How to Change an AC Filter
Changing your air conditioner filter is one of the most important ways to maintain your cooling system. It ensures optimum air quality in your home and saves you money by keeping your AC unit efficient. It is also an environmentally friendly way to make sure that you get the most out of your air conditioner. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Locate the filter on your AC unit before attempting to change it. The filter will be located on the return air duct, on or near the inside unit. You can tell that you've found the correct air duct by pressing a piece of paper to the cover of the air duct. If the duct sucks the paper in toward the AC unit, you have found the return air duct.
Sometimes, the filter is located behind a return grill (a metal cover). If this is the case, use a flashlight to locate the filter.
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Turn off the air conditioning unit before changing the filter for safety purposes.
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Remove the metal grating by unscrewing any necessary screws.
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Take out the old filter and dispose.
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Slide in the new filter with the air flow arrows on the filter matching the direction of the arrows on the AC unit. This ensures the proper fit and functioning of the filter.
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Screw on the return grill and turn the unit back on.
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Tips & Warnings
Most units will have filters made of fiberglass or paper pleats, though some have reusable filters that utilize an electrostatic charge to filter the air. You can usually determine the type of filter you have just by looking. If you're unsure, take the filter with you to the hardware store and ask for help when buying your new AC filter.
It is best to change filters every month to ensure the most efficient functioning of your AC unit.
Keep the box that your filter came in so that you know what kind to get the next time you need a new one.
When removing the old filter, be careful -- if you are too rough with the old filter, you can accidentally dump some of the dust into the AC unit itself.
