With the heating season getting underway, it’s a good time to talk about one of the cheapest and most neglected maintenance jobs in the house: changing your HVAC filter.

It Protects Your Wallet

Heating and cooling account for nearly half of the energy used in a typical home, according to ENERGY STAR. A dirty filter slows down airflow and forces the system to work harder to keep the house warm or cool, wasting energy. Dust and dirt building up inside the system can also lead to expensive maintenance and early equipment failure.

It Protects Your Air

According to the EPA, filtration is an effective way to supplement ventilation and improve indoor air quality, and a central HVAC filter cleans the air throughout the whole home – but only while the fan is running. Most homes come standard with a MERV-8 filter. The EPA says upgrading to a MERV-13 filter, or the highest-rated filter your system can handle, can capture smaller particles, including viruses. Before switching filter types, check your HVAC manual or ask a professional, because not every system can handle a denser filter.

How Often To Change It

There is no single schedule that fits every home. ENERGY STAR’s guidance is to check the filter every month – especially during heavy-use months in the winter and summer – and change it if it looks dirty. At a minimum, change it every three months.

The Bottom Line

Checking and changing a filter takes just a few minutes and is the simplest way to keep the air in your home cleaner and your heating and cooling system running efficiently. ENERGY STAR also recommends a yearly professional tune-up; the filter is the part you can handle yourself.