Before inspecting and cleaning your cooling system, turn off the power for safety purposes. There should be a shut-off box on or near your HVAC unit. To be doubly safe, don’t forget to turn off the electricity for the system from the breaker box, too. You can turn these back on after you’ve cleaned and inspected your air conditioner. Your filters capture tiny particles in the air like dust, debris, dust mites, pollen and even bacteria. If you don’t regularly change out or clean the air filter, the particles can circulate through your home while your air conditioner is running, which can lead to more symptoms for those suffering from allergies, asthma and other lung-related illnesses.
Visually check your filters every two months, or once a month if you live in areas with poor air quality, are dusty or are experiencing heavy seasonal pollens. Also inspect them once each month if you own pets who shed a lot or have an older, less efficient, cooling system. If the filters seem to be dirtier than not, change them out. There are some filters on newer units that don’t need to be changed for up to three months; however, if you’re unsure how often you should change your unit’s filter, you can check the user manual or call Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. at (605) 277-7336. Our friendly technicians will be more than happy to help.
