Air Conditioning Filters Basics

Air Conditioning Filters Basics
By Dave Thinel

Many of us fail to consider the dangers of indoor air pollution or think that it is not an issue in their own homes. This thinking could very definitely be hazardous to your and your family's health.

The reality is that for many people the air indoors is more polluted than outdoors and some times worse than the air in major cities. When that is the case and we spend long hours breathing that dirty air it is not surprising that health issues may arise. Medical experts confirm that many respiratory diseases are on the rise, could the indoor air be the culprit?

That is the bad news, the good news is the problem is neither too difficult nor expensive to solve. Air conditioning filters have been greatly improved and now offer excellent performance at a reasonable cost. We refer to air conditioning filters but the term furnace filters could be used interchangeably.

Indoor air pollution is usually invisible yet it consists primarily of three ingredients; soot, smoke and fumes. Many contaminates will settle from the air to surfaces with in our homes. This would seem to be a good thing until you realize that daily activities will cause some of them to become air born, again and again.

There are many manufacturers of air filters and even more varieties available. Industry watchdogs have conducted tests of many of the products and they confirm excellent filtering is readily available. To assist consumers in comparing the filters the MERV performance scale has been implemented. This allows for a way to quickly compare filters based on real world testing and not unfounded claims made by the manufacturers.

Your home's clean air is only limited by your budget and perhaps the current air conditioning system in your home. We say that because some systems will not be able to operate properly with all types of filters. An example would be a HEPA filter, most systems are not designed for use with such a restrictive filter.

It should go with out saying that any filter you use must be changed before becoming excessively dirty. The recommended change intervals are a good starting point but if your area is very dusty or you have several pets you may need to change your air conditioning filter more often than recommended. Your health may depend on it.

Learn more about Air Conditioning Filters by visiting http://www.airconditioningfiltersguide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Thinel

Air Conditioning Filters Basics

Air Conditioning Air Filters - How to Clean Air Conditioning Filters

Air Conditioning Air Filters - How to Clean Air Conditioning Filters
By Ricky Lim

In order to ensure proper functioning of the air conditioners, you should make proper arrangements to be sure that the air conditioning air filters are matching with the unit and it is clean.

The air filters are mainly used to help provide a cleaner environment and protect us from dust allergies. The main intention of using air conditioning filters is to keep the components of the air conditioner clean.

A air filter has many ill effects such as, they have reduced level of cooling and heating, they lead to the failure of the compressor, they increase the blower power consumption level, the equipments with dirty filter has a shorter life.

We should clean the conditioner air filters at least once in two months for home applications and within 2 weeks in an office environment. We shouldn't wait for the entire filter to be filled with dust and then clean it. If you find that the fiberglass is coated with dust then you can be sure that it is time to clean the air filter or even replace it.

The size of the air conditioning air filters would be 1.5 square feet of filter for a capacity of one ton. There are many types of air filters available - fiberglass filters, mesh filters, electrostatic filters and the electronic filters.

The fiberglass filters are mainly used in residences. They have a low cost with low efficiency too. These are coated with adhesives to collect dust. When this filter is being cleaned, the adhesive is also removed along with the dust and the filter becomes useless.

The mesh filter is permanent air filters made of aluminum mesh can be cleaned and dried easily. The electrostatic filter uses the idea that the air movement via the filter generates static charge and collects the dust particles.

The electronic filters use the electrical power for filtering the air and they are also a form of permanent filter. The main aspect that has to be considered while choosing an air conditioning filter are that the duct from which the air returns are sealed thoroughly from the air leak or else the unfiltered air will enter the stream of air.

Learn how to choose and clean your air conditioning filters by visiting my air conditioning site. Learn how to choose the best home air conditioning filters.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim

Air Conditioning Air Filters - How to Clean Air Conditioning Filters