What Things Should be Included in HVAC Preventive Maintenance?

The state of your air filters in your Bay Area home or business is a primary factor in determining the efficiency of your air conditioning system. The filters in an HVAC system tend to accumulate a lot of grime, dust, and other impurities over time. There are several reasons for changing your air filters regularly. Keep reading to learn more!

Need to Change Air Filters Regularly

Majority of homeowners don’t know the actual function of air filters in their HVAC system. Standard HVAC filters trap impurities and dust that gets sucked into the ductwork. However, they are not meant to purify the air you breathe. The primary purpose of HVAC filters is to protect the unit from destructive elements in the air. This allows the unit to perform its intended function of keeping you warm or cool.

It's always an astute idea to upgrade the air filters if you detect the presence of more particles or pollutants in the indoor air. You should consider installing high-efficiency filters if you have a nearby home renovation or construction kicking up more dust than usual. These are a few reasons to make sure that your air filters are always kept clean:

• Prevent an emergency in family members with asthma or breathing allergies
• Reduce the level of dander and pollen in indoor air
• Ensure younger children breathe healthy air
• Reduce the level of indoor air pollution
• Improve the indoor air quality

The expected lifespan of the average HVAC system is 10 – 15 years. The lifespan may get shortened by 5 years or more if the AC filters are not replaced or cleaned. The cost of repairing or replacing broken parts of an HVAC unit cannot compare to the minimal cost of replacing air filters.

What Happens If You Fail to Replace HVAC Filters?

Your HVAC system will fail if you don’t change the air filter. It will not be able to filter air properly. Dust and contaminants will enter the unit, which will cover integral parts of the unit, including the motors and valves. The system will draw more power. You will eventually end up spending more on repairs, electricity, frequent breakdowns, and replacements.

High-efficiency filters (HEPA filters) are recommended if you want to keep mold spores, allergens, pollen, and dander to a minimum. The result can be serious mold infestations if the filters are not changed frequently. The air going through an air conditioning system contains mold, pollen, and germs that can spread throughout the house.

Frequency of Changing an HVAC Filter

The air filtered through an HVAC system eventually comes into the air. Hence, the level of indoor air quality can seriously get affected if the filters are not functioning adequately. Impurities can cause sickness that may spread to all parts of your home. Filters need to be changed regularly depending on the air conditioning system. You should not wait for the filters to get saturated with dust and other debris.

Filters made of paper and cardboard are disposable. Others with metal frames should be cleaned as per the manufacturer’s instructions. The rule of thumb is to change air filters every 3 months. Based on this, you can change them every 30 days if you have the cheaper fiberglass type filter.