Steps to Clean Your AC’s Air Filter Each Month

An essential home maintenance job you must schedule every year is to have an HVAC technician come to your home during the spring and give the air conditioning system a thorough inspection, tune-up, and cleaning. For a place that gets as hot as Chandler, AZ does during a summer, it’s important that the air conditioner is in the best shape possible. This way, you’ll avoid higher bills and the danger of the system suffering a breakdown.

One of the steps of maintenance is to clean the air filter in the AC. Your HVAC technician will take care of this during the maintenance visit, but it is something that must be done every month for the rest of the summer. You will need to know how to do it on your own. Here are the steps to take:

  • First: Locate the filter. This is actually the hardest part of the process, since the filter can be in many different places depending on the AC model or your home. The two prime places to look for it are at the spot where the return air duct connects to the air conditioning cabinet (the filter will be in a slot beside the air handler) or behind the cover of the return vent inside the house.
  • Second: Remove the filter and use a vacuum with a hose attachment to suction off most of the lint and dust caught in it. Don’t press hard against the filter or try to dig down to get all the debris: this could stretch the fibers and damage the filter.
  • Third: Take the filter outside and use a hose on low pressure to wash away the rest of the debris. Only direct the hose from the backside of the filter, i.e. direct the water through it in the direction that the air moves.
  • Four: Let the filter dry thoroughly on a towel outside. Only replace it in the AC when it is fully dry.

If you want to arrange for air conditioning maintenance, or you need assistance with cleaning the air filter, call on Magic Touch Mechanical. We were named a Contractor of the Year by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, and we’ve always had an A+ Rating with the BBB.

STEPS TO CLEAN YOUR AC’S AIR FILTER EACH MONTH