An air conditioner is a useful and for most necessary piece of equipment to have in your office or home. As well as hindering the energy efficiency of the unit, filters that are not well maintained can also affect of your air quality. While you may think the severity of this is overstated, you need to consider how an air conditioner filter functions. Filters are there to make sure the various components of your air conditioner are kept clean and over the course of time and heavy use, allergens, pathogens and dirt can build up.
Therefore it is recommended by companies like Adk.co.uk, who serve greater London and the South East, that you ensure your air conditioning filters are cleaned around twice a month and should be more than just using running water. Below we have put together for you a simple guide to cleaning your filters.
Open Your Air Conditioner
Before you do anything else, ensure that your air conditioner is turned off completely. Then remove the air conditioning components, using a screwdriver to take out any secured screws.
Remove The Filters
Now you can remove the filters. When you do this, check them over for any signs of wear and tear. Even if you spot any little things like tiny snags and rips it is best to leave cleaning it and just replacing the filter with a new one. If you continue to use a damaged, but clean filter, it will ruin the efficiency of the whole system.
Vacuum The Filters
If you are sure you don’t need to replace your filters, you now need to use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the grime and dirt that has built up inside it. Do as thorough a clean as you can, being careful though to not tear or puncture the filter because it will make it inefficient and you will need to replace it.
Sanitize Your Filters
Take a basin and fill it with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Ensure the basin or vessel you use for this is big enough that the filters can be completely submerged in water. The vinegar in the solution will kill off all the harmful allergens and bacteria that have built up on the filters but have not been removed by the vacuum.
Soak Your Filters
You need to give the filters enough time to soak thoroughly in the cleaning solution. If you have not cleaned them for some time, you need to leave them for at least 4 hours in order to ensure they are sanitized effectively. However, if the filters have been cleaned very recently or have only been used moderately, you should only need to soak them for just an hour.
Drain Off The Filters
Once the filters have soaked enough, remove them from the solution and all the mixture to drain off. You must not rinse the filters, as doing this will undo the sanitising process. Then place them onto a clean, old towel to allow any excess solution to be caught and absorbed by it.
Dry Your Filters
Let the filters dry naturally on the towel. It is best to place them outside in the sunshine to dry them effectively.
Fit Your Filters Back In Place
Once the filters have dried fully, fit them back into the air conditioner correctly and then replace the rest of the appropriate components.
You will now benefit from more breathable, cleaner air using your air conditioner.
If you are unsure about taking on the responsibility of dismantling and cleaning your air conditioner filters, Adk.co.uk are happy to hear from you and give you all the help and support you need to ensure your air conditioner is clean and working at fullest efficiency.