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Choosing Between Air Conditioning Filters
Air conditioning filters are an important part of your air conditioner. They keep the coils and the air that enters your room free from dust, pollutants, and other particles that could reduce efficiency and make breathing unpleasant. However, there's not just one air conditioning filter on the market. Many different kinds are available, from standard and pleated filters to electrostatic, electronic, and HEPA filters. Deciding which is right for your air conditioner can be tricky. Here's a quick guide to help.
Standard filters, the most common type, take around ten percent of the pollutants out of the air. They're made of spun fiberglass, and come in a cardboard frame. These must be changed once a month. If you're not sure that these will do the job, or want to remove more pollutants, you can choose to use a pleated air conditioning filter instead. They take thirty-five to forty percent of airborne particles out of circulation. That's because they have a larger surface area than standard filters. Pleated filters look a bit like a paper fan in a frame, and can last between two and four months. They do cost a little but more than a standard filter, however – between five and twenty dollars.
There are also more advanced air conditioning filters available. Electrostatic filters, for instance, use filter media that operates by using an electric charge to pull dirt particles towards the filter. There are a few different ways to produce the static electricity for this type of air conditioning filter. For instance, some use the motion of air through the filter to create it, while others pull a small amount of power. There can cost twenty to a hundred dollars, and may need to be changed once a year. However, there are also some electrostatic filters that never need changed, and must only be cleaned monthly.
People who have allergies or dust sensitivities may decide to use electronic air cleaners in addition to a regular air conditioning filter. This works on the same basic principle as the above electrostatic filer, but its more effective, and doesn't slow down air flow inside the air conditioner. HEPA filters, another option, are high efficiency air conditioning filters that remove almost all airborne particles. They're made up of a mat of fibers that have been randomly arranged, and have been around since the 1940s.
No matter what kind of filter you use, you'll still want to regularly check to make sure that it's doing its job. A quick look at your air conditioner's coils will tell you. If they're dusty, you need a new filter solution. Remember that replacing or cleaning your filter, as appropriate for the kind of air conditioning filter you're using, is important to make sure that your air conditioner is operating efficiently. Clogged filters block air flow, and force the air conditioner to work harder to push air through, as well as dropping the system's ability to absorb heat. That means that dirty air conditioners use more power, but cool less. The easy solution? Get a new filter.
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