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Are clogged air filters costing you?

To find your number, round your average total monthly spending on energy (electricity, gas, fuel oil, etc.) to the nearest hundred dollars. According to the Department of Energy, the average household spends $183 a month on home energy.

To estimate the money you are wasting running your system with a clogged filter find your monthly engergy expense on the left and go over to the column of how often you replace your air filter each year. If you are changing it four or more times a year you are probably not operating with a clogged filter. If it is more than four you could be spending more on filters than you need for your use.

 

Where your row and column meet is an estimate of how much you could save every year if you never allowed the air filter to become clogged. For example, if you spend about $300 a month on energy and you only change your air filter twice a year, you could save $135 a year by always replacing your air filter as soon as it became clogged.

table of clogged filter cost

A filter clogged with dust and dirt causes your heating and cooling system to run longer than nessassary. The Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that once an air filter is clogged, the heating and cooling system uses 15% more energy than a new air filter. The inefficiency increases quickly as the filter become more clogged. The DOE has also estimates that, on average, half of household energy use is for heating and cooling. A conservative estimate of what you can save from running your system with a clean air filter is to take half of your average monthly energy bill, multiply it by 15%. This is the amount you will save every month you have a clean instead of clogged filter. This is how we calculated the savings in the table. These are not just one-time savings, but continue year after year.

 

Saving all this money on your utility bills isn’t motivation enough for you to maintain your air filters, do it for the planet. That seemingly trivial task can create significant monetary and environmental savings. Clean air filters are energy efficient and also provide better comfort and air quality. 

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