Air Check Mechanical Service Publishes New Blog Post On HVAC Filters

Air Check Mechanical Service, an air conditioner repair service proudly serving Pearland as well as a most of the Houston, Texas area, has published a new blog post discussing the options for one of the key pieces in an functioning HVAC system - the air filter. While an air filter may seem like a trivial piece of any HVAC system, it actually is one of the most important components, as well as the component that can most easily be changed and serviced by any homeowner or business person - without any serious HVAC technical knowledge.

Without a doubt, changing an air filter is the absolute easiest task that can be completed to ensure that the air conditioner and furnace that make up an HVAC system are running at their absolute best. What's more, clean, fresh air filters can ensure not only free air flow and keep ductwork clean throughout a home or business, it's also a key component for trapping dust and pollen in the air, ensuring a comfortable, clean breathing experience.

"While we don't get a lot of calls based around a malfunctioning or clogged air filter, it's fairly common that folks that are encountering problems with their air conditioner during the summer have also forgotten to replace it in the required time frame," said Donald Compton, owner and spokesperson for Air Check Mechanical Service. "Of course, changing the filter is something virtually anyone can do, and something Air Check technicians take care of for all customers on maintenance agreements."

The post discusses the variety of HVAC air filters available to homeowners as well as their materials and their filtration capability. In terms of quality, typical filters can range from extremely cheap and relatively ineffective, to quite expensive and very effective. For each homeowner, it is obviously a personal choice, but if there is one thing folks should not be liberal about, it is the time frame for replacing the filter.

"In a lot of cases, the customer merely has to ask a single question when it comes to HVAC filters," said Compton. "That question tends to be, 'when was the last time the filter was changed?' If the customer can't actually remember when that was, then it's probably well overdue."

When it comes to the type of HVAC air filters available, there are a variety of quality and price points in today's market. The fiberglass filter is by far the cheapest, and tends to come in multi-packs for very little money. But in this case, it is definitely a "get what you pay for" situation. Air Check recommends aiming higher when it comes to air filters, and at the bare minimum considering a step up model such as a pleated or reusable filter. While these filters do tend to clog up quicker than fiberglass filters, they do so because of increased filtration ability, as in the product is doing its job effectively. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that homeowner should break the bank when it comes to air filters.

"Certain families will have certain air quality needs, but for every homeowner that is in need of very specific air quality levels, we will typically recommend an IAQ system," said Compton. "Although we don't actively recommend against it, a super expensive HEPA filter just isn't going to be worth it for most customers, and those tend to need replacing even quicker than regular filters."

The world of Indoor Air Quality products is quite robust, and for customers with specialized needs, Air Check Mechanical Service can certainly help. Either way, a mid range air filter will help virtually any homeowner, and keeping to a 90 day replacement schedule is well worth the investment.