The quality of air circulating in your home can have a huge impact on your health and safety as well as your wallet. Many people suffer from respiratory infections and allergic reactions while at home because they breathe in air that is laden with impurities like dust, mold spores, pollen, and other kinds of allergens. What’s more, fumes and gases from indoor and outdoor pollution sources can impede your home’s comfort. Dirty indoor air may also have a huge impact on your monthly utility bills, and it can affect the performance as well as the longevity of HVAC appliances. Thankfully, air filters and purifiers are available, and many homeowners use them to reduce or eliminate these woes.
However, air filters require being replaced regularly to keep your indoor air fresh and healthy. This is because, over time, they become dirty and clogged, which reduces their efficiency. As a matter of fact, clogged and dirty air filters can make things worse than having none at all. So how exactly do you know when to replace them? Here are a few telltale signs it’s time to replace your air filters.
1. Skyrocketing Electricity Bill
During summer, many homeowners experience an upsurge in their electricity bills because of the changes in weather that need the AC to be on most of the time. But when the weather is back to normal, you still observe an upward trend in your power bills, it could possibly mean that your air filter is faulty. As explained by the guys at filterbuy.com/, air filters help remove impurities from the air as it gets inside your home through your HVAC system. Dirt and clogs of debris on the air filter will often compel the HVAC unit to strain harder while heating and cooling the air, meaning that it consumes more energy. Replacing the air filter minimizes the tabs and helps to ensure that your HVAC unit works efficiently.
2. Increased Allergies or Asthma
When your AF is clogged, you stand a higher risk of subjecting your family to constant sneezes, sore throat, running nose, red eyes, respiratory allergy, and other issues. If you take long to replace your air filter, allergens can stick around your household. When the screen gets saturated, the pressure is increased, and the allergens are forced out into your indoor space.
The technology behind the air filter can impact your health both positively and negatively depending on how you choose to take care of it. If you or another family member is more prone to allergies, it is advised that you change your air filter at least every two months depending on the weather.
3. Dirty and Dusty House
As mentioned earlier, when the AF is obstructed, the dust will be forced out, and it will end up settling in the household. It is one of the typical causes of extra soil in the house. The carpet, couch, curtains, and walls are areas where the excess dust can settle in. The dirt and dust may not interfere with the performance, but it will jeopardize your health.
Also, with a dirty air filter, it is easy to notice peculiar messes in the house around where the air is coming from. For this reason, you can tell if your air filter needs replacement by checking the areas around where the AC is. If the household around it seems dirtier and dustier than those far away, it could be time to replace your air filter!
4. Bad Odor Around the House
Last but not least, you can tell that your air filter is faulty by how your home’s interior space smells. If you start noticing musty or foul-smelling odor in your home, your air conditioning unit could have a problem that needs to be resolved immediately. In homes with pets, the animal friends shed fur, most especially during summer. If the house is not well cleaned, pet fur and dander may build up over time and clog in the air filters, resulting in a musty odor.
When it is cold, also, and the air filter doesn’t perform as expected, bacteria, mold, and mildew can flourish, and they tend to emit nasty odors in the house. If the filter is not replaced, the foul-smelling air will keep recirculating in your home.
Sometimes, the remedy to some of our household problems is right under our noses. Scheduling regular checks, service, and maintenance can go a long way in improving our health while gaining us some savings. The above are just a few signs that could indicate your air filter needs replacement.