Quick, what's the best way in which to keep your air conditioner working at peak performance and efficiency levels? That's right: routine air conditioning maintenance. We're going to assume that was your answer, because the fact that you are reading this blog means that you've undoubtedly heard us extol the virtues of regular maintenance previously. While annual maintenance is indeed important, there is one maintenance task that you can handle on your own and which cannot wait for yearly completion. That is changing the air filter in your AC.
Only with a fresh air filter in place will your air conditioner in New Britain, CT operate just the way it should. You deserve nothing less than the best that your air conditioner has to offer, and failing to change your air filter as needed -- typically every 1-3 months -- is a surefire way to ensure that you don't get it. Keep the following information in mind, and contact us if you have any questions about what air filters to use or how to get them in and out of your system.
Keep Bills Under Control
Did you know that a dirty air filter could potentially increase your electricity bill by 10-20%? That can really add up over the cost of the summer season, and makes it very clear that clean air filters are well worth the investment. These standard filters are quite cheap to begin with, and the energy savings that a clean filter allows for are considerable. The harder that your system has to work in order to force air through the air filter, the more energy it will consume. Why not make things easy for it? Changing your air filter as recommended/needed allows you to do just that.
Keep Your Air Quality High
The purpose of the filters that install right into your HVAC system is not really to improve the quality of the air throughout your house. These filters have a relatively low MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) and are really there to protect your HVAC equipment itself, not the air quality throughout your home. You can use designated, more efficient filters to help that cause. That being said, though, a dirty filter in your system can create so much airflow resistance that air will bypass it entirely, going through gaps between the filter and the frame. That allows pollutants to enter the system and drag down your indoor air quality.
Keep Your Home Comfortable
The fact of the matter is that an air conditioner with a very dirty air filter simply is not going to do the best job possible in terms of keeping your home comfortable during the hottest time of the year. A dirty filter can lead to overheating, which in turn leads to the potential for short cycling. That wastes energy and limits the efficacy of your AC. Ice can develop on the evaporator coil due to decreased airflow, and that only exacerbates matters further. Make the right choice for your comfort, and change your filter regularly.
Live more comfortably, choose Dynamic Mechanical.