Air Filter Advice

Most people are aware of thier vehicle's engine filter, but most don't know that their car's HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) system may also have one?   Commonly called a cabin air filter, it does the same duties for your HVAC system that the engine air filter does for your car's engine.  

Your car's engine air filter provides clean air to the engine, and so your car's ventilation system uses the cabin air filter to keep  clean air flowing to the cabin.  The cabin air filter keeps dust, dirt, pollen, bacteria and exhaust gases from entering the HVAC system of your car. It also prevents bugs, leaves and other debris from clogging up the system. 

You car doesn't have a warning light that comes on when your cabin air filter needs changing, but here are some indicators you can recognize:

-  Reduced air circulation inside your passenger compartment

-  Diminished heating and air conditioning performance

-  Musty odor  in the cabin of the vehicle

-  Cabin air intake ducting may begin to make an unusual whistling sound

If you observe one or more of these signs, it is likely that the time has come to change it. You can either do the job yourself or have your trusted mechanic switch it out for you.

You will want to change your cabin air filter annually or every 12,000 miles. When traveling through heavily polluted areas or on dirt roads, you will want to  change the cabin air filter every 5,000 miles. Allergy sufferers may want to consider changing it more often to ensure air quality and to reduce their allergy symptoms.