Every home air conditioner has a filter built into it. Even small window units have a tiny filter that can be removed and cleaned on a regular basis. This is because air conditioning systems are considered forced-air HVAC equipment, which cycles through the air of your home as it cools it. Unfortunately, this job can involve a lot of dust and debris that normally wouldn’t be airborne, but starts to get swept up into your air conditioner as a result of cycling airflow.
These contaminants can do a number on the interior components of your air conditioner. Even just a few cycles without a filter to keep the system safe could cause a breakdown or lead to components requiring heavy air conditioning service in Franklinville, NJ.
Let’s talk about the importance of your air filter and why you should change it on a regular basis.
The Purpose of the Air Filter
The air filter component in your air conditioner serves one main purpose, and a few other side purposes.
The main objective of this component (hence the reason why it exists in every air conditioner) is to protect the sensitive interior components from contaminants like dust and debris. The coils of your air conditioner require access to the air on a regular basis, which means that any contaminants clogging up this process can cause its efficiency to drop dramatically and the system to fail.
The side purposes of your air filter are that it helps with your home’s air quality and improves efficiency by allowing contaminants to get stuck there while your home cycles fresh, clean, and conditioned air.
Changing the System Regularly
So, now that you know how vital it is to change your air filter, how often should you do it? We recommend changing your air filter every 1–3 months depending on a few factors that we’ll mention below.
If you haven’t changed your air filter in a while, don’t worry, it’s always a good idea to start fresh and begin monitoring this going forward. You might be lucky and your home just wasn’t inundated with as many contaminants as other homes, or you might need repairs in the future. Only time will tell.
For now, let’s go ahead and change those air filters before summer gets here!
PSA for Pet Owners
If you’ve got a furry friend in your home, from rabbits to cats and dogs, then you’ll likely want to change your air filter more regularly than normal. Once a month is probably a good idea, since pet hair can get tangled up in that filter very quickly and reduce efficiency dramatically.
A Routine Schedule
Did you forget when the last time you changed your air filter was? It happens, don’t stress about it. But the important thing going forward is to change your filter regularly, whether it’s monthly or every three months, it’s important to keep doing this and make it a habit.
Repairs or Maintenance Can Get You Back on Track
If your air conditioner is showing signs of wear and tear from a clogged filter, or the efficiency dropped but hasn’t returned, then it might be time to schedule an appointment with us. Regular maintenance is a great idea if you don’t know if there’s anything wrong. But repairs are likely the solution if you detect that something is “off.”
Contact Ambient Comfort for comprehensive AC repairs and filter changes during routine maintenance.