Air conditioning units don't require a lot of maintenance, only it'south important to clean or replace your unit'south air filters regularly to reduce the likelihood of airborne mold and common allergens through forced air systems. At that place are different types of air filters available, and though many are disposable and can't exist cleaned, thanks to changes in technology and related efficiencies, washable air filters are more common than e'er. If y'all've previously used disposable filters, this might even be the perfect time to upgrade.

Why Should Y'all Clean Your Air Filter?

  • Cleaner air quality: fewer allergens and less dust.
  • Amend unit efficiency, which results in lower free energy costs: Dirty filters make the system work harder. The harder information technology works, the less efficient it is. The less efficient it is, the more it costs to operate.
  • To prolong life of your HVAC unit: This is tied to efficiency. The harder the system works, the faster it can be damaged or overheat.

Types of Filters

These are usually made of newspaper or paper-thin and cannot be cleaned; they should be thrown away and replaced. You may buy these in bulk to go far easier to replace several times a year, just if you're running depression on replacements and are considering alternatives, this may exist the time to invest in washable filters.

Washable/Reusable/Permanent Filters aka Electrostatic Filters

These are considered permanent since they tin be cleaned and reused for years; some electrostatic filters are designed to last the life of the HVAC organization with proper care. Reusable filters are more expensive up front only tin can save you lot coin in the long run. They're typically less effective at capturing small-scale particles than dispensable filters, and so they may not be the best choice if yous or anyone in your household has allergies.

  • Most use air friction to create electrostatic cling to trap particles. Y'all've experienced "static cling," and this is no different.
  • If you're replacing a disposable filter with a reusable filter, make certain to get the highest MERV filter rating (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) your arrangement allows.

Information technology's e'er a good idea to save the packaging when yous replace your filter, because knowing exactly what type of product you purchased is the first step to knowing if and how it can be cleaned. You should also brand information technology a habit of mark on your calendar when it needs to be cleaned or replaced so you can retrieve easily.

Once you know what type of filter you have and understand its expected lifespan, you lot can get to cleaning.

How to Make clean Your Air Filter

Step ane: Turn Off Your Air-conditioning Unit

Keeping the unit off ensures that you lot're not letting muddy air circulate through your habitation while the filter is being cleaned.

Stride two: Remove the Filter

Some units tin have multiple filters, so be sure you cheque all vents.

Step 3: Vacuum the Filter

To reduce the amount of dusty buildup, the first thing you tin practise is use a manus vacuum to lift allergens. Utilise the microfiber fabric to clean any dust forth the frame. Getting this top layer of sediment and anything loose makes the adjacent pace clean and easy.

In a deep sink or outdoors with your hose, rinse the filter gently and thoroughly, and let it to dry. If you need to provide a deep clean, soak the filter in a flat bin with 1 office white vinegar and 1 part warm water for an 60 minutes, so rinse it gently with the hose.

Never apply a pressurized cleaner on an air filter; they're simply too fragile for whatsoever high-pressure hose.

Footstep 5: Reinstall the Filter

Bank check the dry filter for any signs of damage – holes, clay that could not be cleaned thoroughly or rips in the fabric. If it'southward in good status, you can put it back in the unit of measurement. Refer to whatever expiration dates on the product or its original packaging to brand a note of when it needs to exist fully replaced.

Other "Filters" on Your Air-conditioning Unit That Y'all Can Clean

The fins of a window AC unit can exist vacuumed or wiped downwardly with a microfiber cloth to remove dust and droppings for greater efficiency. Be careful not to curve or squish the fins together. The fins are how the A/C unit "conditions" the air.

  • Unplug the unit.
  • Vacuum or gently brush in the same management as the fins.
  • Use a butter knife to gently straighten bent fins if necessary.

The exterior of an outdoor central AC unit of measurement can be cleaned as well.

  • Remove large droppings by paw (leaves, grass clippings or anything else that has been collected by the unit of measurement).
  • Use a hose to launder smaller debris off of the unit.
  • Employ a butter knife to gently straighten bent fins if necessary.