Selecting the Best Air Conditioning Filters for Your System

There are various types of air conditioning filters to choose from and every A/C system needs a filter of some type unless it is a ductless system. In order to keep you’re A/C system functioning most efficiently, it is crucial to buy a good air filter.

But with all the available choices, which ones are good and which ones are not highly recommended?

Air filters types range from fiberglass to pleated to washables to electronic filters. It truly depends on the consumer’s budget and how important clean air is to them.

Electronic air filters are by far the most reliable and effective filter to use on your A/C system. They are also the most expensive filter on the market. However, you will never have to buy another filter again because they can be rinsed with water or vacuum cleaner.

Washable air filters are everywhere and most people think they are great because they will never have to buy another filter for their air conditioner. Unfortunately, when consumers try to rinse the dust off they usually are not able to clean it all out of the filter.

Fiberglass filters are the cheapest and usually don’t keep much dust out of your A/C system. For instance, if you were to take salt and pour it on the filter, 90% of the salt would fall through. This is exactly what would happen when dust gets sucked into your air conditioner.

The most common filter to buy are the pleated air filters. These are in the middle price range and tend to do an excellent job on trapping the dust in the filter. Many air conditioning specialists will recommend their customers use the pleat filters over the fiberglass and washables.

The most important thing about your air filter is to be sure to change it when it gets dirty. A dirty air filter is not doing the A/C system any good because the air conditioner has to work harder to cool. Many air filters recommend changing them out once a month, but this can vary on the usage of your air conditioner and the type of filter. Some filters can last up to six months before needing to be changed.

Remember, if you keep your A/C unit properly maintained annually and keep your filters nice and clean, you can expect a long life of cooling from your Air Conditioning unit.