Dirty filters can cause costly repairs
The hot weather is quickly approaching and there are things to consider about getting your air conditioner system to work more efficiently. With hot weather comes the concern about getting our a/c units or evaporated coolers serviced to make sure that they are ready for when the temperatures reach 100+ degrees. Please also remember your filters, when you have a clean filter it will allow air flow to move through your system to work more efficiently.
The filters in our central air conditioning unit are an imperative part of having the unit work efficiently. Without the proper filter it enables the dust, dirt, hair, and many other small particles to become lodged in the evaporative coil. When this happens, it restricts the flow of air to the coil decreasing the efficiency of the unit resulting in the compressor having to work harder.
In today’s market there are many different kinds of filters to choose from. The filters are rated through a system called a MERV rating and range from 1 to 16. At the lower end of the efficiency spectrum a fiberglass panel filter may achieve a MERV rating of a 4 or 5; where in a hospital the filters used achieve a MERV rating of 13 to 14. One caution when using a higher MERV rating filter is the problems with greater airflow resistance or some call it static pressure. As the filter efficiency increases so does the static pressure which forces the system fan moter to work harder as it pushes the air through the filter resulting in a increased energy consumption.
