Your home air filter is perhaps one of the most important parts of your HVAC system. So many of the issues that could cause your system to slow down or stop working entirely can be attributed. At least partially, to an old or clogged up air filter. So regularly changing your filter is an important part of home maintenance. However, once you change your air filter. Your old furnace air filter may release dirt and debris back into the air in your home. Which could lessen your indoor air quality.

This brings up a question that many people want to know the answer to. How should you properly dispose of an old air filter? Air filters have the benefit of being disposable in your regular trash

 How to properly dispose of your air filters when they have expired their use

While your home’s air quality benefits from your diligent efforts to change your air filters monthly. You might be asking how to dispose of the dirty filters without making a mess with the dust and dirt. Proper disposal of the old filter is essential to prevent all the collected debris from becoming airborne once again. Remember that an old filter has 30 to 90 days of trapped material in it. So many irritants, allergens and other particles can easily become airborne again.

Don’t Shake a Dirty Air Filter

Air filters can appear to be dirty, but what you see may only be a portion of the dirt and debris one of these filters can contain. Most of this dirt and debris can be rather easily unsettled, particularly if you shake the air filter or bang it against something. Do your best to avoid doing this. In addition to visible dirt and debris, you may also be releasing a number of microscopic particles into the air, including mold spores, bacteria, viruses, and other things that could have been trapped in the filter up until that point. Do yourself a favor: quickly put your old filter into a plastic bag and avoid any sudden movements with the old filter until the bag has been properly and completely sealed shut. Check out our next point to learn how to do that properly.

Tape the Plastic Bag Shut

Tying the drawstrings on a trash bag shut is one way to close off the majority of the opening to your bag, but it still isn’t going to completely seal the bag up and lock all of the debris inside. Go the extra mile and use tape to seal your old air filter in the plastic bag. Tape not only sticks to the plastic your bag is made from, but also grabs hold of a lot of the dust or debris that may be trying to escape and holds it in place. Use an extra-sticky and strong form of tape, such as duct tape, to ensure a quality seal that won’t reopen easily. Don’t be afraid to use a few extra strips of tape to fully secure the bag closed—the better the seal, the cleaner your indoor air quality will be.

Dispose of Old Air Filters in an Outside Trash

Don’t dispose of your old home air filter indoors—take it to your outside trash can and toss it there. While you may be using the plastic bag to seal the dust and debris from your filter inside, bags can puncture or accidentally have holes poked in them. Even a small hole can allow some of that dust and debris back into your air. Once you have the new air filter in place, immediately bring the old filter out to your trash can and throw it away there.