Maintaining Your AC Filter

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As homeowners and sometimes even renters we know that AC filters should be changed once per month. (Or at least I hope we know!) What we might not know is how to choose the right AC filter for ourselves and our home, how to figure out if it is a good quality filter, and what other options we have out there instead of changing one every month. So with no further ado, lets delve into the world of air filters. An AC filters purpose is to filter the air that is being pulled into the system, to block the dust and particles from getting into and clogging up the system. The AC filter also keeps these particles from getting into your air flow so that you are not breathing them in on a regular basis. Therefore with this job the type of air filter and changing schedule should be directly related to how your home runs. With 92% of dust being dead skin and pet dander it is a general rule that the more people and pets you have in and out of your home the more often you should change your filter. A home with just two people and no pets may be able to go two moths before replacing where a family of four and two dogs will need to replace more often. It is key to the health and efficiency of your AC Unit to change these filters, the dirtier the filter the more restricted air flow and therefore your AC Unit has to work harder. A great statistic to keep in mind, 1/20 of an inch of dust on your AC coils will reduce the efficiency by 40%. So case in point, make sure you are changing your filters often. How do you know if the filter you have is a good one? A simple home test can be performed to let you know the quality of your filter. Place it over your sink, sprinkle some salt on it and shake it back and forth, if the salt falls through the filter and into the sink then that filter is no good. If salt grains, that you can see and feel, can get through the filter then it obviously is not doing its job with the dust and dirt. There are a lot of great filters out there that you can use in place of the traditional paper filters found at most grocery and big box stores. If you are a smoker, and smoke in your home, a great option to look into is an Electrostatic Filter, these filters generate an electric charge that almost instantly removes the smoke from the air before entering the unit. They are also washable, be sure though that you wash them correctly and in the indicated time frame or they will not work the way there were intended. It is also recommended to use an antibacterial spray on washable filters along with rinsing them out more that once in the opposite direction of the usual air flow. Another type of filter out there is one that you order directly from the manufacturer. It is 5" thick, fits snugly and is sealed to your AC Unit and lasts from 1-2 years. Some consider this the best type of filter. For more information visit www.andcooling.com or call 941-234-4050