Pet Dander and Hair Cause A Dirty Furnace Filter Quicker
A homeowner with pets experiences more issues with pet hair and dander in their furnace filter. It is essential to replace your furnace filter more often to keep your home’s indoor air quality healthy. This maintenance task also helps prevent problems with your HVAC system in the future.
A furnace filter is your home’s first line of defense against common allergens and debris. However, when your furnace filter is clogged, harmful particulates pass through your heating and cooling system and into your home.
Check and Change Your Furnace Filter
Whether you have a pet in your home or not, you should check your furnace filter once a month. This prevents a clogged filter creating a negative impact on your home’s indoor air. An average filter needs to be replaced once every 2 to 3 months.
If you have a pet, it’s best to replace your filter more often. You might notice during monthly checks your filter clogs quickly, which means you need to replace it when you notice it’s dirty.
At Douglas Cooling & Heating in the Birmingham area, we also advise homeowners who smoke or who have a family member with allergies, asthma or other respiratory conditions a monthly filter change is likely.
Which Furnace Filter Is Right For You
An easy way to help boost your air quality when you have indoor pets is to use a furnace filter which catches more contaminants. There are a variety of filters to choose and our NATE-certified technicians at Douglas Cooling & Heating help you determine which furnace filter works best with your current heating system. Different options are:
- Fiberglass or Synthetic Filters: These filters are the cheapest option for your furnace and are disposable. They remove larger particulates but won’t prevent all harmful contaminants from entering your ductwork.
- Pleated Filters: You will enjoy cleaner air with a pleated filter because it traps different viruses and bacteria before they enter your home. Pleated furnace filters last longer and are more efficient than fiberglass or synthetic filters.
- Polyester Filters: These furnace filters use high-quality materials to remove between 80 to 95 percent of particulates five microns in size or larger. The cost for polyester filters is higher, but they trap more contaminants without sacrificing airflow.
- Electrostatic Filters: Electrostatic furnace filters offer protection in disposable or washable filter options and use self-charging fibers to extract pollutants from your indoor air. Washable electrostatic filters offer MERV ratings between four and ten and last longer than disposable filters.
- HEPA Filters: High-efficiency particulate filters trap and remove up to 99 percent of contaminants 0.3 microns or larger in size. The downside of HEPA filters is they reduce airflow, which costs you more money on your energy bills.
A Clean Furnace Filter Means…
A clean furnace filter improves your indoor air quality. It also means fewer viruses and bacteria float through your home. This improves your overall health every day. When your air is clean inside your home you will notice fewer respiratory infections, allergy symptoms and asthma attacks.
A clean furnace filter also extends the lifespan of your heating system. A dirty filter forces your HVAC equipment to work harder to supply your home with warm temperatures.
The inside components accumulate more allergens, dust and other debris, which strains your system. The more stress your heating system experiences, the more wear and tear it endures over time.
When the furnace works harder, more energy is used. The more energy used will increase your monthly energy bill during the winter months.
Frequent checks and changes of your furnace filter allow your heating system to operate more efficiently and increase its performance. The result is a warm and comfortable environment in your home.
Keep your indoor air quality healthy, especially if you have a pet inside your home. Know what filter works best for your current heating system and the signs it needs to be replaced. Call Douglas Cooling & Heating to schedule HVAC maintenance or repair service to replace your furnace filter.
