Air Filter Maintenance: Why You Should Change Your Filter on a Regular Basis

With the mercury rising outside, your home becomes a little oasis of cool temperatures – just the right place to lean back after a hard day’s work and enjoy time away from the sweltering sun. And with your air conditioner working as hard as you do all through the day, a lot of air is getting pushed through those modest air filters you probably don’t think too much about. (Though we hope you’re thinking about them at least once a month!)

Air filter maintenance will help keep you cool and comfortable in a couple different ways. For one, having the right air filter in your system will prevent dust and other debris from getting into the system where it can damage components and keep your A/C from keeping you cool. For another, the filter takes dust, mold spores and other undesirables out of your air, helping you to breathe easier.

But as it’s catching all of this junk (so your A/C’s coils and your lungs don’t have to), the filter is getting more and more clogged up. When it gets too clogged, air doesn’t circulate, which means your home isn’t being cooled. And your A/C is trying harder and harder to push air, which means it’s burning out faster!

Inspecting your filter once a month, and changing it when it looks dirty, can prevent all that trouble. And air filter maintenance is pretty easy. Here are some tips:

• Turn off the unit while you’re changing the filter. This is a good idea for working with any machinery.
• Check your A/C’s documentation for the size of filter it can take, as well as the recommended filter MERV rating. Don’t just go by the size of the filter you’re replacing, since you don’t want to assume it was the right size (unless you remember checking previously).
• Give the filter bay a quick dusting before you install the new filter.
• Follow the directions on your A/C. Some filters may distinguish between front and back; some don’t. Typically, the air filter will have an arrow pointing in the direction of airflow.
• Check to make sure the filter you’ve bought fits, with no obvious gaps or wobble.

And that’s it! If you want to know more about keeping your A/C healthy, through air filter maintenance or anything else, please contact us today at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning. We’re happy to serve Orlando and other fine communities in Central Florida.

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Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning is a full-service heating and air conditioning company and a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Florida. Whether you need repair, maintenance, or installation of a new heating or cooling system, we provide efficient, cost-effective, and professional service. When it’s hot, call Scott!

Categorised in: Indoor Air Quality