What “Air” filters should be Maintained In Your Home

During a home inspection we come across many issues pertaining to restricted filters in Calgary and surrounding acreages. Restricted filters impede functionality and cause unnecessary stress on the equipment they support. Which can lead to premature failure, costly repairs, and unhealthy conditions in your home.

1. FURNACE FILTERS |  Clean air filters are vital to your homes indoor air quality. Furnace filters may require frequent replacement if you have pets or smoke indoors. Normally Filters should be replaced quarterly and monitored in between changes. If you smoke indoors and have pets you should be changing these air filters often as once a month to help moderate dander, smoke particles, and pollen inside your home. Choosing the right air filter for allergy season is important, as it can help you breathe more easily, and is also vital to use thin filters as thick ones may ice up restricting the air flow when AC unit is present. Always remember proper insertion of the filter directs the arrow on the filter towards the furnace blower.

2. HRV FILTERS | Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) saves on heating costs buy using your homes exhaust air to pre-heat incoming supply air. Pre-heating supply air allows the furnace to operate for shorter periods than similar furnaces heating cold air. During winter, its essential to the performance of the unit to clear away any snow or frost buildup blocking the vents. Filters can be easily removed, vacuumed, and washed with mild soap and water. These filters should be maintained and if damaged replaced every 2 months. Fortunately, if your HRV is easily accessible, this takes only 5 minutes to do.

3. HUMIDIFIER FILTER | A humidifier is an easy way to help relieve cold and flu symptoms such as coughing, dryness, and congestion. Your home may have dry air just from indoor heating during the winter. As Calgary is a generally dry climate. Humidity levels should be set accordingly to the manufacture recommendations or between 30 to 50 percent which will provide optimal comfort in your home. It is prevalent to monitor the filter or tray for mineral deposits (“scale”) that often build up in a humidifier and prevent the unit from working efficiently. Filters when used seasonally should be checked every 6 months, cleaned or replaced as needed.

4. DRYER FILTER | Cleaning the lint filter on your clothes dryer regularly is important for safe and effective dryer operation. Excessive lint buildup on the filter impedes air flow, slowing drying time and increasing the dryer’s energy consumption. Allowing an accumulation of lint in your dryer can also create a fire hazard in your home. It is essential to remove lint built up in the exterior ventalso

5. RANGE HOOD FILTER | There are bound to be oil and grease deposits on certain parts of the range hood above the cooktop and also around the grease filters. Filters should easily slide or pop out of the underside of the hood. These areas can easily be cleaned using a mild degreaser. You should check the vent leading from your hood to outside on a regular basis. Grease can sometimes build up in this vent, impairing functionality and potentially causing a fire hazard. A dirty range hood is an environment where some pathogens (bacteria and the like) thrive

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