Your air conditioning system is in for a lot of work as the weather gets warmer in Southern California. Failing to change the filter for your air conditioner can lead to slower filtering, less effective filtering, increased growth of bacteria, and reduced efficiency. In short, dirty filters make your system work harder, which it doesn’t need when it is especially warm outside. For some air conditioning systems you may only need to change the filter once every few months, but a better rule of thumb is to change it every 1-2 months. This is particularly true if you have pets, live in a polluted area, suffer from allergies, live in a windy area, live in a wildfire area or near a farm/ranch, or have more than one person living in your home.

Changing your air conditioner’s filter regularly helps prevent dust and dirt from building up, thus increasing the longevity of your system, and reducing the likelihood of failure. Regularly changing the filters also promotes greater efficiency as the system doesn’t have to work as hard to pass air through a clogged filter. This helps keep your energy bills lower as well. In Southern California, May is the perfect time to replace your air conditioner’s filter if you haven’t done so recently.

How To Change The Filter For Your Air Conditioner

Most filters are disposable and made of biodegradable paper. They come in various shapes and sizes, so make sure that you replace a dirty filter with the same shape and size filter to ensure that it fits snugly. A poor fitting filter, even if it is clean can be rendered as useless as a dirty filter. Because you’ll undoubtedly be running your air conditioning often for the next several months in Southern California, you may consider buying multiple filter replacements at the same. Removal of your old filter, and replacement of the new filter is simple. Moreover, many newer air conditioning units will have directions for replacing the filter right on the unit. However if you are uncertain how to do it, please feel free to give First Choice Air a call, and we will gladly walk you through it.

Easy steps to change the filter on your air conditioner:

1. Turn off the unit before removing the old filter.

2. Remove the old filter.

3. Wipe off any dust or debris around the filter frame.

4. Install the new filter-making sure that you’re installing it properly (right upstream and downstream flows).

5. Confirm the filter is snug in the frame (there should not be any gaps around the frame).

6. Wipe off any remaining dust.

7. Turn the unit back on.

8. Make a note of when you changed the filter so you know when you’re due to change it again.

If you notice that your filter is exceedingly dirty when you change it, and you’ve changed it regularly, please contact us to schedule a service appointment.

First Choice Air is a Los Angeles based, award winning full service HVAC sales, installation and repair company. We are proud to be EPA certified and approved by California League of Homeowners. First Choice Air provides 24 hour emergency air conditioner service and 24-hour emergency furnace service in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.