Properly maintaining your HVAC system can be one of the best financial moves you can make around the home. These systems are extremely expensive to replace and repair and simply following a basic maintenance routine will help you get the most life out of these systems. One of the most important aspects of the systems are the filters. Keeping the filters clean will not only keep your indoor air quality high but will also reduce strain on the HVAC systems. Dirty filters will restrict airflow and cause these systems to work much harder than they should. The following tips on your HVAC filters should help keep your system running smoothly and you breathing easy.

There are a number of filters available on the market today and all of them claim to be the best. Typically, the finer the particles the filter will trap, the more expensive the filter will be. Many big companies such as 3M make very good filters which can extract 99.9% of particles moving through your HVAC system. Cheaper filters may allow too much debris to pass through the filter and can greatly reduce the air quality in your home. Always buy a quality filter from a trusted brand.

The filters in your HVAC system should be changed at least once a month. During heavy usage they may be required to be changed even more often. Many filters on the market today will claim to have a three month lifespan. This can be misleading however, so the filter should be checked at least once a month and if it is dirty go ahead and replace it.

If you have a hard time finding the right size filter for your HVAC system, there are many filters on the market which can be cut to fit. This is very handy since you can get the exact size you need with a one size fits all filter. These filters are also often slightly cheaper since you are performing the cutting yourself.