Air Filters and How They Can Save You Money

Air Filters are something we have to remember to change and often forget. The consequences of forgetting can be disastrous because there is so much more that can go wrong with the system when filtration is compromised. 

A system without a filter, a poor filter or leaking ductwork between the filter and the system will cause the following: clogged drains, clogged evaporator coils, dirty blower wheels, dirt and grime inside the blower motor and poor indoor air quality. I’ll explain the effects of each.

Clogged drain: When dirt, hair, etc. gets past the filter, it is pushed into the evaporator coil which is wet during the humid summer. That wet coil then sends a good portion of that dirt to the condensate pan which guides the water and dirt down the drain line. This dirt then starts to build up in the line, eventually clogging it. The dirt that doesn’t clog the drain, gets sent through the air stream and starts clogging the evaporator coil.

Clogged evaporator coil: When the coil gets clogged it will freeze up due to air not being able to pass through. After the coil is frozen, you’ll have to turn the system off and wait for the ice to melt. After the ice has melted, it can then be cleaned. When your system is operating with a clogged coil it is no longer cooling or removing humidity but blowing the extra water into the air stream or filling up the secondary drain pan. Between the pan being overfilled and the drain on the verge of being clogged, if not already, the nightmare begins. 

Dirty Blower wheels: Blower wheels are designed to move air, and when dirt accumulates on the wheel fins, the blower wheel can no longer move the air that it was designed to move. This will eventually freeze the coil due to reduced airflow or kill the actual blower motor.

Indoor air quality: Not only will your comfort suffer from no cooling but there are other problems such as excessive dust, odors and if the problem goes on for too long; mold. 

A very good filter and sealing will help this tremendously. All of the above can be avoided by a routine maintenance and changing your filter every 2-3 months.

The 1 YEAR FILTER: Yes these will last up to a year but if you have a very busy home, then changing every 6 months is a good idea. If your home is clean then a year is no problem. We’ll check it every 6 months for you anyways.

The 4” media filters by Aprilaire are so good that they have a 10 year clean coil guarantee which also means your blower motor and wheel stays clean – keeping your system working at peak efficiency. The extra perk is a cleaner condensate line which is less likely to clog. Every repair discussed costs a lot of money, time and aggravation that can easily be avoided.

Installation: These must be installed professionally. Once installed the home owner can easily change the filter if accessible. If not, we can do it for you on your regular clean and check.

Give us a call, then we’ll come out at no charge and see what needs to be done to get you set up with superior filtration.