Having a healthy air conditioning unit with dirty filters is like having a good soccer team with a bad goalie. Though it’s often a notoriously neglected task, changing your air filters is a crucial part of good AC care as they are the front line of defense between the dirt in your home and the inside of your unit.
The team at Air Tech of Houston AC & Plumbing is here to provide you with the game plan of when and how to change your AC filters.
Why Is It Necessary To Change Your Home Air Filters?
The short answer? It keeps your air and your system clean. Filters are a crucial barrier that collects different kinds of debris from entering the inside of your HVAC system that would end up being distributed back into the air of your home. Different kinds of debris include:
- Dirt
- Dust
- Pollen
- Pet Hair
- Mold
- Bacteria
- Lint Fibers
Residents that live in areas with excessive humidity, such as Houston, could also experience excessive moisture within their filtration systems that could cause their ACs to underperform.
Forgetting to change your air filters can also have dangerous consequences. Without proper filtration, larger objects such as pieces of insulation can get caught in your HVAC system and cause a fire risk.
Air filter blockage is deemed the number one cause of HVAC failure.
How Often Should You Change Your AC filter?
The frequency in which your filter needs to be changed ultimately depends on what kind of filter you have. For a basic system, however, the general rule of thumb is to change your filter once a month.
Steps to Correctly Change Your Filters
Basic filters are generally inexpensive, and they are simple enough to change yourself without professional help.
1. Get the Correct Size
Before you can even begin the process of changing your filters, you need to know the correct size in order to buy a replacement. On most disposable filters, the length and width can be found on the cardboard frame that surrounds them. If the size is not listed, a measuring tape may be used to find the correct dimensions.
2. Clean the Metal Grill
After locating the ducts in your home and removing the old filters, cleaning the metal grill that covers the duct is the next step to ensure a fresh change of equipment. It is often that dust, dirt or debris may get caught along the grill and doesn’t get correctly filtered, so failing to clean it may take a toll on your brand new filters.
The grill is recommended to be wiped down with a microfiber towel to decrease the amount of moisture or dust that has accumulated.
3. Secure the New Filter
The final step is to insert the new air conditioning filter into the grill. Making sure it’s facing the right direction is important to ensure optimal air can properly flow. Most basic filters are labeled with an arrow on the surrounding cardboard section that points to the direction the filter should be facing upon insertion.
After closing the grill and securing the lock, you can check this easy chore off of your to-do list! (That is, of course, until next month).
For any air conditioning tune-up needs, including assistance with changing your filters, contact the team at Air Tech of Houston AC & Plumbing!
