AC & Heating Filters in Broward & Palm Beach County, FL
Why Filter the Air? To Protect Your Health
The air we breathe is a sea of particles too small to be seen with the naked eye. These particles are known as dust, pollen, bacteria, mold spores, mineral dust, animal hair, and dander.
These harmful pollutants act as carriers for viruses and work their way into our clothes, furniture, computers, and lungs. Breathing these particles can lead to minor allergies or more complicated respiratory problems.
Air filters are crucial to maintaining healthy indoor air quality. When researching filters, don’t be confused between Arrestence and Efficiency.
When you buy a filter, you should look for a higher efficiency, such as pleated, rather than a higher arrestance, such as fiberglass.
Here’s the Difference Between the Two
The efficiency of an air filter removes microscopic particles such as dust, dust mites, pollen, mold, bacteria, and smoke. The arrestance of an air filter removes larger particles such as dirt, lint, hair, and dust. All filters come in custom-made sizes.
Air Conditioning Filter Installation
When putting the appropriate AC filter into the system, it should be placed in the correct direction as indicated by the arrow on the side or face of the filter. Air should flow in the same direction as the arrows. This allows the filter to work appropriately, as the air exits the filter in the most reinforced part.
The air conditioning filter should fit tightly. A perfect seal is necessary to prevent unfiltered air from entering and damaging your air conditioner. Without a perfect seal and appropriate sizing, the filter is useless. Plus, the non-conventional filters may have a higher efficiency and may not fit your system. This should be checked with an AC company, contractor, or air conditioning supply company.
Common Types of Air Conditioning Filters
Conventional fiberglass disposable filters (1″ & 2″): These are common in most homes and small industrial ACs and commercial air conditioning systems. Since they’re disposable and have an adhesive coating that traps the dust, you shouldn’t clean them.
This may damage the filter’s ability to remove particles by damaging the adhesive coating and/or the underlying meshwork. They’re not as effective as other types of filters even though they’re lower in cost.
Pleated fiberglass disposable filters (1″ & 2″): The 1″ are generally used in many residential and commercial settings and are made of materials that can vary in effectiveness. Usually, they’re more densely woven to increase the efficiency of removing dirt. These have a larger surface area, leading to increased trapping of particles compared to conventional filters.
They must be specified for your AC or this can lead to increased demand on your AC components. A mismatch can be counterproductive to the health of the air conditioning system and possibly lead to higher AC maintenance and service costs.
You should check with the AC manufacturer as to the appropriate type of pleated filter for your system. A filter spray can also be applied after the cleaning and drying of the air filter.
Electrostatic filters: Different in design and performance, since there are so many varieties, it’s rather difficult to determine which is the most efficient. They’re commonly advertised as allergy-free air conditioning filters.
These also come in 1″ and 2″ sizes. Air that moves through the filter creates a static charge that collects any dust in the filter. They may require more cleaning and more blower power.
Electronic filters: Connected to an electrical power source and usually wall-mounted, electronic filters come with a pre-filter that can collect larger particles and only need to be cleaned every six months.
Carbon filters: These filters contain carbon that can control any odor problems you might have within the AC system. They can also be useful in homes with pets.
Why Choose Air America?
At Air America, we’re committed to helping you enjoy superior comfort. We’re always ready to answer your questions and help you find the answers you need to enjoy safe, reliable comfort in your home, apartment, or condo.
We offer a full range of air conditioning services in Florida. Our certified and insured HVAC technicians will install, repair, or maintain your cooling system to the highest quality standards. Most importantly, our customer-focused service, coupled with our expertise and the top-quality components we use, ensures your comfort and satisfaction.
Contact Air America at 954-255-0384 to schedule air conditioning service in Florida today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Air filter replacement is essential for protecting your system from damage and maintaining energy-efficient operation. Otherwise, dust, allergens, dirt, and debris will clog the filter.
This will diminish airflow, which can cause coils to freeze over, and increase wear and tear on the unit, which can cause components to malfunction and fail. For optimal performance, you should change your filter every month unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.
Yes. Air filters trap dust, mold, pollen, dander, lint, chemicals, bacteria, and other toxins that can negatively impact indoor air quality. The screens in the air filter trap these contaminants, removing them from the air. The result is fresher, cleaner air that will improve your comfort and help you breathe easier.
Air filters are designed to be changed quickly and easily. While each filter and air conditioner are different, you should turn your AC off and open the air filter housing.
Note and take a photo of how the filter sits within the slot, then remove the old filter and position the replacement in the same manner. With most cooling systems, air filter replacement takes just a few minutes.
