A disposable air filter is found inside a frame which is made of a fiber mesh. Determining how often an air conditioning filter should be cleaned or replaced depends on your environment. Check to see if the dirt and dust in your area is too much because it can affect your air vents and the entire house. Normally, you should clean or change your air conditioning air filter at least two times a year or more frequent than that depending on circumstances.

Why you should maintain the AC air filter

• It’s essential to maintain air filters because they serve as first line of defense in your cooling system against destructive particles in the air. When air is coming inside the home, it passes through the air conditioning filter. It is specifically designed to trap any dust and debris coming in, and help in filtering the air with dust before it goes inside the home again.
• When your air filter becomes dirty or clogged, you cannot expect maximum efficiency from your cooling system. In fact, a dirty filter can cause some parts of your unit to wear out faster.
• Your air conditioning filter has a dual-purpose. It keeps the air in the unit and its component parts clean. A filter that is not cleaned or changed regularly can affect the effectiveness of the air conditioning, and its cooling effect can be reduced significantly.
• Poorly maintained air filters reduce the lifespan of your unit. If you spend some time to check your filter every month or so and either clean it or replace it, then, your unit can go a long way, and you can save something for your wallet.
• When your air filter is dirty, it can cause allergy and other diseases. Breathing with these particles can cause irritation of your eyes and respiratory diseases, decrease in lung functioning, and can even cause cancer.

Cost of an air filter

Regular replacement is highly recommended because of its cheap price, and savings from utility bills. Clean your filter regularly so that its efficiency will not be reduced.

Installing your air filter

If you’re planning to replace your air filter, check your manual first for the recommended type. You’ll find its size written at the edge of the filter frame. Several types of air filters are available in the market, but it’s better to choose pleated panel filters because they can remove dust particles more efficiently with wider surface area to filter them.