New homeowners are often surprised when we tell them that their central air conditioner requires regular maintenance. ‘What do you mean?’ they say in honest puzzlement. ‘I thought I only needed to call a service guy if it stopped working properly.’
Well, yes. That’s the point, actually. You can let it go until it stops working properly and then call the service guy— or you can perform regular maintenance like changing the filters and save yourself a lot of money over the long term.
And really, it’s not rocket science. If you’ve never changed your air conditioner filters, watch the technician while he or she does it. After one demo, you’ll be able to do it yourself and save the money you would have spent on a service call.
But what kind of filter? If you check online, you’ll see a bewildering array of choices: Electrostatic filters, electronic, hypoallergenic, fibreglas, aluminimum mesh, polyester, HEPA, UV, pleated . . . . You could ask your service guy; he probably has an opinion on the topic. (Just make sure he’s not moonlighting as a filter salesman.)
If you are an eager-beaver home improvement guy like our friend Bill, you’ll buy a washable electrostatic filter. (You can even have them custom-made for your air conditioner.)
Keep in mind that the filter is designed to protect your AC system’s evaporator coil— not your lungs— from dust and pollutants. High-efficiency filters that are too efficient may slow airflow and impede the operation, thereby raising your energy bills and causing damage to your AC unit. A dirty filter has the same effect.
Wash or replace the filter every month during the cooling season, especially if the unit is being used constantly, if you have furry pets or if you live in a dusty neighborhood.
Changing the filter is the most important thing you can do to guard your AC investment, equivalent to changing the oil in your car. You can get away with not changing the motor oil or filters, but you’ll be shortening the life of your system and increasing your operating cost.
For more from Energy- dot- gov on the subject, see here: http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/articles/maintaining-your-air-conditioner.