Cleaning your air-conditioner filter only takes a few minutes every three months, so did you know it is important to keep up to date with this essential task? Air filters keep the room cool by taking in hot air from outside and making it cold inside. This keeps your kitchen comfortable while allowing for shorter cooking times. If you are not cleaning the filter regularly or correctly then this process could be slowed or even completely stopped. This helps reduce the load on your air conditioner and make it last longer. Change your filter at least once every three months for maximum efficiency during the summer months.
Filters work by trapping small particles of dirt–dust, pollen, mites, mold spores and other allergens, pet dander, and smoke. The bigger the trap the better! This is why a one-micron filter is so much more effective than a 20 or 30-micron filter. If you’ve ever seen water run through a filter, you know that it takes time for all the particles to get caught in the material. The same thing happens when air passes through air filters. Depending on the material used to make your filter (like HEPA) it can take two to six weeks.
Air-conditioners are actually very good at cleaning themselves. The filters inside them are designed to remove impurities from the air which can help make life more pleasant for your family and you. However, there is a saying that goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Sadly, this is true of more than just-food. By keeping the A/C unit clean, you keep it working at its best and prevent unfriendly bacteria and mildew from building up.
When should You change your Aircon filter?
- You can smell odors coming from outside the Aircon unit, this may be due to the accumulation of dust and pollen on the Aircon filters, so it’s time to clean them.
- If the outside Aircon unit is vibrating it may be because the Aircon filters are clogged or blocked causing restriction in airflow.
- The Aircon unit cooling performance decreases if you wait for an extended period before cleaning it.
If your air conditioner is over 10 years old, cleaning the filter is essential to maintaining air conditioners. Air conditioners can stop working or worse yet, not work as well if you don’t clean the filters regularly.
If you have allergies or just want fresh air, the answer is simple; keep your filters clean! On average, most people with central heating and cooling systems should clean their HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) filters monthly.
