Frequency of air filter changes

[Sparkles99]

Please specify in your post the number of filters & number + species of birds you have. I think I need to do mine more frequently than the manufacturer recommends, based on tonight's filter changes.

 

[Laurie]

I have 11 caiques plus about 10 babies at the moment. I use and Austin Air Filter which does not need to be changed regularly other than vacuuming the outside of the unit. I vacuum it a few times a week. I vacuum my air conditioner filters every Monday and they are super dusty. I am sure I could do them twice as often.

 

[rocky'smom]

When mine says to change it. My germ guardian has a app to remind you. The prefilter gets washed by hand weekly and allowed to drip dry in my shower.

 

[Shezbug]

I have 2 birds in the house and a huge dog, I change mine when the light comes on to tell me to change it which is about the same time that Burt starts to sneeze a lot. At this house it has been more often than at my last house (3 times a year or more) because my neighbour likes to behave like a caveman and have fires going non stop but he is hopeless at lighting them so they smoke terribly and often stink out our whole house

 

[flyzipper]

I'm quoting Laurie's post, but only to elaborate on it, not to pick on it.

I vacuum it a few times a week. I vacuum my air conditioner filters every Monday

Vacuum them outside or ensure you have a good quality vacuum cleaner if you must vacuum your filters indoors, or just get a good vacuum in general and don't add to your indoor air quality challenges when you clean.

I'm not saying Laurie's vacuum cleaner is crap, but vacuuming your air filters isn't a great indoor air quality strategy to adopt if yours is crap (you, the reader of this post).

Also, only vacuum the air filter media on the "outside" -- the side away from the unit's fan, otherwise you can pull particles deeper into the filter (reducing its efficiency) because your vacuum creates more focused suction than your air purifier's fan does.

Another note regarding our air conditioning filters (or HVAC filters in general) is that most are there to protect your equipment, not you. You need a MERV 11 or higher to to even begin filtering out 0.30 micron fine particles that are problematic for respiratory health (here's a chart). It's also not a simple matter to swap your MERV 4 filter for a MERV 13 filter since the higher MERV ratings also restrict the air flow, increasing static pressure in the system, and can cause equipment to fail or be less efficient. The air handlers in HVAC systems need to be sized appropriately to support higher MERV filters.

I change my air purifier filters every 6 months, but this really depends your air purifier and more importantly your environment -- the occupants of your home, how often activities are done which negatively affect indoor air quality, how much ventilation you have (and whether it's used), and the current quality of the outdoor air in your area.

Once PM2.5 and VOC air quality monitors that track levels over time are more accurate and reliable (and have been tested by an independent lab), I would suggest obtaining one to ensure things are at healthy levels. This type of monitoring will show increases in problematic elements with your indoor air when cooking, cleaning with chemicals, vacuuming with a crap vacuum, etc, and will also help to determine if your air filters are sized appropriately and doing their job (what's the normal baseline level, and how long do they take to return elevated levels to that baseline, etc).

 

[CrazyKozmo]

I have 4 parrots. I use a Molekule air filter 6 months a year (April thru October)...I change the pre-filter every 3 months, and begin the year with a new filter cartridge (per manufacture instructions).

 

[Laurie]

I'm quoting Laurie's post, but only to elaborate on it, not to pick on it.

Vacuum them outside or ensure you have a good quality vacuum cleaner if you must vacuum your filters indoors, or just get a good vacuum in general and don't add to your indoor air quality challenges when you clean.

I'm not saying Laurie's vacuum cleaner is crap, but vacuuming your air filters isn't a great indoor air quality strategy to adopt if yours is crap (you, the reader of this post).

Also, only vacuum the air filter media on the "outside" -- the side away from the unit's fan, otherwise you can pull particles deeper into the filter (reducing its efficiency) because your vacuum creates more focused suction than your air purifier's fan does.

Another note regarding our air conditioning filters (or HVAC filters in general) is that most are there to protect your equipment, not you. You need a MERV 11 or higher to to even begin filtering out 0.30 micron fine particles that are problematic for respiratory health (here's a chart). It's also not a simple matter to swap your MERV 4 filter for a MERV 13 filter since the higher MERV ratings also restrict the air flow, increasing static pressure in the system, and can cause equipment to fail or be less efficient. The air handlers in HVAC systems need to be sized appropriately to support higher MERV filters.

I change my air purifier filters every 6 months, but this really depends your air purifier and more importantly your environment -- the occupants of your home, how often activities are done which negatively affect indoor air quality, how much ventilation you have (and whether it's used), and the current quality of the outdoor air in your area.

Once PM2.5 and VOC air quality monitors that track levels over time are more accurate and reliable (and have been tested by an independent lab), I would suggest obtaining one to ensure things are at healthy levels. This type of monitoring will show increases in problematic elements with your indoor air when cooking, cleaning with chemicals, vacuuming with a crap vacuum, etc, and will also help to determine if your air filters are sized appropriately and doing their job (what's the normal baseline level, and how long do they take to return elevated levels to that baseline, etc).

All valid points. I vacuum the air conditioner filter to protect the equipment as you say. It is a mini split unit just for my bird room. Not a central system.

My vacuum has a bag (bagless just releases the junk all over when you empty it) and a hepa filter so once the dust goes in it does not come back out.

The air purifier is an Austin Air, it is just the prefilter that is being vacuumed.

 

[Love My Zons]

Cocktaoo, weekly! Like living with a chalkboard with wings no lie.