How to Choose the Right Air Conditioner Filter
The air filter in an air conditioning system keeps the cooling
coils and air inside the room clean and free from all
pollutants, pet dander, ozone emissions and airborne particles.
There are many different kinds of air filters available today,
such as HEPA, standard, pleated, electrostatic and electronic
filters. Of these, standard, pleated and electrostatic filters
are the most common types of filters that are used in air
conditioners. Generally these filters are located in walls,
ceilings, furnaces, or in the air conditioner itself.
Standard Air Filters, having the capacity of removing 10 percent
of the airborne pollutants, are made of spun fiberglass with
cardboard frames. They should be changed once a month.
Pleated Air Filters catch around 35% to 40% of the particles in
the air. Owing to their greater surface area with filter
material folded back and forth like a paper fan, manufacturers
claim that they can last from two to four months. The cost of
these filters ranges from $5 to $20 which is slightly more than
that of standard filters.
Electrostatic filters use filter media, which use an electric
charge to attract the dirt particles in the air. These filters
may have electric charge built-in, or else the air moving
through the layers of the system creates electric charge. They
may cost from around $20 to over $100 each. These filters only
need to be changed once a year.
Sometimes people with allergies may consider the usage of an
electronic air cleaner in the air conditioner, which works on
the same principle as that of electrostatic filter. However, it
is far more effective than electrostatic filter and does not
hinder the flow of air inside the air conditioning system.
Whatever type of air conditioner filter you use, it is advisable
to check the cleanliness of the coils of the filter by a
contractor at least once in a month.
Perhaps the most important measure that will ensure the
efficiency of an air conditioner is frequent replace of its
filters. One should change the air conditioner's filter
regularly, as clogged, dirty filters block normal air flow and
reduce the system's efficiency significantly by impairing the
coils' heat-absorbing capacity.