as how many people and pets live in your home, the blazon of filter, how ofttimes your HVAC system runs, and other air quality issues present in your home.

Air filter manufacturers provide recommendations as to the frequency an air filter should be replaced. These are good guidelines to work off, but you should perform monthly checks of your system'south filter to visually wait for a clogged surface.

Air filter replacement guidelines are:

1″ Furnace Filter: 1 – three Months
ii″ Furnace Filter: 1 – 3 Months
3″ Furnace Filter: vi – nine Months
iv″ Furnace Filter: 6 – 9 Months
5″ Furnace Filter: nine – 12 Months
half dozen″ Furnace Filter: 9 – 12 Months

What Happens If I Skip Air Filter Replacement?

Skipping air filter replacement and continuing to operate your heating and cooling systems with a dirty filter has the potential to cause serious problems with system functioning. When you skip filter changes, the following are possibilities:

System overheating: When the air filter is chock-full with debris considering it has non been changed, air cannot move through the organisation equally information technology should. Your HVAC arrangement must overwork in attempts to draw air through the clogged filter. This extra work can easily cause the system to overheat, which damages components and could also pose a fire risk. When the system overheats, it shuts downwardly to safeguard against fires – leaving you without heating or cooling until the system can safely begin a new wheel.
Energy waste: With your heating and cooling systems working harder to force air through the muddied filter, more free energy is consumed – this energy wouldn't be necessary if air filter replacement was done properly. Non changing your air filter results in additional energy expenses and higher utility bills.
Poor air quality: While not the main purpose of an air filter, air filter replacement does work to remove contaminants from the indoor air supply, improving air quality. A chock-full filter cannot excerpt more pollutants, so they continue to circulate around the abode. Dirty air filters lead to more allergens and contaminant particles in the home, increased allergy symptoms, and dirtier surfaces throughout.