Facts about Air Conditioning Filters
Spring is here and with that comes cleaning out the old to get ready for the fresh and new.
With the warmer weather, you’ll want to check your air conditioner to make sure it’s in good working order.
One of the biggest areas of concern is the filter and whether it can be cleaned or needs to be replaced.
This is the one element in your unit that controls the quality of the air that enters your home and it supports energy efficiency in a big way.
To best understand just how important a clean air filter is in both heating and cooling, here are some facts that will help you get the most out of your cooling unit and keep it up and running for years to come.
Energy Efficiency and Comfort
Maintaining your home cooling unit does more than just ensure you’re feeling comfortable during hot days.
Regular checks of your system also make your residence more energy efficient. Keeping your air conditioning filter up to date, clean and unclogged can actually lower your system’s energy use by between 5% and 15%. Think about it: air flows through the filter and into your home.
Over time, dust and dirt will accumulate. Those accumulations cling to the air filter and slow the air’s progress into your home, making cooling the area that much harder and the unit work more to push the air through your home.
Cleaning the air conditioning filter or replacing it will alleviate all of that pressure and wasted energy.
Indoor Air Quality
Filters, by definition, remove debris from the air so what enters your home is clean and breathable.
However, there is only so much filters will be able to do if they don’t get a regular update and cleaning. The dirt they are taking out of the air has to go somewhere and that somewhere is within their coils.
If too much debris accumulates, then that debris will be pushed out into your environment every time air flows through the unit.
The amount of allergens and irritants that can make their way into your home through dirty filters and, thereby, your lungs is vast.
You’ll want to look at cleaning or replacing your air filter every season, or even monthly, depending on how often you use your system.
You will be able to keep colds and allergies at bay and improve air quality much easier if your home cooling and heating units are clean and debris free.
Knowing Your Machine Helps You Know Your Filter
Just as not all air conditioning units are the same, not all filters are the same. There are different sizes, single-use and reusable models and HEPA filters that remove very small debris from the air.
All of these filters have different ratings, uses, and standards. Enhanced Heating and Air Conditioning is happy to walk you through the differences in air filters and which kind would work best for your HVAC unit.
For all of your air conditioner and heating questions, contact our experts. We know how to keep your home comfortable and your HVAC unit working no matter what the season or the weather.