Last week we wrote about three helpful tips for saving money on air conditioning, which is a year-round concern in a place that can stay as warm as Florida. We would like to add an important tip to the others: Clean the air filter once a month while the air conditioner runs on a regular basis.
The air filter is an important component that protects the innards of the air conditioner’s cabinet from dust and debris that might enter it through the return air vent. It only takes a month of steady work from the AC for the filter to become clogged with enough dust and carpet line for it to start to choke off airflow. This will make the air conditioner more expensive to run. Take out the filter each month and clean it to prevent this from happening.
We’ll run you through the steps:
- First, locate the filter. It is often in different places on the air conditioner. Trace where the return air duct connects to the cabinet, and usually the air filter will be in a slot on the return side. You can slide it out from the slot. If the filter isn’t there, check behind the register in the return vent inside the house; sometimes the filter is housed there.
- Next, take the filter outside and use a regular garden hose to wash it off. Keep the hose on low pressure and run the water from the backside of the filter—the same direction that air flows through it—to avoid stretching or bending the fibers.
- Lay the filter on a towel outside to dry. Let it dry thoroughly before replacing it.
- Slide the filter back into place.
If you have any questions about this process, you can always call on HVAC professionals. Changing the air filter for an AC is part of any regular maintenance visit, and technicians will be glad to show you where the filter is located and how best to clean it.
Southeast Air & Heat offers air conditioning services in Lake Nona, FL. We have emergency service available.
