You know as far as subjects go, it doesn’t get much more exciting than filters for an AC guy. Maybe that is a little far fetched. How about, there is not much that gets an AC man HOTer than talking about filters. Maybe not HOT like you would think, but upset! Filters keep your system clean and help clean your air. This is the source of many breakdowns and higher power bills.

What can happen to your system, if you don’t take care to make sure is has proper filtration, can be very scary. Not only will it get extremely dirty, becoming a breading ground for mold, amongst other things. It also causes slower air movement which will cause higher power bills. Which is scarier, high power bills or mold in your air?

The key here is to make sure your system is pulling all of its air through a filter (this is my job). The second part of that is to make sure you are using the correct filter and that you are changing it frequent enough. My suggestion is to use the cheapest pleated filter you can find. This will allow enough air to flow through the system and still catch the particles that would otherwise take up residency in your AC system.

I used to tell people to change their filter once a month (this is a good rule of thumb) however all systems are a little different. Some filters are very small due to construction constraints and need to be changed more often. Others are sized correctly and can be changed less frequently. Some homes are extremely clean and the filters don’t get dirty even after 6 months. I recommend checking them once a month.

So if you want to have low power bills and equipment that is clean and will run reliably, make sure to change your filters regularly.