How often should you change your furnace filter in the winter?

Professionals, like our team at Airco Service, Inc. say that you should change your air filter at least every three months. During the winter, when you rely on your heating system more, you want to increase that frequency. During the winter, when the system is in constant use, change it out every month.

What happens if you don’t change your furnace filter?

Short Cycling

If the air filter is not serviced often enough, it will eventually become clogged to the point that air cannot pass through it. When the furnace is operating, the lack of air flow will trap the heat in the system. … Without a new air filter, the furnace will overheat every time it starts up again.

How do you know when to replace your furnace filter?

The basic consensus among HVAC professionals is that you should replace your furnace filter every 90 days — or every three months. However, that depends on the filter’s thickness. Thicker filters have more room to collect dirt and dust, so they don’t have to be changed as often.

How long is a furnace filter good for?

Change Your Filters Regularly For example, a one inch furnace filter should be changed out every one to three months. A three to four-inch filter can last for six to nine months. If you have a thick five to six-inch filter, it can last from nine to twelve months.

Can you vacuum and reuse furnace filters?

Some air filters — permanent and semipermanent models — can be cleaned as part of regular HVAC system maintenance and replaced for continuous use. … At regular intervals, you must remove it from the HVAC cabinet, throw it away, and install a fresh filter. Disposable air filters shouldn’t be vacuumed or moistened.

Is no air filter better than a dirty one?

Running your air conditioner without a filter is worse than running it with a dirty one. Instead, get to the store as soon as possible for a replacement or call an HVAC professional for replacement. Without a filter, your air conditioner is at risk for severe and expensive problems.

How long does a 5 air filter last?

A good rule of thumb is to change 1-2 inch filters every three months, 4 inch filters every six months and 5 inch filters every 12 months.

Can you wash a furnace filter?

How long do pleated filters last?

Pleated air filters are high-quality filters that are very effective in trapping particles and last up to 90 days. Pets—If you own pets, change your filters every two months to keep your air clean.

How often should furnace be serviced?

A gas furnace should be serviced at least once a year, preferably, though, in both the spring and the fall. Annual maintenance, including a thorough examination and cleaning of the parts that commonly malfunction, like the air filter, the fan, the pilot light, and the heat exchanger, can usually prevent these problems.

Why does my furnace filter get dirty so fast?

When your A/C is on the thermostat fan will constantly be running causing air too run over the air filter continuously and causing it to get dirty more quickly. … You may have a leak in your air ducts – Leaky air ducts can also cause your filter to clog up and especially if it is near your AC unit.

Can Dirty air filters make you sick?

If the filter’s dirty, everything past the filter is dirty too, including the air you breathe. This pumps your home full of dust and allergens. Speaking of allergens, they can cause a number of physical symptoms like headaches, fatigue, tightness in your chest, and a mess of cold symptoms you may not be able to shake.

Why are my air filters so dirty?

Ducts that have holes, gaps, or leaks should be sealed up properly to prevent good air from getting out and bad air from getting in. If there is a leak in the return air ducts, the dusty, dirty air from spaces like that attic or crawl space gets sucked up into the ducts, dirtying the air filter and causing clogging.

Do I need to change my furnace filter if it doesn’t look dirty?

If your filter isn’t dirty despite your air conditioning seeing regular use, then you should inspect the filter to make sure it is installed correctly. If it is, and you aren’t making any efforts to keep dust out of your house, call a professional to make sure nothing is wrong with your air conditioning.

What is AC lung?

Air-conditioner lung: Is more appropriately referred to as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an inflammation of the lungs due to breathing in a foreign substance, usually certain types of dust, fungus, or molds.

Can a dirty furnace filter cause breathing problems?

Dirty air filters not only trap less dust and pollutants, but they also end up circulating those dust mites, pollen, and irritants back into your home. This can result in irritation of the breathing canals, insistent sneezing, stuffy sinuses, coughing, itchy or watery eyes, and persistent headaches.

Why do filters get black?

If you’ve recently changed out your air filter and noticed it was black, you’re experiencing something called “black soot deposition. Essentially, black soot deposition is just an excess build-up of soot, which is typically the result of: A gas appliance or fireplace that isn’t burning fuel properly. Scented candles.