Energy costs take up a drastic amount of homeowners' monthly bills. With temperatures continuing to rise around the globe and extreme heat events becoming more frequent, it is a trend that is likely to continue.
The scoop
With that in mind, many people are looking for ways to improve the efficiency while lowering the cost of their HVAC systems. One curious homeowner took to the subreddit r/hvacadvice to ask the online community for help.
In the post, they asked, "Can I just vacuum out my filters every month instead of replacing them?"
They went on to explain that they have three HVAC filters that require changes each month. The frequent changes have made the cost to maintain their system skyrocket.
One Reddit user weighed in with some advice: "Try to find a wholesale/distributor that will sell them to the public… I do not suggest vacuuming them as an HVAC tech."
How it's helping
Proper HVAC management is one of many ways to make houses more efficient and cost-effective. Making your house into a smart home or weatherizing your home can also reduce the effects of wild temperature swings.
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In terms of HVAC systems, upgrading to a heat pump is an extremely attractive option.
As the U.S. Department of Energy explained, "… heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer."
It is estimated that heat pumps save homeowners an average of $400 per year on energy costs. Mitsubishi offers a great online guide for finding the right heat pump for individual consumers.
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What everyone's saying
Other commenters on the original post were quick to point out that vacuuming out the filters wouldn't be wise to do as well.
One said, "… it's probably not a great idea."
"I wouldn't," another Reddit user wrote. "Wont really do as good of a job protecting the system, and a vacuum won't fully clean the filter."
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