Three Reasons to Replace Your Furnace Filter With Greater Frequency

by Kristopher Samuels Writer

While furnace filters should be replaced according to their thickness, there are specific situations that warrant a greater frequency. To begin, here’s the general rule of thumb:

If your filter is no more than 2 inches wide, you should replace it at least every other month.
If it’s up to 4 inches wide, replace it at least every 3 months but no more than 6 months.
If it’s 5 inches or wider, replace it at least every 6 months.

With these parameters in mind, you must apply your discretion and consider your particular home. Is there anyone or anything that may benefit from optimally filtered household air beyond the guidelines above? Let’s examine three reasons why your answer should be a resounding yes:

Elevated Pollution Levels

Smog is air pollution made up of substances like ozone, car smoke, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. It’s usually visible as a light grey haze that blocks sunlight and cloaks populated industrialized areas. Repeated exposure can lead to respiratory diseases like bronchitis and emphysema, as well as an increased risk of cancer and low birth weight.

If you live in a smoggy area, perhaps downtown, or close to a factory, it’s essential that you swap your furnace filter for a fresh one whenever the air outside your home has been especially unpleasant. The great thing is that living in Canada, you can find both great prices and high quality options without having to settle for one or the other; that way, your family can always be protected.

Infants and the Elderly

Whether you have a little bundle of joy, or live with elderly parents or grandparents, it’s important to note that polluted air has no place around frail constitutions. Because their immune systems may be vulnerable, it puts them at greater risk of falling ill, and they won’t have access to enough bodily defences to fight back on their own.

Furnace air filters with a MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating between 11-13 are especially designed to help these individuals breathe without issue. That said, check in with them periodically about the quality of their breathing to inform your filter replacement decisions.

Pets

Pet hair and dander can irritate your airways and interrupt your sleep, especially if your little furball is active and prone to shedding. These pollutants can also cause asthmatics to rush for their inhalers, and allergy sufferers to have a sneezing fit, when all of it could have been avoided by having a fresh furnace filter on hand.

Make sure to complement your regular vacuuming by choosing a furnace filter with a MERV rating of 10 or higher so no one has to suffer at your next get-together. If you see a wave of hair and other particles in the light when you draw your blinds in the morning, take it as a sign that it’s time for a replacement.

As we have seen, letting your indoor air quality fall by the wayside can have serious consequences on your loved ones’ health. To avoid the risk, simply take the initiative and increase the frequency of your filter replacements so your household air is as fresh and as clean as can be.