Changing your filter regularly keeps your system clean and helps you get the most out of your air conditioning system. It is the single most important thing you can do as a homeowner to maintain your air conditioner, but is often over-looked or forgotten.
Sometimes we forget to change our filter for a few months or don’t have the proper size. Below is a picture of what can happen when a filter goes unchanged for a long time. This was discovered by one of our technicians performing a precision tune up (maintenance check) for a new customer.
The filter for this system was left unchanged for well over a year. At some point, the suction power of the air handler sucked the clogged filter into the return, allowing air and dirt to flow around it. The result was a thick layer of hair and dirt, completely blocking the evaporator coil.
This customer lucked out in a way that very few do. The large volume of hair created a mat that could be peeled off without removing the coil. Most of the time, the refrigerant would have to be recovered, the coil cut out of the air handler, cleaned, reinstalled, the system evacuated, and recharged with refrigerant.
When the job was done the hair and dirt removed from the coil was approximately the size of a grapefruit. Needless to say, this made a huge difference in this system’s performance. If it’s time to change your filter, call the professional Orlando, FL air conditioning technicians at Downtown Air and Heat to set up an appointment.
