Do air conditioners have filters? The answer is yes! Most central air conditioning units have two or more filters, which are usually made of fiberglass or pleated materials. These filters are designed to clean the air and ensure good air quality as the unit circulates between indoor and outdoor air. The filters are usually located in the return air duct, which is the one that returns the air from your space to the air conditioner's air treatment system. If you have a large system with multiple air controllers and return ducts, finding the filters can be a challenge.
The filter is usually close to your home thermostat, in a return duct or right next to your air conditioning system's air controller. As air from the HVAC system passes through the filter, it traps particles and contaminants such as dust, mold, pet dander and fungal spores. The mesh that gives the main name to the filter through which air passes becomes denser, thus trapping these materials and not obstructing air flow. If you don't change your air filter as often as you should, it won't be able to pass through as easily and more and more details have the possibility of getting through the mesh, which impairs indoor air quality.
There are many sizes and types of filters available, some of which are reusable after cleaning while others can only be used once. The filters have different ratings and prices. A professional technician can tell you about the recommended filter for your air conditioner. MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Report Value, which is how well the filter can sift through particles in the air.
If you want to improve air quality in your space by eliminating pollen, mold, and other harmful contaminants, you should invest in HEPA filters with a MERV rating of 10 or higher. You may find household dust deposits around the edges of the opening where the air filter is mounted, indicating where the air shunt leaks. The filter may be in one or more common air returns or in the air controller, or less commonly, in a slot in the return air duct near the air controller. For example, in Ruud Achiever super-quiet 80-foot air controller there is a molded permanent filter that slides down to the back of the unit when you look at it from the burner side. It may also be a good idea to change your air filter more often if you live in an area with high pollen content. This is because if it's harder to move air around your house, it will be harder to cool areas of your home, meaning you won't feel as comfortable in areas of your home because they'll get less cold air in summer and less warm air in winter. One of the main culprits for the decline in efficiency is a dirty and clogged filter, as this means that the AC has to work harder to cool your home, consuming more energy as it does.
If you have a lot of fine sand or dust in your house, adding Honeywell FPR 10 filters to your roof return air ducts inside your house can help improve indoor air quality.
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