You can face any number of allergens and pollutants in the Longview, Texas, area. Although it’s easy to overlook, your HVAC filter is a crucial part of your climate control system. Replacing your HVAC filter regularly will help keep airborne hazards out of your home while delivering a wealth of valuable benefits. Here are six reasons you need to replace your HVAC filter every 30 to 90 days:

Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Texas homeowners face several indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns, including dust, dander, and pollen. If you have high levels of these irritants in the air, you can suffer from a wide range of symptoms associated with poor IAQ including headaches, congestion, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Issues like coughing and sneezing are often mistaken for a persistent cold when the issue may really lie with your air filter.

You can improve your IAQ quickly and efficiently by changing your AC filter. This allows you to dispose of the irritants trapped within. A new filter will more efficiently capture any new hazards in the air to help you breathe easily.

Minimize Asthma and Allergies

If you suffer from asthma and allergies, IAQ is particularly important. Your HVAC filter is your first line of defense against the irritants that may cause your symptoms to flare up. While some families can get away with a filter change every two or three months, you should increase the frequency to once a month or more if allergies and asthma attacks are a problem in your home.

Boost HVAC Performance

The filter in your HVAC system sits at the point where it first pulls air in. By capturing dust and dirt here, the filter prevents these hazards from making it further into your HVAC system. If these airborne particles make it into your unit, they can clog the coils, block your blower, and accumulate in the ducts. A system caked in dust and debris simply can’t perform at peak efficiency.

Regular maintenance visits are important for cleaning off these interior components and keeping them in prime condition. However, regular filter changes between tune-ups will minimize the accumulation of dust and help keep your system clean for as long as possible.

Enjoy a Cleaner Home

Do you notice small particles floating in the air in your home? Is there always a layer of dust to wipe off of flat surfaces when you’re cleaning?

A new air filter can help you battle both of these problems. If you’re keeping up with regular filter changes but still find the house dusty, consider upgrading your filter. A Comfort EZ Flex Cabinet Air Filter can capture particles as small as one micron in size. If you move up to an Infinity Air Purifier GAPA, you’ll capture 95 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns in size.

Lower Your Energy Expenses

It takes more energy for your HVAC system to pull air through a clogged filter than through a clean one. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing your air filter can lower your energy consumption anywhere from 5 to 15 percent. This is a quick way to cut cooling costs.

Get Fresh-Smelling Air

A dirty air filter simply can’t provide you with the clean, fresh air that you deserve. If you haven’t changed your filter recently, it may even have an unpleasant odor of its own. A musty or sour smell can be the result of a clogged air filter or unwanted growth in this area.

Swapping your old filter out for a fresh clean one can have a major impact on the way your home smells. Instead of masking odors with scented candles or home sprays, get to the root of the cause and replace your HVAC filter.

Complement your filter changes with regular maintenance for the best performance and perks. If you haven’t seen an HVAC service technician within the last 12 months, it’s time to schedule a visit. Call JD’s A/C at (903) 759-7483 to make an appointment now.

Image provided by Shutterstock