Air filters may seem nothing more of a large cardboard box with some fibers and pleated material, but it is one of the most important components of your HVAC system. Air filters do not just filter dust and pollens entering your home; they also provide a line of defense on large objects that may be pulled into your HVAC system.
If you don’t change your air filter regularly, your system will not only fail, but it can also turn against you. Replacing or cleaning air filters is not an unnecessary expense especially not when it comes to your health. Here are few health benefits of changing the air filter regularly.
Healthy indoor air
One of the many benefits of changing air filters through FilterBuy’s subscription service on a regular basis is the effect this has on the quality of the air you and your family health. The primary function of your AC air filter is to eliminate bits of pollen, dirt, dust and other tiny particles on your indoor air. If you don’t change the filters as regularly as it should be, sooner or later, you will realize that the indoor air quality has begun to deteriorate. It does not matter whether you have a solid immune system or you have asthma or severe allergies. Making sure that your indoor air is clean and fresh at all times is essential to your overall health.
Curb Asthma and other respiratory diseases
Asthma is a debilitating disease to patients and those closest to them. A report by CDC shows that one in twelve Americans had asthma, and this number continues to increase. This is worrying because according to EPA, an average American spends 90% of their time indoors, which puts higher numbers of people are at higher risk of asthma and contacting other diseases that come from indoor air pollutants. Air filter curbs asthma attack by limiting exposure to triggers most of which comes from unclean air, and molds.
Limits other disease-causing particles
As noted, the main aim of air filters is to collect dust, dirt, and bacteria circulating in the air. However, when these tiny substances are collected, they have nowhere to go. Instead, these elements stuck to the air filter and built up. If you do not change filters regularly, these substances get bigger and bigger and eventually become moldy. When molds accumulate in your AC conditioning system, it could cause undesirable symptoms. The American Heart Association and Environmental Protection agencies all agree that mold accumulation causes a number of health problems such as wheezing, itchy eyes, fatigue, chronic cough, and headache.
Those who are placed at greater risks are older people and children. A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that these diseases face children and older people more and are particularly caused by small particles in the air.
So, replacing your AC filter regularly decreases the number of organic materials in your system ducting. It ensures that grime, dust, and dirt are caught long before it enters your home, thereby reducing the chances of you and your loved ones acquiring the mentioned health problems.
Prevents other hazards (Fire)
In extreme cases, dirty air filters can be so clogged without your knowledge that the filter becomes sucked into the system, ultimately compromising air flow through it and posing a severe fire hazard. While in most cases this has to do with the type of air filters you are using, that is whether it meets flammability standards, it also has to do with how regularly you change air filters. It’s much like having a dirty lint trap in a dryer. The debris collected on the filters are flammable, so always do a regular air filter replacement.
Other Benefits to change air filters regularly
Changing your air filter frequently can have other benefits other than on your health and the health of your family.
Lower cost of Energy. Dirty air filter works extra hard to pass air through, which means that more energy is required to operate. Constantly changing air filters could decrease energy bills by as much as 15%. One of the reasons people fail to replace air filters is simply forgetting about it until it’s too late. Some go as much as one year without replacing which increases energy bill one month after another without noticing.
Saves the environment. Failing to clean or replace your air filters on a regular basis is more like failing the environment. An air filter that is clogged means that your HVAC will have to work extra hard, which means more carbon dioxide and release of other greenhouse gases that harm the environment. When it comes to saving the environment, the less efforts make all the difference, and this may be as simple as changing an air filter.
Saves you money. In addition to protecting your AC system, replacing a clogged air filter regularly means saving a significant amount of operational costs. Keeping your air filters cleans and in good condition means there will be no costly maintenance or costly energy bills.
Changing your filter regularly is beneficial health-wise, and it makes sense financially and environmentally. If you know you are likely to forget about air filters, join a subscription service, you will only set it and forget it; someone will come over and replace it for you thus avoiding some of the problems we have stated above. It is recommended that you replace your air filters every month or two especially if you have a pet around the house or if you live in a high –pollen area.
These critical components are not expensive contrary to popular belief; they are simple to replace. All you need is to know the right size and the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) that will fit your needs. Higher MERV does not necessarily mean its better, it may be too much for some units and could be clogged a few days after you change it.