Your home's air quality might be much poorer than you think if you're not keeping up with your HVAC maintenance. Some of that maintenance requires a professional, but there are things you can do on your own to keep your air clear and your energy bills low.
TikToker Kyshawn (@weeklyhomecheck) recently shared one of the simplest ways to keep your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system running efficiently. This little trick can help remove "allergens, bacteria, viruses, and pollutants" from your home, he said.
@weeklyhomecheck Week 46: Change the HVAC Filter As we spend more time indoors, it's important our homes have clean air, which starts with our HVAC filters. In addition, a clean filter reduces energy bills and prolongs your HVAC system's life. If you need help remembering when it's time to change your filters, sign up to my weekly email reminders and I'll help you remember. Link in bio.
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The scoop
Oftentimes, all you need to do to improve your home's air quality is simply replace the HVAC filter.
While this isn't exactly a mind-blowing secret, it is something a lot of people don't do enough. The more use a filter gets, the less effective it is. A dirty filter can eventually begin circulating the allergens, bacteria, and other contaminants that it's meant to trap.
Not only that, but a dirty air filter will also make the HVAC system work harder to do its job. This can run up your energy bills and put undue stress on the system.
By keeping your air filters clean and reducing your energy consumption, you also minimize your carbon footprint. There are washable air filters that can help reduce waste, too.
How it's working
"Replacing your HVAC filter every 1 to 3 months keeps your HVAC running smoothly and improves the air quality," Kyshawn said.
If your system is getting heavy use, the filters will require more frequent replacement, while lightly used systems might only need a seasonal change.
When it comes time to change your HVAC filter, you'll first want to turn off your HVAC system. After that, you'll need to locate the filter intake. Where that is depends on your setup. Most often you'll find it in a hallway, on your ceiling, or on the unit itself.
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Once you've located your filter intake, open the vent and remove the old filter. Be sure your new filter is the same size as the old one.
All you need to do now is pop the new filter in. Use the arrow on the filter's frame to ensure you place it in the correct way.
What people are saying
Commenters on the video appreciated Kyshawn's advice.
"Because of you I remembered it's time to change my filter!! Just ordered replacements Thank you," one said.
Others added some tips of their own.
"You can write the date on the filter with a sharpie so you know when you changed it last," someone suggested.
"The width of your filters determines how often to change. 1 inch = 1 month," another user wrote.
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