Keep Your A/C System Running at Peak Efficiency

There are a lot of things to love about summer in the Delmarva area, from days at the beach, to back yard cookouts, to being able to escape the heat in your air-conditioned home!

Make sure you can keep enjoying that indoor relaxation by taking good care of your home’s air conditioner. On top of scheduling an annual A/C tune-up, one of the best ways you can keep your A/C system running smoothly is by changing the filter regularly.

Dirty Filters Lead to Problems

A dirty filter can create all sorts of havoc in your home’s air conditioning system, some of which can lead to costly repairs. What exactly, you might ask? Here are some examples:

Low airflow: A dirty filter blocks air from freely flowing through it, which means air won’t circulate as well through the A/C system and into your home. It leads to inadequate or uneven cooling, increasing your energy costs as you try to compensate.

Short-cycling: Through the day, your home A/C system cycles on and off to keep your home consistently cool. A dirty filter can make that cycling on and off happen more often, which uses more energy.

Increased wear on A/C systems: When your air conditioner filter is dirty, dirty air is flowing into the A/C system. That leads to dust and dirt settling on internal components of the system, which can lead to expensive repairs and a shorter overall lifespan for your A/C system.

Buildup of allergens: A dirty filter can cause allergens to be released into your home, creating health problems such as allergy flare-ups and asthma attacks. Worse, it can lead to dangerous mold inside your ducts.

How often do you change your A/C filter?

It depends on your home, how many people live there, and how many pets you have.

• Vacation home: every 6 to 12 months
• You live alone in a smaller home and have no pets: every 6 months
• Average-sized suburban home with no pets: 60 to 90 days
• Average-sized suburban home with one dog or cat: 45 to 60 days
• Average-sized suburban home where someone has allergies, and/or with more than one pet: 20 to 45 days

How to change your home A/C filter

Changing your home air conditioner’s filter may be one of the easiest DIY projects you could ever do. No, seriously! Here are some tips.

• Make sure to get the right-sized filter. Most A/C system filters have the size printed on them, so check there first. If you can’t find it, check your owner’s manual. You can also measure the length, width and depth of the filter.
• Turn off your air conditioning system for your safety and to prevent dirt from getting sucked into the system while the filter is being replaced.
• When putting in the new filter, make sure the arrows printed on it are pointing in the correct direction to ensure proper airflow.

Need help with your home A/C system maintenance? Call the pros at Poore’s. Contact us today to learn more, or to schedule a service visit from our team of residential cooling experts within our Delaware HVAC service area.