The air conditioning filter is one of the most essential air conditioning parts of the air conditioning system. Without it, your air conditioning system will become dirty and the air you breathe can be filled with pollutants. All air conditioning units, from the ductwork to the air conditioning refrigerant, need the air conditioning filter to be cleaned and replaced to ensure you’re getting the very best in central air conditioning.
If an air conditioning filter is left dirty, over time, it can get to higher energy costs and short equipment life because of all the air conditioning parts relying on each other. One cannot work without the other. Overall, your heating and cooling will not be as effective and you will need to spend more on air conditioning repair and air conditioning maintenance.
An air conditioning filter needs to be changed each month or every two months for home air conditioning systems and every couple of weeks for certain commercial or industrial air conditioning as it’s running almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Doing this as a routine in your monthly chores and not waiting before you see dust matted on the air conditioning filter can assure you and your family good health as well as a smooth functioning air conditioning system. Dust particles cannot be constantly seen so even if you see a little dust on the air filter, clean it as you normally would.
Since there are collections of air conditioning filters, how instantly one gets blocked versus another relies upon the brand – most air conditioning filters are sized 1 ½ to 2 square feet for each ton of capacity for residential or commercial properties
You can judge a filter’s capacity to clean by using MERV ratings – Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value – which is a rating of how powerful an air conditioning filter is from 1-12. The higher the rating, the more effective it is at clearing particles such as animal dander, pollen, dust, mold, and other allergens, and the better the protection for your air conditioning equipment. Many air conditioning filters screen out particles estimated from 3 to 10 microns in size.
Conventional fiberglass disposable filters (1″ and 2″) are very usual in many homes and small industrial air conditioners and commercial air conditioning systems. Since they are insubstantial and have an adherent coating that traps the dust, you should not clean the filters. This may harm the filter’s ability to remove particles by harming the adhesive coating and/or the underlying meshwork.
Pleated fiberglass disposable filters (1″ and 2″): The 1″ are commonly used in many residential and commercial settings. Normally, they are more densely woven to increase the efficiency of removing dirt. They have a bigger surface area to lead to increased trapping of particles as compared to conventional filters. They must be described for your air conditioning system or this can lead to increased demand on your air conditioning components. Thereby, a discrepancy can be counterproductive to the health of the air conditioning system and possibly lead to higher air conditioning maintenance and service cost. You should check with the air conditioning manufacturer as to the apt type of pleated filter for your system. A filter spray can also be put in after the cleaning and drying of the air conditioning air filter.
Electrostatic filters: Different in design and performance, as there are so many options, it is rather difficult to determine which is the most efficient. They are mainly advertised as allergy-free air conditioning filters. These filters come in different sizes also come in the 1″ and 2″ sizes. Air that moves through the filter creates a stagnant charge that gathers any dust in the filter. They may need more cleaning and more blower power.
Electronic filters: Connected to an electrical power source and usually wall-mounted, electronic filters have a pre-filter that can collect bigger particles and only need to be cleaned every six months.
Carbon filters: These filters contain carbon that can control any odor issues you might have within the air conditioning system. They can also be favorable in homes with pets.
Air Conditioning Filter Installation
When placing the appropriate air conditioning filter into the system, the filter should be placed in the correct direction as indicated by the arrow faced on the side or face of the filter. Air should flow in the correct direction which is in the same direction as the arrows. This allows the filter to work appropriately, as the air exits the filter in the most augmented part of the filter.
The air conditioning filter should fit tightly. A perfect seal is crucial to protect unfiltered air from entering and harming your air conditioning system. Without a perfect seal and correct sizing, the filter is of no use. Additionally, the non-conventional filters may have higher expertise and may not fit your system. For this purpose, you need to contact an air conditioning company, contractor, or air conditioning supply company.