Filter Change Reminder

A dirty filter is the most overlooked maintenance item in your home or facility.

Most HVAC problems — higher bills, loud cycling, dusty rooms, short equipment life — start with a filter that should have been swapped months ago. Set it once. We'll remind you every cycle.

Set a reminder Free · No subscription · Recurring until you stop it

Why it matters

A loaded filter works against you.

When airflow through a dirty filter slows down, your system compensates by running longer and pulling harder. That shows up in four places:

Your utility bill

A clogged filter forces the blower to work harder to move the same amount of air. Higher runtimes, higher kWh.

Your air quality

Once media is loaded, it stops capturing efficiently and starts letting particulate bypass back into your airstream.

Your equipment life

Starved airflow causes coil freeze-ups in cooling season and heat exchanger stress in heating season. Both shorten system life.

Your comfort

Rooms farthest from the unit go hot or cold first when airflow drops. Usually the upstairs bedroom or the far corner office.

Know the signs

How to tell without pulling the filter.

You don't need a calendar alert to notice a filter is past due — your system will tell you first. Watch for:

  • The system runs longer than it used to to hit the same temperature setpoint.
  • Rooms farthest from the unit take forever to reach temperature, or never quite get there.
  • Dust resettles on furniture a day after you cleaned it.
  • The blower sounds different — louder, whistling, or straining.
  • Allergy symptoms show up indoors that shouldn't be there.

Any one of these is reason enough to pull the filter and look at it. If the media is grey, loaded with dust, or you can't see light through it clearly — swap it, no matter what the calendar says.

How often should you swap?

Ballpark cadence by filter type.

1″ MERV 1–4
Basic fiberglass — equipment protection and maximum airflow. Every 30 days, every 2 weeks in heavy dust or construction environments.
1″–2″ MERV 8–11
The most common residential setup. Every 3 months under typical use — what most HVAC techs recommend as the default.
1″–2″ MERV 13
Allergies, asthma, wildfire-prone areas. Every 2–3 months, check monthly.
4″–5″ pleated
Deep-cell filters. Every 6 months for typical MERV 8–11 residential. Stretch to 9–12 months on premium 5″ depending on system load.
Commercial
Varies by facility type, run hours, and prefilter setup. Your account rep can set a cadence for your specific system.

General guidance only. Always check your equipment manufacturer's recommendation and visually inspect monthly. Pets, construction, wildfire smoke, and high-humidity regions all shorten the interval.

Set your recurring reminder

We'll tell you every time it's due.

Tell us what you're running and how often to remind you. We send one email on each cycle with your filter spec and a fast link to the same one again. Recurring until you stop it. No subscription, no auto-charges, no account required.

Recurring

One email every cycle

Easy to stop

Reply STOP or click unsubscribe

Need to change it?

Unsubscribe and set a new one

This is where we'll send the reminder each cycle.

Text reminders are coming soon. Leave your number if you'd prefer a text when we roll them out — standard message and data rates apply, reply STOP anytime to opt out.

Not sure right now? Skip it. If you fill it in, we'll include the spec in every reminder so you can reorder without measuring again. You can always find it printed on your current filter frame.

This sets your cycle. We'll email you on your first date, then repeat on this schedule.

Pick a cycle above, or override the date below.

How it works

Three steps. Then you forget about us until you need us.

01

Set your cycle

Pick how often you want the nudge and your first reminder date. That's it.

02

Live your life

We don't email you in between cycles. No nudges, no newsletters you didn't ask for.

03

Reminders, every cycle

One email when it's time to swap, with your spec and a one-click reorder link. Then again next cycle. Repeat.

Why we built this

Family-founded, built on 50 years of HVAC.

RTF started in a Pacific Northwest garage on a 50-year family HVAC legacy. We've seen the same thing for two decades — the #1 cause of expensive HVAC calls is a filter that should have been changed months earlier. This reminder tool is the cheapest maintenance advice we can give.

Whether you buy the next one from us or not, just keep changing them on time.

Mon–Fri, 6 AM–5 PM PST