Nowadays, air conditioners are a part of many homes. In Australia, air conditioning systems are particularly important due to the sweltering summers.
However, it’s important to remember that, like with many other devices, maintenance is key. When it comes to your air conditioner, it’s important to know when your filters need changing. For some, this may be a confusing undertaking. Sometimes, it’s not clear when you need to take action.
Luckily, with just a little bit of reading, you should be able to recognize when your air con filters need replacing.
Why is it important to check, clean, or change your aircon filter?
It’s important to be aware of the condition your A/C system is in. In the case of air conditioners, the aircon filter is the main part to check. The filter is essential to maintaining the A/C system’s efficiency and performance level. Also, as its name suggests, it will filter the contaminants in the air, such as pollen, dust and pet hair.
Signs you need to change or replace your air filter:
- Poor air quality
How can you tell if the air quality is bad? There are some red flags that you should look out for. If you notice a lot of dust gathering on the furniture, then it might be due to a dirty air filter that is re-circulating all the dust through your home.
If you are a person with allergies, then it will be easier to notice. Allergic reactions will intensify whenever you’re home. Keep in mind that the filter also catches your pets' hair, pollen and other contaminants. Without properly working filters, all of this will be re-circulating throughout your home. - Visibly dirty filter
This is something that occurs when you haven’t replaced your filter in a long time. You will be able to see an excessive amount of dirt accumulating on the back of your air conditioner. This is a clear signal that it needs to be cleaned or in some cases replaced.
If you open your unit and you see that the filter is grey coloured, then it's time to change it. As a general rule, air filters need to be replaced every three months. But if you’re living in a very dusty environment, it will have to be changed more often. - AC unit running hot
Another way to check the condition of your filters is to place our hand on the unit. If it feels unusually hot, then it's likely that you need to change the filter. Overheating usually occurs due to clogged filters not letting the air through the system properly. As a result, your unit will have to work harder to expel cool air, resulting in overheating. It’s important to remember that this will also affect the lifetime of the air conditioner. - Increase in power bills
If your aircon filters are clogged, your unit will have to use more energy to work. The consequences of this are higher power bills. So, if you’re not sure why your power bill increased this month, then perhaps it's time to pay attention to your air conditioner. - Air isn’t cold enough
When you first purchase your air conditioner, it's going to cool your home in no time. Overtime, however, it might start taking a longer time to go through cooling cycles. If this is the case, it is likely due to dirty air filters.
If your air conditioner is no longer working as it used should be, it's a sign that something might be amiss. You may need more than a filter change to get it working properly again. If you want to avoid a summer without an air conditioner, then it’s best to check your filters as often as possible.
Take notice of these points for other appliances:
Remember that other appliances also work with filters or have ventilation systems. If you don’t maintain the vents or filters the appliance’s efficiency will be compromised.Appliances such as washing machines, commercial range hoods and fridges have such ventilation systems. Make sure to also check if they're working properly.
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