Home Maintenance and Servicing Change Your AC Filter: The Basics

Change Your AC Filter: The Basics

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emergency ac service

Have you ever thought that as you ignore dust bunnies, your AC filter is aging? Let’s dive right into it: we all hate having to deal with emergency ac service. It is just one of the great annoyances in life. How often should you change that overlooked rectangular hero in your vents?.

The general rule of thumb for most homes is every 90 days. You can adjust as necessary for pets, more often; city, every two months; allergies, every month.

Central air systems that are considered the stalwart of HVAC systems have always utilized filters. The filters catch dust and hair and help to keep them out. If you never clean your air ventilator, you can be certain that you will be having to pay higher energy bills. Don’t run with ankle weights and expect a personal best.

You may think, “The filter looks fine!” Look closer. The outside may look okay, but that does not mean the filter serves well. Filters can be as misleading as a neighbor who informs you his dog does not bite and yet forgets to tell you that it slobbers profusely.

These particle-catching filters are either made of woven fibers or paper and may be rated as MERV-Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher the MERV, the greater the performance. Places with only a single occupant and no pets can serve well with a low MERV, while places where there are families with children require a little stronger filters.

I remember, I was skeptical. It was a very hot summer, and my AC and I didn’t want any guests. By this time, the penny had dropped-it clicked in my head that some noises were not due to its age but due to a clogged-up filter. Replacing it did help a lot.

Pets are our furry friends, bringing love and allergens. They require extra care. The more hair in the air-the more work for filters-means checking them monthly is in order. A huge ball of cat hair challenging your vacuum’s power must have been a sad sight; let’s not go there.

Now, walk down to seasons, for they too have a say. Every season stamps your filter with its own character: spring with its parade of pollen, summer with its dust storms, or mildew-loving autumn. Sometimes it is the added effort-such as the seasonal bout of buying clothes on clearance-that saves so many headaches if one were to change filters with the start of each new chapter in the calendar.

People with health issues or allergic reactions should show care. Symptoms are aggravated by pollen, dust and other particles; hence, filters are useful. They sift the irritants so that sneezing will not be experienced. Filters must be serviced instead of breaking when unwanted particles are encountered.

Now, imagine failures during summer. Well, those emergency calls do not just dent the wallet; they change one’s schedule. Be one step ahead, and do not let the drama unfold. Unglamorous and unkempt, perhaps, against the wine clubs, but then again, nothing beats that feeling of cool, fresh air.

Instead, let these changes form a part of the wellness story of your house. Changing the filter will ward off material and financial troubles in the future; it’s an act so simple, yet so strategic. It is basically as much in the way of care as changing an AC filter can get. Attention to such subtleties makes a house a warm and functional haven that immediately notices when changes might be in order.

AC Filters: Unsung Heroes

Ah, summer: the time of lemonade, barbecues, and one extremely important air conditioner. There’s little to nothing quite as great as walking into a cool room after being outside on a hot day.

Neglect making them work right, and your AC becomes a ticking time bomb of emergency AC service-something nobody really wants. The unsung heroes to prevent all that are air filters.

Small in nature, air filters stand silent guards over your house to avoid the collection of dirt, hair, and other materials, which may damage the AC unit.

There lies quite a huge difference between an operational AC and a noisy one. Next are some of the best air filters which will elongate the life of operation of your AC.

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, and they are the doormen who would not allow anything but clean air into the club.

The HEPA filter is able to catch 99.97% of the particles as small as 0.3 microns, so therefore would be helpful for people who suffer from allergies. The only drawback to using them is that they slightly reduce the airflow, but the benefit far outweighs this one little flaw. They are like bodyguards for your HVAC, keeping harmful particles at bay.

These filters serve well but are pretty inconspicuous. The pleats in these filters serve to increase the dirt they can collect while simultaneously allowing more air to pass through. They’re fairly reliable and should keep your AC up and running in comfort with no fuss.

Imagine a filter that self-charges in order to catch particles. Does that sound like the stuff of science fiction? Amazingly, that is just about electrostatic filters-actual stuff. The reusable ones use static electricity in order to attract dust and allergens. You clean, dry, and then use them again. Like a boomerang, they come back ready. Protection for your air conditioner comes from them, and in that manner, their life is extended. If you’re concerned with germs, install a UV light filter.

Fiberglass filters are like fast food-easy, cheap, and effective. Lousy for tiny particles, they offer fair protection for ordinary HVAC systems. They work for those people who change filters about as regularly as they water the plants. Best for those with the least of needs and do not wish to invest much. While purchasing air filters, size is the imperative factor. If it does not fit, then it won’t work.

Please check your current filter size or refer to your manual for the measurements. It is not wise to be walking in shoes two sizes larger than your size, neither would that be great for your AC. Just like great shoes, a great filter is everything, but maintenance keeps away breakdown. Imagine receiving a new car and never changing the oil-you’d find yourself stranded after a while. Change them every three months, or sooner if you have pets or allergies, and your AC will be a much happier place.

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