Even here in the Great Lakes states, the seasons have changed, and summer has started. The change of the seasons is a reminder to change (or clean) the HVAC filter(s) in your Waterford, MI home. Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing recommends changings those filters every one to three months as part of regular HVAC maintenance. The interval is based on several factors:
- Type of filters (basic fiberglass, pleated fiber, sophisticated media filters)
- Amount of dirt & dust (do you live on a dusty country road?)
- There are smokers who live in the house
- You have one or more pets
Benefits of clean filters
We hope we are preaching to the choir and you already know this, but there are many benefits to changing your air filters regularly as part of HVAC maintenance. Here are five big ones:
- Improve indoor air quality—It kind of makes sense doesn’t it? If your air filter is clean the air in your home will be cleaner. Whatever type of filter you have, it’s designed to trap pollen, dust, dirt, mold spores, animal fur and more. When you change your air filter regularly as part of HVAC maintenance, you are getting rid of the grime and germs trapped in the filter. A new filter will do a better job of cleaning the air. When the air is dirty it can cause asthma, allergies, and headaches.
- Improve energy efficiency—The key to efficient forced air heating and cooling is air movement. Dirty filters increase airflow resistance making your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump work harder. The result is increased energy use and higher bills. Changing your air filters can often pay for itself in reduced monthly costs.
- Increase life expectancy—Changing air filters regularly is cheap compared to spending thousands of dollars replacing your HVAC systems. When your heating & cooling equipment doesn’t have to work as hard, it’s going to last longer. Dirty filters mean more dirt and dust is going through the system causing increased wear and tear on the mechanical components.
- Fewer repairs—Clean filters, combined with regular HVAC maintenance, prevents damage and the need for expensive repairs. Many of the repairs done by our Kotz technicians are directly related to dirty and clogged air filters.
- Temperature control—When air filters are changed regularly, your HVAC system works more efficiently. The efficient airflow means the proper amount of heated or cooled air is distributed to all areas of the home making you comfortable inside, no matter what’s happening outside.
Always ready to help
While air filter changes are something most Waterford, MI homeowners are able to do on their own, be sure to ask for help if you need it. Filters are always checked and replaced as needed by a Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing technician during HVAC maintenance. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more great information like this.
