How Often Should I Change my Filters? What Filters Should I Use?

Every central heating and air conditioning system has one or more filters that should be changed monthly. The location of the filter rack varies from home to home, but most can be found in a hallway near your thermostat. There are many types of filters, some promising to be “extended life” or “hypo-allergen” and can be quite expensive. These filters restrict airflow further than what your system was designed for, and the motors in your system are air cooled. LHT Cooling, Heating and Refrigeration recommends homeowners use standard “poly” filters and change them monthly. It is not uncommon that a customer calls us with a complaint that the air conditioning system is not cooling well only for our technician to find that a dirty “extended life” filter is choking it for air. In severe cases, dirty filters can even cause your system to ice. Most common size filters can be purchased in bulk at any hardware retailer or Wal-Mart. One of the best ways a home can take care of their heating and air conditioning system is to keep these filters on hand and change them often.