Annual professional maintenance for your air conditioning system is vital for its long-term performance and short-term energy savings. But there is an important maintenance step you must take on your own during the summer, or as long as your AC needs to run on a regular basis: cleaning out the air filter once a month. (In the case of an AC that uses permanent filters, the filter will need to be replaced.)
What’s that? You don’t know how to clean the air filter—or where the air filter even is? No problem! We will walk you through the steps for a clean air filter every month:
- Finding the air filter is actually the toughest step, since there is no universal location for it. The first place to check is on the indoor air conditioning cabinet. Find where the return air duct connects to the AC (it could be on the top, bottom, or side of the cabinet), which is usually near the air handler. On the intake side of the air handler should be a slot where you will find the filter. If you can’t find the filter here, look in your home for the return air vent. The filter is probably behind the grill.
- Remove the filter and then use the hose attachment of a vacuum to suction up the large clots of lint and dust.
- Take the filter outside and use a garden hose (on low pressure) to clean out the rest of the debris. Be careful that you spray the water from the backside of the filter—the natural direction that air moves—so as not to damage it.
- Lay the wet filter across a towel outdoor. Leave it to dry for a few hours before placing it back in the air conditioner. Never put a damp filter in your AC!
If you have any trouble with your air filter, contact HVAC technicians. They will be glad to assist you. Remember to ask for help during the regular maintenance session so you will know what to do in the future.
Call on Red Rock Mechanical in Burlington, VT today. We offer excellent air conditioning services, whether you need maintenance, repairs, or new system installation.
