5 Signs You Need to Replace Your HVAC Filter

Summer in Northwest Arkansas means long stretches of heat and thick humidity, and your air conditioner does most of the work in getting through it. The filter is the small, cheap part that decides how hard that system has to work. When it clogs, air struggles to move through it, and the whole system pays for it. Here are five signs it is time to replace your HVAC filter and get the best results from the cooling you are already paying for.

Signs the system is working too hard

The first sign is heat where it should not be. When the back of the unit gets too hot, that is a tell-tale sign the unit is working too hard because air cannot get through. A filter packed with dust acts like a wall, and the system keeps pushing against it.

The second sign is weak cooling. If the air coming out is not as cold as it is supposed to be, or you notice warm air from the vents, the air is having trouble moving through. The system may be running for long stretches and never quite catching up, especially on an afternoon when it is well into the nineties outside.

The third sign shows up on paper. A spike in the electricity bill, even when you have not been doing anything differently with your AC, can mean the system is straining to move air. A unit that runs longer to reach the same temperature uses more power to do it.

Signs you can see and feel around the house

The fourth sign is suffering from worse allergies. Air vents are one of the easiest places for dust to collect without you noticing. If your allergies flare up during a time of year when they usually do not, there is a good chance that changing your filter will help. A full filter can stop catching what it was meant to catch, and pollen, pet dander, and dust end up circulating through the rooms you live in.

The fifth sign is a lot of dust near the air vents. If dust is visibly gathering around the vents, the HVAC filter is probably full of dust as well. Changing it regularly is a great way to keep your vents from building up with dust.

• The back of the unit feels hotter than usual.
• The air coming out is warmer than it should be.
• The electric bill jumps and nothing else has changed.
• Allergy symptoms get worse indoors.
• Dust collects around the vents.

How to change the filter yourself

Most homes keep the filter in a slot at the air handler or behind a return grille on a wall or ceiling. Turn the system off first. Slide the old filter out, and note the size printed on its cardboard frame, since the new one has to match it exactly. Look for the arrows on the frame. They should point toward the blower, in the direction the air is moving. Slide the new filter in the same way and close the panel.

How often to swap it depends on the filter and the household. A one-inch pleated filter often needs replacing every month or two during heavy use, and homes with pets, smokers, or family members with allergies tend to go through filters faster. Write the date on the frame so you are never guessing. Holding the old filter up to a light is a quick check: if you cannot see light through it, it is due.

Filters and yearly tune-ups

Replacing your HVAC filter keeps your house cool, and it also protects you from allergens. It is a habit worth building, but it is only one part of keeping a system healthy. Allied's A-Team Red membership, at $198, includes one scheduled cooling tune-up and one scheduled heating tune-up per year, and one-inch disposable pleated filters are included in each tune-up. Repairs are not part of the scheduled tune-up visits.

If you have any questions, or you would like help replacing your filter, Allied's heating and air team can help. Call (479) 278-4508.