Hay fever season is about to start, so now is the best time to change your vehicle’s pollen filter – to keep you breathing in clean air all Spring and Summer long.

Spring Car Maintenance

According to the Met Office, hay fever season typically starts in late March beginning with tree pollen, which affects around 25% of hay fever sufferers. By mid-May, grass pollen season kicks in, which affects most hay fever sufferers.

If you’re wondering why this affects your car, you might be surprised to know that the air you breathe whilst driving is as polluted, if not more, than the air outside of your vehicle. That means there’s a good chance that the pollen and pollutants you’re driving around are also present inside your car. If you’re a hay fever sufferer, or you have any other respiratory problems like asthma, then this can cause some real issues for you.

What Does a Pollen Filter Do?

The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system in your vehicle will include a cabin/pollen filter, whose job it is to filter the air that runs through the system and into the cabin of your car.

Not all filters are created equal, and there are different types of filters depending on the car or your own preferences:

• Standard filters are the most common, and these are good at filtering out pollen, dust and larger particulates from getting into your car, but not much else.
• Activated carbon filters are very similar, but with an added layer of activated carbon which collects exhaust gases, smaller particulates and will reduce odours.
• Anti-allergen filters come with a polyphenol layer which is designed to prevent mould spores, bacteria, dust, pollen and other particulates from getting through. These are ideal for people with severe allergies or respiratory problems.

As your filter is part of the HVAC system, it does help with things besides keeping pollen out; a good filter will prevent mould by filtering out spores and other bacteria. Your filter will also assist your air conditioning by keeping out large particulates which would clog the system and reduce its efficiency.

How to Tell Your Pollen Filter Needs Replacing

Generally speaking, you should be replacing your filter every 15,000 miles or once per year, however this can vary a lot depending on your own needs and where you drive.

Pollen is the most obvious consideration; if you’re a hay fever sufferer and you drive on country roads or through rural areas, you may want to replace your filter more often. But another consideration would be people who regularly drive in urban areas.

Cities can be heavily polluted, and these pollutants will build up in your cabin filter over time, causing it to be less effective.

If you’re not sure whether the above reasons apply to you, or you don’t know when your filter was last replaced, there are some clear signs that will indicate when your filter needs replacing:

• If air flow feels poor through your ventilation grills.
• If you notice a foul or musky smell coming out of your HVAC system when it’s in use.
• If your windscreen fogs up frequently or you struggle to clear up the fog.

These are all sure-fire signs that your cabin or pollen filter is not working like it should be, and you should replace it as soon as possible.

Can I Clean My Pollen Filter?

If you believe that your filter needs replacing, then it’s always best to do so. You can purchase a replacement filter and change it yourself, or you can come to a garage and have a mechanic do it. We don’t recommend cleaning your filter as it is likely you will damage it and it’s not worth the trouble when filters are very cost-effective to replace.

If you believe your pollen or cabin filter is due a change, then please pop in to our garage and we’ll be happy to replace it for you. Get in touch for more details.