Why You Might Need to Replace Your Air Filter More Often in the Summer

Schedule Now

HVAC air filter replacement is important no matter what the season. There’s no more vital upkeep you can perform on your heating or cooling system than regular filter maintenance. It’s an easy DIY procedure that only takes a few moments. If your heating or cooling system is running on a daily basis, the filter should be checked and changed according to a regular schedule. Generally speaking, the filter may need to be replaced more often in summer than in winter. Here are some good reasons why:

  • In most households, an air conditioner runs more daily hours during summer than the furnace runs in winter. The longer the system circulates air through the filter and ductwork, the faster the filter accumulates trapped particulates and filtration efficiency declines.
  • Airflow, a critical system parameter that impacts performance as well as energy efficiency and operating costs, declines rapidly as the filter becomes dirty and dusty. No matter what the time of year, a dirty filter strains the system blower. However, when the system’s in A/C cooling mode during summer, low airflow resulting from a dirty filter can also cause evaporator coil icing that may lead to expensive compressor damage and system shutdown.
  • Indoor air quality is more often an issue in summer than in winter as airborne allergens are more plentiful during the growing season. A dirty or clogged air filter may serve as a receptacle for allergens, continuously recirculating pollen and mold spores throughout the house.

The Seasonal Approach

During summer, make air filter replacement a monthly habit. Buy quality pleated fabric filters with a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) around 8 for best filtration efficiency and optimum airflow. During winter, a monthly visual evaluation should be conducted. If the filter media appears dirty or dusty, air filter replacement should be made immediately. If the filter doesn’t look dirty, you may defer filter replacement to an every-other-month basis. However, never’t go longer than two months without changing the filter in winter.

For more information about air filter replacement, contact the HVAC professionals at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Plumbing.

"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Image

    Financing

    Image

    Apollo Care Plan