As air conditioners work to blow cool air into your home and keep you comfortable throughout the summer, they pick up plenty of dust and debris. It is the filter’s job to pick up that dust and keep it out of the air that you breathe. As long as they are properly sized and maintain, filters not only improve indoor air quality but also help your air conditioner run as efficiently as possible. To make the most of your air conditioning system, learn about the four most common types of air conditioning filters.
Standard Filters
Ordinary air conditioning filters are made from spun fiberglass and usually have cardboard frames. These filters are the least expensive ones available, but they only remove the largest dust and dirt particles from the air. Still, standard filters clean out enough particles to be acceptable choices for people without allergies or respiratory illnesses. They need to be cleaned or replaced every month, depending on the model.
Pleated Filters
A step up from the standard filter, a pleated air conditioning filter is made from folded fiber material to increase its surface area. The larger filtration surface allows these filters to remove up to 40 percent of harmful particles from the air, making them good choices for people with mild allergies or other minor respiratory issues. Pleated filters cost somewhat more than standard filters, but they also last longer. They should be changed every three months.
Electrostatic Filters
These advanced filters use electrically charged filter media to magnetically pull contaminants right out of the air. Electrostatic filters are much more efficient than standard and pleated filters, as they can remove up to 90 percent of particles from the air. They are also relatively expensive, but the cost is well worth it for people who suffer from allergies or otherwise want to improve indoor air quality. Like pleated filters, electrostatic filters should be changed every three months.
HEPA filters
High energy particle arresting filters are the pinnacle of modern filtration technology. They use filtration media fine enough to trap particles that are as small as 1/300 the width of a human hair. HEPA filters are quite expensive, but they can remove up to 99.7 percent of contaminants from the air that passes through. For people who have severe allergies or want the best in indoor air quality, these filters are often preferred.
Making the Most of Air Conditioning Filters
Keeping your air conditioners running effectively makes a huge difference in the hot summers of the West Point GA area, and keeping your filters clean is an essential part of maintaining high efficiency. Always change your filters on time, and go to an authorized dealer to make sure the filters you buy fit your air conditioner.
At Indoor Solutions, we pride ourselves on helping our customers stay cool throughout the summer. If you have questions about your air conditioning filter options, give us a call today.
