How Often Should You Change Your Furnace Filter?

For optimal performance of your furnace, it is important to change the filter regularly. The frequency of filter replacement depends on several factors, such as the size of the filter, the location of your home, the age of your system, and whether you have pets in the household. For 3 to 4 inch filters, replace them every 6 to 9 months. For filters from 5 to 6 inches, change them every 9 to 12 months.

Vacation homes or empty homes that don't see much use can wait to change filters every 9 to 12 months. Usually, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing the air filter every 90 days or 3 months. This may change depending on the location of your home (for example, dry and dusty climates), if you have pets, and the age of your system and equipment. If you have pets in the household, you should consider changing the filter every 60 days or 2 months, and for households with multiple pets or people with allergies or respiratory conditions, we recommend changing the filter every 20-45 days.

The general consensus is that the more you use your home, the more you need to change the air filter. If you don't seem to remember to do it, a good rule of thumb is to change the oven filter every time the seasons change. Marking your calendar every 90 days or trying to remember the last time you changed the filter can be a challenge, so many oven manufacturers recommend replacing them at the beginning of each new season. You must change the filter at least every 90 days.

In most cases, you should replace the filter at least every three months, even in summer. Larger homes have larger volumes of circulating air, which means you may need to change the filter more often. And since the installation of a new oven costs thousands of dollars, it is in their financial interests to take good care of the one you have. For an animal that lives at home, you should change the filter every two months for a one- or two-inch filter, four months for a four-inch filter, and six months for a five-inch filter. A good oven filter can help you improve the air quality in your home, but a dirty air filter will do the opposite. However, if your HVAC has a single filtration system that uses an air filter for the conditioning unit and oven, replacements will be less frequent in winter than in summer.

By removing the air filter from the air conditioner, if you hold it next to a light source, you can see if the filter is dirty or clogged; if you can't see the light through the filter, it's definitely time to change it. It is important to understand that winter is the time of year when your oven is most trusted. Your oven's owner's manual will specify the best MERV rating for your oven, and in general, filters with a MERV rating of 6 to 9 should be changed every 90 days, while those with a MERV rating of 10 to 12 should be changed every 60 days. But what happens if you let that time go a little? Before we talk about WHEN you should change the air filter, let's start with the WHY. A Honeywell oven filter will have the same filter replacement recommendations as standard filters.