How To Take Care of Air Filters at Your Home
Caring for your air filters at home is not just a matter of wanting to have clean things all around you. A clean air filter will help increase the unit’s efficiency and improve its performance. Replacing your AC’s filter is an integral part of the maintenance routine for any equipment, so whether your AC needs /air-filter-sizes/20x20x1 or any other, this is a task that should not be postponed.
What are the most important benefits you get from a clean air filter?
Timely replacement of your air filter will offer you plenty of benefits, among them:
Optimal Performance During the Summer
Dirt and debris tend to accumulate very quickly in your filter. A clogged filter will result in decreased airflow, increase the workload of the air conditioning system, and impact the quality of the air you breathe. Replacing your filter every three months at most will help you reduce the wear and tear on the unit and allow the unimpeded flow of air, giving you the fresh comfort you expect.
Minimize the Chance of Breakdowns
When you leave an air filter in your unit for much longer than you should, debris and fibers will be released into other equipment parts. The result will be a mechanical breakdown that will reduce the comfort you expect from your AC. Changing the filter in a timely manner will help you avoid expensive and bothersome repairs.
Improve the Quality of The Air You Breathe
A clean air filter will hold on to pollutants, dust, and other particulates that can result in a decrease in the quality of the air you and your loved ones breathe. This can affect the entire family, but it can be particularly hard on the elderly, people with respiratory conditions, and young children. Help every member of your family breathe easier by getting into the habit of changing your air filters regularly.
Points You Should Know About Air Conditioner Filters
Now that you know why it is so important to be vigilant with your air filters and change them often, you should also be familiar with some qualities of these filters.
Not All Filters Are the Same
There is not only one single type of filter that can fit into every AC system. There are many sizes and types, and while some are to be used one time only, others can be reused after being cleaned. Also, every filter has a different rating and price. Talk to your AC technician to understand what filter can give your equipment the longest life.
Filters Should Be Inspected Regularly
Although the general recommendation is that filters should be changed or cleaned every three months, if you live in an area where dust is common, if there are pets and young children in the home, or if you are in the process of remodeling or upgrading any part of your home, your filters must be inspected very often and changed much more frequently. In some cases, this may mean once a week. Allowing a clogged filter to remain in the unit will end up harming the equipment.
Know Before You Buy
It’s not just a matter of rushing out to the store and buying the largest filter you can find. It will not fit in the unit, and there is no use in trying to force it into the slot since it will just not do a good job. Memorize the size and type filter your unit needs and get the right one every time. These days, you can even enroll in a subscription service to ensure you get the precise filter at the exact time.
Don’t Automatically Buy the Highest Rating.
Every air conditioner requires a filter with a particular Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating, the highest of which is 16. Don’t think that buying the highest rating will offer you the best filtration since buying the wrong filter will result in restricted airflow, straining your AC unit, and damage to the system.
Get Used to Always Having a Clean AC Filter
Don’t allow your unit to constantly run with a clogged filter. Having a clean filter will:
Help Lower Your Energy Bills
If you are frustrated every time you get an electric bill in the summer, change your air filter. Having a unit trying to perform with a dirty and clogged filter only means that the unit will be working harder to cool the home and requiring more energy to do so.
Allow Your Unit to Last Longer
You know how much you paid the last time you had to change your air conditioning equipment and are likely not looking forward to facing this expense again any time soon. Have your AC technician inspect your unit twice a year and follow a strict filter-changing schedule. Taking steps to prevent unnecessary wear and tear in the system will result in you offering your AC its best shot at a longer life.
Keep Your House Clean
By collecting dust and debris that are present in the air of your home, you and your family will breathe air that is free of impurities. However, when the filtration system is full, and you fail to replace the dirty filter, the unit will recirculate this unwanted air time and again and drop layers of dust everywhere. Let these contaminants end up in a filter and not in your lungs and those of your loved ones.
There are times when the tasks that need to be performed in a home are tough and time-consuming. However, changing the filter in your air conditioner is not one of them since doing so can take you just a couple of minutes. Protect your health and that of your loved ones by periodically installing a clean AC filter and enjoying better respiratory health and a cleaner home. A clean air filter is critical for many reasons that are hard to ignore.
