How To Clean an Air Conditioner Filter in Avon, IN

Mastering how to clean an air conditioner filter is a big help in eliciting the highest level of performance from your cooling system. That’s why your technician removes air conditioner filters and cleans them as part of the regular maintenance schedule after your AC installation services in Avon, IN. You can also clean the filter yourself between visits if the need arises.

Learn more about the steps required for properly cleaning AC filters below and why you may need to do this more than once a season.

The Basic Steps for Cleaning AC Filters

If you have a reusable AC filter, you can wash it yourself and put it back into the air conditioner. HVAC technicians can always clean it for you, but it’s a series of simple steps as follows:

Locate and Remove Air Conditioner Filter

If you can’t locate the AC filter, look for a diagram in the owner’s manual or search the internet for a diagram of your air conditioner and furnace. You can also ask your dedicated AC technician for guidance.

Note that you should never run the air conditioning system without a filter. You’ll need to shut down the system while you clean it. Alternatively, have a second filter on hand to insert while you’re cleaning the first one.

Vacuum Debris From the Surface

The next step for how to clean an air conditioner filter is to run a vacuum cleaner hose gently over the foam or other surface materials. This step removes excess dust before you add liquid to the equation. It makes washing dirty filters slightly less messy.

Don’t use too much force while vacuuming; you could damage or tear the material.

Use a Liquid Cleaner on the Material

Next, fill a basin or bathtub with warm water. Dunk the filter underneath the water so that you wet the entire frame and the filtering mesh.

Gently move the filter back and forth in the water. You should see debris and dust floating away. Soak it for a few minutes, then gently scrub and wash with mild soap (use your hand, not a brush, so as not to tear the filter).

Rinse thoroughly in clean water until the clean filter looks spotless.

Reinsert the Filter After It Dries

After washing, it’s important to let the material dry completely before reinserting it. The drying process could take up to 12 hours, so you might want to let it sit overnight. This is why a spare filter is important so that you can run the machine while you clean the main filter.

Place the washed filter near a floor drain, bathtub, or shower in case it drips. Don’t blot the material with paper towels to speed up the drying process. You can cause damage.

How Often Should You Clean an Air Conditioner Filter in Avon, Indiana?

Figuring out how to clean an air conditioner filter is just the first step. You also need to understand how often to do it. For example, HVAC technicians will typically recommend cleaning these filters every two to three months, but your lifestyle and area may change this timeline.

Avon, Indiana, experiences high levels of airborne pollen in spring and summer. You may want to clean your air conditioner’s filters often during those peak times. If you live in a rural area of central Indiana, extra dust from gravel roads and farm fields may also necessitate more frequent cleaning of air conditioning filters.

Should I Replace the AC Filter in My Home?

Some air conditioning models use replaceable filters instead of washable filters. For instance, pleated AC filters have paper or cotton inside the frame and aren’t washable. You should just discard those frames every two to three months. 

Washable filters often consist of soft foam or woven polypropylene. Consider cleaning them and reusing these filters multiple times. You can check with the filter’s manufacturer to see how long you can continue to reuse it, as many designs last up to ten years.