You don’t have to be an HVAC technician to know that you need to change your HVAC air filters on a regular basis. Swapping out old air filters for new ones guarantees that your system will function as it should, and you won’t waste money on your utility bills or deal with the need for avoidable HVAC repair in Grand Rapids, MN. But if you’re noticing that you’re constantly having to replace your air filters, you may need to rethink how you’re using your system, or it might be time to bring in a professional for a little assistance:
- You have too many pets: The first cause for constantly dirty filters has to do with your four-legged friends! Having pets around the house is usually a joy, but it becomes an issue when their fur gets everywhere. Pet hair and dander gets caught in your HVAC air filter, which impedes how well the filter works, and causes you to have to replace it more often than you should. Consider installing a whole-home air filtration system. These systems can help clean the air before pet hair reaches your air filters.
- Your house is dusty: It may seem impolite to say, but the reason your air filters are so dirty might have to do with the cleanliness of your home! If you have an abundance of dust floating through the air, it’s bound to get caught in your air filters. If you think this is the cause of your problem, you might want to think about cleaning up a bit more and see if that doesn’t help fix your air filter situation. Of course, with many older homes, the dust levels tend to seem rather constant, regardless of how much you clean, so you might want to keep some extra filters on hand to encourage more frequent change-outs.
- You have leaky air ducts: A third cause of constantly dirty air filters doesn’t have anything to do with your pets or how clean you keep your house. If your air ducts have a leak, dust can accumulate faster than normal, which will clog up your air filter faster than it otherwise would. If your home is free from pets and not dusty at all, give us a call for HVAC repair in Grand Rapids, MN. We’ll inspect your ducts for leaks and fix any issues that we find.
- Your thermostat fan is set to ON: Take a look at your thermostat. Is the fan set to AUTO or ON? The ON setting will keep your fan blowing 24/7. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; it just means that your fan will always be running. Thus, your filter will always be picking up contaminants floating in the air. You may want to think about switching the setting to AUTO. The AUTO setting will only turn the fan on when it needs to run, so your filter will only pick up dirt and dust occasionally. See if that doesn’t slow the rate of how often you need to change your air filter.
Change up the way you use your system and keep your house as clean as you can, and see if that helps fix your air filter problem. If not, give Rapids Plumbing & Heating Inc. a call. We may be able to help out with your air filter situation.