How Dirty is Your Cabin Air Filter?

Ever notice that no matter how often you clean your house, there’s always dust?  Why?  Because our furnace/air conditioner is constantly blowing air around the house…and that air has dust in it.  Simple right?  Duh!

Why do you think your car is any different?  We’ve been driving around for 5-6 months with our windows up….trying to keep every degree of heat INSIDE the car.  The air we circulate in the car (yeah….out of those little vents on the dash) comes from outside.

Think about it.  As you sit at a light and you’re a foot away from that guy’s bumper in front of you…the exhaust from HIS car is somehow finding its way inside YOUR car.  Ok…don’t panic.  Most of that air gets sucked into your engine but that’s a different story.

Let’s talk about the air that actually gets into your car.  Whether you live in the city, out in suburbia…or even farther out yet, the air coming into your car sucks.  There’s pollen, dust, bits of leaves, twigs, bugs & God knows what else…and you’re going to breathe it in.

Now…if your car is a 2000 or newer model, chances are good that you have a “Cabin Air Filter”.  This simply filters the air before it gets inside your car.

GREAT!  RIGHT??

Sure – great.  Chances are….if your car is a 2000, your cabin air filter is now 11 years old.  Would you let the air filter on your furnace go 11 years?  Ugh!!

Here’s the difference between a new cabin air filter and an air filter that is 2 yrs old.  Guess which is which….go ahead….they are sooooo close.

Don’t panic.  So you’re driving around breathing in dirt and dust from 2000.  No big deal right?  Well…if you factor-in the amount of mold that may be growing on that filter…it might be a big deal now.

Mold is serious business.

• musty smell in the car (like a wet basement)
• your sinuses / congestion gets worse in the car
• your eyes itch / burn when you’re in the car

These could all be signs that your cabin air filter is WAY PAST DUE for a change.

This item is on the monthly safety inspection…the filters are usually less than $20 and I think it’s important enough to replace them yearly!

Contact me via the Order Page if you’d like me to take a look at yours!  If your car is more than 2 yrs old…and you can’t remember having it replaced, let’s just replace it.

Ready to breathe better??