Air filter cleaning for your home air conditioner

How often is it part of your regular air con maintenance checklist?

Have you tried to replace an air con filter, or have you already mastered the procedure? Why do filters play such an important role in indoor air quality management? Find the answers to all of your questions in this week’s blog.

Sneezing, coughing or wheezing much lately? The cold winter months may bring viruses or other harmful allergens into your home, which keeps you feeling lousy day in, day out. That’s why the first step in treating the problem is identifying what exactly causes indoor air pollution at home.

Afterwards, reducing allergens may be as easy as one, two three. Take a deep breath and start cleaning!

What are air con air filters, and why are they so important?

Generally speaking, an air filter is a main part of your air conditioner. Technically they work by removing solid particles such as dust, pollen, mould and bacteria from the air with the help of fibrous or porous materials. The device can also remove odours and gaseous pollutants like VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) and ozone.

In this way filters offer you a helping hand to keep a good indoor air quality, playing an important role in many areas, from domestic, commercial, medical and even industrial environments.

How often should you replace your air filters?

No matter how much time you spend at home, as an air conditioner owner you should maintain your air filters to ensure you’re breathing healthy air whenever you have a day off or friends coming over. Cleaning and changing them on a regular basis bring you numerous benefits, such as:

  • Lower energy bills
  • Higher efficiency
  • Better air quality

Ideally, you should clean your air filters every month in the peak air con seasons of summer and winter, because of their intense usage. While it may sound too much, the result is way more rewarding than you think. For the rest of the year, though, cleaning them at the beginning of each season can be sufficient.

How can you clean or change your air con air filters?

Since it’s likely you will be running your reverse cycle air conditioner to heat your home this winter, the last thing you want is your air con blowing out poorly filtered air and circulating it throughout your home. In general, filters are fairly cheap to buy and they add value to your indoor air quality. In the end, you will see how a simple filter change can solve so many itchy eye discomforts or other allergy symptoms.

But can you do this yourself or should you schedule a professional maintenance instead? The answer is: both are ok. By following these few steps, you will make sure your air filters run at peak performance at all times:

  • First, locate the filter in your air con unit. In case of a ducted system, the filter sits behind the return air grille in the ceiling, which is usually located in a hallway. If you own a split system, you have to lift the front cover and remove the filter in order to clean it.
  • Next, hold it under a tap and wash it thoroughly.
  • After a good “shower”, leave your filter in the shade to dry completely before you put it back in its original place.
  • Finally, don’t turn your air con unit on until you make sure the filter is safely and correctly reinstalled.
  • For optimal results, we suggest repeating this routine on a monthly basis during the air con “high seasons”.

When should you schedule professional air con maintenance?

Since filters are one of the hardest working components of your air conditioner unit, they also have a significant impact over your energy use. That’s why cleaning and replacing air filters should be an integral part of your air con maintenance routine.  But we understand that sometimes you may be very busy with other tasks or simply you don’t feel like doing it! This is when calling your local, qualified technician can be both a lifesaver, as well as an energy saver.

At Jaric Air Conditioning, we perform a complete cleaning procedure of the filters, then recommend the necessary replacements, if needed.

Remember that simple changes make a big difference when it comes to keeping your home clean and your family healthy. So take a little time and make sure that you and your family breathe clean air. If you need help with your air filters maintenance, call Jaric Air Conditioning at 1300 452 742 for 100% customer satisfaction and worry-free air con services.

 

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