AC PRO TIP: KEEP THAT FILTER CLEAN AND FRESH!
Living in California means you run your air conditioning system a lot. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone reading this post. What might come as a surprise, however, is our guess that many of you aren’t doing everything that you can to keep your air conditioning system working as well as possible. For a lot of homeowners, that simply means scheduling routine air conditioning maintenance with a member of our team.
But, in addition to that annual maintenance, you should also be changing your air filter regularly yourself. No, this isn’t something that we forget to do during routine maintenance. But annual maintenance happens just once a year, right? And that air filter in your AC will need to be changed anywhere from every 1–3 months. Starting to see the problem? If you’re wondering what’s the worst that can happen, well—failure to keep the filter fresh could lead to the need for AC repair in Riverside, CA.
THIS FILTER DOESN’T BOOST AIR QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE…
…nor is it meant to. Too many homeowners fail to understand that their filter is coming up short because they fail to understand how it is that these filters function. Yes, they filter the air that passes through them, but not for the purpose of cleaning up the air throughout your entire home. There are designated air filtration systems that do this, but these standard filters are really there to protect your system itself.
When pollutants make their way into your HVAC system, they can build up on sensitive components within that system. When that happens, the cooling process is really disrupted by those pollutants. They can encase the evaporator coil, for instance, making it tough to remove heat from the air in the house. That puts a lot of strain on the HVAC system. And that is precisely what this type of filter helps you to avoid.
BUT WHAT ABOUT A FILTER THAT’S JUST TOO DIRTY?
A filter that is “just” too dirty is a major problem, that’s what! If your air filter is too dirty, then it is going to restrict airflow. That means that the system is going to work harder than it should have to in order to force cooled air throughout your home. And that means that it is going to use more energy in doing so, resulting in higher cooling costs.
Worse yet, that system is not going to function as optimally as it otherwise would. This means that you’re going to pay more money for a lesser cooling performance. That’s a pretty lousy deal if you ask us. You simply deserve better.
And yes, failure to change the filter in your system can definitely lead to repair needs. It can cause the system to overheat. It can also cause the condensation on the evaporator coil to freeze up on it. When that happens, the ice further insulates the coil, which was struggling already due to reduced airflow. That makes it even harder for the system to do its job, which can lead to short cycling, and ultimately to the need for repairs.
Schedule your AC services with Total Comfort, Inc.