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Why You Should Regularly Change Your Cabin Air Filter

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Why You Should Regularly Change Your Cabin Air Filter

Every car owner knows that there are so many elements that require maintenance. From ensuring your tyres are in good working order to keeping batteries healthy, there’s always a lot to think about. 

Annual MOTs and frequent servicing can address most issues, but one thing that is often overlooked is the cabin air filter. 

In this article, the team at The Windscreen Company will take a closer look at the role cabin air filters perform in vehicles, and why it’s important they’re regularly changed.  

What is a cabin air filter?

While more than 75% of cars on the road today have cabin air filters in place, many motorists don’t have an understanding of what they are or their importance. The primary role of a cabin air filter is to make the journey as comfortable as possible for all drivers and passengers. 

In order to do this, the filter will catch any airborne substances and prevent them from entering the main part of the vehicle. This can include dirt, debris, dust, pollen, grit and much more. 

While you may not realise it, if these things do make it into your vehicle, they can make for an uncomfortable experience and even impact health.    

Why it’s important to change your cabin air filter

As mentioned above, cabin air filters are designed to stop unwanted materials from entering your vehicle. Over time, your filters will begin to get clogged up from all of the substances they’ve been preventing, meaning it’s time for them to be changed.

If you don’t change your air filter when necessary, it can result in you experiencing a range of practical, and potentially health, related issues. For instance, you may notice your windows misting up more frequently as the filter is struggling to capture all of the materials entering the vehicle. 

Perhaps more severe is the range of health issues that can be caused by a clogged filter. A higher level of dust buildup can trigger allergies and conditions such as asthma that can impact the driver and make it an uncomfortable and unpleasant journey. Excess dust can also cause fatigue, nausea and headaches which may put the driver at risk when behind the wheel.

Furthermore, air conditioning and heating systems may start to break down, meaning a higher buildup of moisture will occur. This moisture will then provide a great breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria that can cause their own various health conditions.

How often should you change your cabin air filter?

Change Your Cabin Air Filter | Infographic

On average, you should change your cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. As most cars need to be serviced every 12,000 miles, it’s a good idea to incorporate the change at the same time. Winter is the best time to change your cabin air filter, as the summer months are when it does most of its hard work.  

However, the frequency of changing your filters will also depend on other factors such as the type of road conditions you tend to drive on, how often you use your vehicle, the weather conditions and what is recommended for your type of vehicle. 

You can find advice and guidance on how often you should change your specific air filters in your car’s manual. Here, you’ll also find instructions on how to change the filters. If you’d prefer, you can also ask at your local garage and they’ll be more than happy to do this for you. 

At The Windscreen Company, our team offers leading windscreen repair and replacement services to vehicles of all types. No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, we provide a dedicated service that’s committed to keeping you safe on the road. To find out more, get in touch with our team today.  

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The Windscreen Company, has over 20 years of experience in windscreen repair and replacement. Since 1998, they have been at the forefront of industry innovation, leveraging the latest technology to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.

The Windscreen Company's, help-and-advice pages offer valuable tips and guidance on maintaining vehicle safety through quality windscreen care, while also featuring updated industry realted content.

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