How Often Should I Change My Furnace Filter?

One of the most common question we get from our customers is: How often should I change my furnace filter? Our answer to this question is always the same: it depends. 

Although, our manufacturers recommend six months, that is based loosely on the average household. Although this may work for some, we always encourage our customers to consider the conditions of their own home when making this decision. This is because the frequency you change your furnace filter depends on a number of factors such as:

• Number of people in your home
• Number of shedding pets in your home
• Number of smokers in your home
• Whether your HVAC equipment is running all year-round
• Proximity to freeways or busy intersections
• Proximity to construction zones or industrial plants
• The density of the city in which you live
• Number of people in home with respiratory heath problems

In an effort to make this answer easier for our customers, we have designed a small exercise to roughly estimate how often they should change the furnace filter. Please answer the questions below and tally points as you go through this exercise. 

How many people live in your home?

• 1 - 2: No points
• 3 to 4: + 2 points
• 4 or more: + 4 points

How many shedding pets live in your home?

• 0: No points
• 1: + 4 points
• 2 or more: + 6 points

How many smokers in your home?

• 0: No points
• 1: + 4 points
• 2 or more: + 6 points

How close are you to a freeway / busy intersection?

• Far: No points
• Close: + 2 points
• Very Close: + 4 points

How often are you running your HVAC equipment?

Summer only

Winter only

Summer and winter

How close are you to a construction zone?

• Far: No points
• Close: + 2 points
• Very Close: + 4 points

How dense is your area?

• Sparse: No points
• Dense: + 2 points
• Very Dense: + 4 points

How many people in your home have respiratory problems?

• 0: No points
• 1 - 2: + 2 point
• 2 or more: + 4 points