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Serving the South Puget Sound and Western Washington Areas Since 1976

Serving the South Puget Sound and Southwest Washington Areas Since 1976

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Sunset Air Blog

Make Sure to Clean Out Your AC Air Filter This Summer!

Did you know that your air conditioner has its own air filter? It is a small, but very important, part of the system. The air filter helps protect the air conditioner from dust and debris that might damage it or make it less energy efficient. If the filter is not changed often, though, it can actually be more of a threat to the air conditioner than the dust it traps. Read on to find out how an air filter can damage the air conditioner.

The Air Filter

The air filter is just a fiber mesh, designed to strain out any airborne contaminants the air flow might carry through it. It is typically installed just inside the air return duct for the air conditioner, so that it can treat all air that flows into the system. The filter is quite good at capturing these contaminants, but the problem is that it has no way to dispose of the contaminants it collects. If the filter is not cleaned or replaced every few months, it will eventually become clogged with the debris it has collected.

Ice

If the air flow to the air conditioner is cut off by a clogged filter, it will cause a whole slew of problems. One of the worst is that the evaporator coil can ice over during operation. This will prevent the coil from siphoning heat from the surrounding air, which will cause the air conditioner output to drop. The ice can also spread to other parts of the air conditioner, causing them to malfunction and break down entirely. This is why it is so important to get your air conditioner repaired.

Sunset Air offers a full range of air conditioner maintenance services throughout Olympia, WA. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our HVAC experts.

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