The Importance of Cleaning Your Air Filter

Whether you have a Daikin split system or ducted air conditioning system, regular cleaning of an air conditioner’s filter is one of the simplest and most effective ways in which you can help ensure the system’s longevity.

Your air conditioner’s filter will naturally accrue a buildup of dust, dirt and other airborne contaminants as it filters them out of the air. As such, the filter needs to be regularly cleaned so that it continues to function as intended.

The Benefits of Cleaning Your Air Conditioner’s Filter

Whether you have a residential or commercial air conditioning system, there are several benefits to regularly cleaning your air conditioner’s filter as part of your aircon servicing routine, including:

Improved Air Quality: The filter in your air conditioning unit is designed to trap airborne contaminants, such as dust, pollen and mould spores, reducing allergy symptoms. When the filter is dirty, it can no longer effectively filter out these contaminants, resulting in them circulating throughout the building.
Maintain Efficiency: A dirty air conditioning filter restricts airflow, causing the system to work harder to affect a temperature change in its zone. This leads to higher energy consumption as the system has to do more work to affect a similar change.
Extended Life & Fewer Repairs: Air conditioning systems operate more efficiently with a clean filter, reducing the risk of overheating and wear-related breakdowns of your unit.
Energy & Money Savings: An efficient air conditioner uses less energy than one constantly hard at work due to a dirty filter. This lower energy use helps save you money on your power bills.

Regularly cleaning your air conditioning filter as part of your aircon servicing routine helps reduce the air conditioner’s effect on your wallet and improves air quality as well.

Cleaning Your Air Conditioner’s Filter

While recommendations may vary, Daikin recommends cleaning your (indoor) Daikin split system air conditioner’s filter once every two weeks. In an especially dusty or polluted environment, you may need to clean your filters more frequently.

Some Daikin air conditioners include an automatic cleaning function that cleans the filter weekly, collecting contaminants into a dust box that can be easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner when full.

If your air conditioner doesn’t have an automatic cleaning function, below are some general steps for manually cleaning your filter.

Find your air conditioner’s operation manual. Daikin operation manuals can be found here.
Ensure your air conditioner is turned off before any work.
Locate the filter and remove it from the unit based on instructions from the operation manual. Take note of its orientation for when you’re ready to reinstall it.
Dirt or dust can generally be removed from the filter with a vacuum cleaner.
If extremely dirty and the filter is washable, rinse it with water and mild detergent. Avoid harsh chemicals.
If the air conditioning filter was washed, ensure it air dried completely before moving on to the next step. This helps prevent mould.
Reinstall the filter in the orientation it was before cleaning or as indicated in the operation’s manual.

Through these simple steps, you can help ensure your air conditioning system continues to work efficiently throughout the year. Alongside this general maintenance, it is essential that your aircon is professionally serviced every twelve months, including a deep clean, for the best results.

When To Consider Professional Aircon Servicing

If you notice that your air conditioner is struggling even after a clean, it might be time to call a professional.

Professional aircon servicing should be carried out annually for residential systems and, more frequently, either bi-annually or quarterly for commercial systems, depending on their environment. In some cases neglecting this annual service may void the warranty of your air conditioning system.

However, if you notice an issue with your air conditioning system, don’t hesitate to call a professional for ad-hoc air conditioning servicing.

Professional maintenance is the most effective solution to any discovered faults or concerns in your system.

As one of Perth’s most respected Daikin air conditioning service specialists, Crispair Air Conditioning should be your Daikin aircon servicing provider of choice. Contact us today for any of your Perth air conditioning needs.