How to clean air conditioner filters and how often you should do this
Every year - and especially when the seasons change - many people resort to using air conditioners (AC) to cool or heat their homes. A fantastic invention - albeit quite energy-intensive - AC is capable of providing us with comfort.
However, like all household appliances, air conditioners require a certain amount of maintenance to extend their life and not becoming a health risk.
Risks you run into when you don't clean the AC filters
The part of the air conditioners that needs the most maintenance is the filter: this component is of vital importance for cleaning the processed air. In fact, a filter blocked by dust will not only impact the performance of the AC unit, but will affect the quality of the air we are going to breathe in... and these are just some of the problems that could arise.
• Allergies: most AC units take in the outside the air - which they then "convert" - and pump inside our homes. This could also include allergens such as pollen, for example, if the filters are not functioning properly.
• Fatigue: the accumulation of dust is the main cause of a "clogged" AC filter. And breathing in stale air full of dust could cause dizziness and more general tiredness and fatigue.
• Formation of mold: a blocked air filter can cause mold to grow on it. Breathing in the spores of this fungus is very unhealthy for humans... prolonged use of an unmaintained air conditioner spewing mold spores could cause infections to arise in your respiratory tract.
Given how important it is to clean the filters of AC units, let's see how to do it (and how often):
How to properly clean AC filters
First, we recommend that you read the instruction manual for your AC model: here, you will find all the details on where the filter is located and how to remove it. That said, here is some useful general advice for removing dirt from your AC units.
Once the cover of the air conditioner unit has been removed and the filter has been removed, you must carefully clean each part : you must be sure to free any blocked holes and to do this, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck away all the dust that has accumulated on the filter's grill.
Once most of the dirt has been removed, we recommend using a damp cloth - soaked in a detergent - to be rubbed delicately on the filter until any residual dust has been completely removed. So, how often should this cleaning procedure be performed?
Well, this will depend a lot on how much you use the AC and how often the rest of your home is cleaned and kept dust-free. Generally speaking, we would advise you clean the AC filters once a month and certainly, once every 3 months. The maintenance of the AC is very important: do not neglect it.
