DIY Air Filter Maintenance: Tips and Tricks for Keeping Your Air Clean

04.19.2023

Do you ever think about how clean and safe the air inside your home is? Are you tired of breathing in dusty, polluted air? Want to enhance the air quality in your home without breaking the bank? You should hear about air quality more often, especially when considering that the average American spends 87% of their life indoors. You don’t have to worry. With a bit of maintenance and some essential tips and tricks, you can follow immediate steps to keep your air clean. Read more here.

Clean Your Air Filter

When it comes to keeping your air clean, one of the critical things you can do is regularly change or clean your air filter. Not only will this help to improve the air quality in your home, but it will also help prolong the life of your HVAC system. Here are some tips and tricks for maintaining your air filter clean:

  • Check your air filter monthly and replace it as needed. Depending on the air filter you have, you may need to replace it more or less often. For example, disposable pleated filters should be replaced every 1-3 months, while washable filters can last up to a year before needing to be cleaned or replaced.
  • Consider using a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter if you have pets. These filters are designed to remove pet dander and other allergens from the air, making them ideal for homes with furry friends.
  • When cleaning or replacing your air filter, take a moment to vacuum out the area around your HVAC unit. This will help to remove any dirt or debris that could clog up your system.
  • Consider investing in an electronic air purifier. These devices work by ionizing the air, which helps to remove dust, pollen, and other pollutants from the indoor environment.

Change Your AC Filter

HVAC systems keep your home’s air clean by trapping pollen, dust, or other contaminants, but all of these particles need to go somewhere. The HVAC’s air filters collect much of this buildup, sometimes interfering with the system’s efficiency, increasing utility bills, and compromising your home’s air.

Air filters cycle through all that air, filtering some of the most common air pollutants. However, they fill up and begin to perform lower and stop doing their job. Not only will that lead to issues for your indoor air, but it can wear down your heating and cooling system. So, to avoid all that, and keep your air clean, be sure to change your air filters regularly.

Suppose you want to keep or improve the air quality in your house. In that case, it is best to check the filters in all your household appliances, such as purifiers, kitchen vents, clothes dryers, or vacuum cleaners. Inspect and maintain them periodically, and you are good to go.

Clean Dust and Debris from Your Outdoor Units

The outdoor unit of the heating and cooling system is more likely to catch dust and debris that may hamper your unit’s performance. Keeping the outdoor unit clean and in good shape is vital to ensure your air conditioner will run for years and reduce the energy it uses.

Keep Your Registers and Vents Clean

Keeping your registers and vents as clean as possible is one of the simplest ways to ensure your system is healthy. If they are covered in dirt, dust, or other debris, the air entering and leaving the system will also be dirty and less efficient when heating and cooling your home.

Control Humidity In Your Home

Too much humidity in your house can cause mold to grow, while too little can make the air too dry. Because moist conditions breed mildew and mold, they can trigger respiratory issues such as asthma and allergies. Ideally, your home should be at 45% humidity. So, to decrease humidity, you can use a dehumidifier or open a window, and to increase humidity, use a humidifier.

Use the Suitable MERV Rating

When it comes to air filters, one of the most important things to consider is the MERV rating. MERV is a method of classifying how useful an air filter is at clearing particles from the air.

The higher the MERV rating, the more efficient the air filter is at capturing smaller particles. However, it’s important to note that higher MERV-rated filters can also restrict airflow more than lower-rated filters. This means that if you have a furnace or AC unit that’s not designed to work with high MERV-rated filters, using one could cause problems.

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