Dirty air filters don’t just hinder your air conditioner’s performance, they can undermine your health too

What would happen if you didn’t service your car regularly?

Or, for example, you ignored the build-up of slime and algae on your fish tank? Eventually you would expect to run the risk of destroying your car’s engine and, as for those poor fish, the outcome wouldn’t be pleasant. It’s the same of your air conditioning filters. Clogged and dirty filters cause allergens to release into the air you breathe, and like those fish, you can become prone to illnesses.

Out of sight, out of mind. So how do you know the air conditioning filters are dirty?

Remember the car that wasn’t serviced?

Chances are it was showing signs of not running as well as it should have before it called it quits. Restricted air flow is one of the first tell-tale signs an air conditioner isn’t working properly and the culprit is a dirty air filter. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) filters are designed to trap dust and other tiny pollutant particles but a filter that is clogged because it hasn’t been properly maintained with regular cleaning means it has reached its capacity and the flow of cold or hot air is reduced. Worse, the air that is distributed into the building is spreading impurities. Inhaling these pollutants can unleash unpleasant physical symptoms like coughing, headaches or itchy eyes.

It’s what you can’t see in a dirty air conditioning filter that is doing more harm

Filters are to air conditioners what face masks are to humans – they protect the indoor air we breathe by trapping small pollutants we can’t see: things like dust, pollen, bacteria and other virus particles. Without filters, we’re exposed to allergens that can trigger unpleasant allergy-like symptoms. The consequences are worse for people with weakened immune systems or existing respiratory diseases including asthma. Consider then how vital clean air filters are for commercial spaces like hospitals and aged care homes.

We specialise in working in these complex and sensitive environments that are subject to strict industry standards where we install high efficiency HEPA filters (or High Efficiency Particulate Air): a finer filter capable of removing more than 99% of dust, pollen, mould, bacteria and other airborne particles.

At a time when the world is gripped by a coronavirus that is airborne, our preoccupation with breathing clean air is hardly a surprise.

Your air conditioning filters have laid the trap, now what?

Remember, an air filter is effective in trapping viruses and pathogens but it won’t kill them. Only by regularly cleaning and replacing filters can you ensure your system will run efficiently and produce cleaner air.

Continuing an effective cleaning and maintenance routine is crucial long after the pandemic ends, particularly as we enter the cold and flu season. Running a clean HVAC system reduces the risk of circulating germs, particularly in a commercial setting where the cold and flu virus can spread like wildfire.

Organise an inspection, including air filter cleaning or replacement, and ensure your commercial air conditioning system is running efficiently and delivering cleaner air.