Cleaning Air Con Filters

[phuturatica]

Recently I've been sick and showing no signs of getting any better and I've come to the conclusion that the air con is most probably making me sick. My boyfriend has had it for 2 years and never cleaned the filter and knows nothing about cleaning it and why you need to etc.

Seeing as I'm from cold ole' England where air con is not a big thing, I too have no idea how to clean the air con filter. I much prefer using the fan anyways, however my boyfriend prefers the air con on for a little while as it's colder but I break out into a coughing fit whenever I'm in the room with it on.

Is there a simple and easy way of cleaning the air con filter or should I just pay someone to come and do it for me?

Does anyone else get sick from the air con and is it a common thing?

[bkkjames]

Mold spores can make you chronically ill. Can't you just remove the filters-most newish aircons its a simple task.

[craigt3365]

I'd recommend getting a pro to do it. It's cheap, and hopefully, they know what they are doing.

Where are you located?

Also, there's a nasty cold going around. I was sick for 2 1/2 weeks, and I know others that were out of it for 3+ weeks. Worst cold I've had in years.

[Kwasaki]

I'd recommend getting a pro to do it. It's cheap, and hopefully, they know what they are doing.

Where are you located?

Also, there's a nasty cold going around. I was sick for 2 1/2 weeks, and I know others that were out of it for 3+ weeks. Worst cold I've had in years.

Yep " caigt " is right had a cough for three weeks just on it's way out, thank's to " tiffy ".

The heat of the day then a very cold air-con room will make you cough anyway.

Recommended to clean air-cons at least once a year, I do mine myself but you can get someone to do it at very little cost as said.

[Semper]

The heat of the day

Kwasaki.

Not sure where you are located at, but in CM it's a warm jacket all day long. Not to mention nighttimes (double blankets)

[phuturatica]

I'd recommend getting a pro to do it. It's cheap, and hopefully, they know what they are doing.

Where are you located?

Also, there's a nasty cold going around. I was sick for 2 1/2 weeks, and I know others that were out of it for 3+ weeks. Worst cold I've had in years.

Yep " caigt " is right had a cough for three weeks just on it's way out, thank's to " tiffy ".

The heat of the day then a very cold air-con room will make you cough anyway.

Recommended to clean air-cons at least once a year, I do mine myself but you can get someone to do it at very little cost as said.

Yeah I've had a head cold and nasty cough for going on 3 weeks now and it isn't getting any better. I've been stocking up on the Tiffy but it just doesn't seem to be shifting!

Looks like I'll get someone in to clean the air con filters. The guys paid a visit for maintenance about a month or so ago but I'm not sure they actually cleaned the filter. I'll chase up with them.

Glad to know I'm not the only one with this nasty illness.

[Aachen]

Air conditions are thankful if serviced on a regular basis. 6 monthly or at least yearly. The cooling liquid needs to be checked and everything gets cleaned.

Cleaning of the Filter (monthly/quarterly): Open AC (mavbe 2 screws), remove filter, take into bathroom and shower it clean. Let it dry and put back into place. Fix the screws.

[Semper]

Air conditions are thankful if serviced on a regular basis. 6 monthly or at least yearly. The cooling liquid needs to be checked and everything gets cleaned.

Cleaning of the Filter (monthly/quarterly): Open AC (mavbe 2 screws), remove filter, take into bathroom and shower it clean. Let it dry and put back into place. Fix the screws.

As I'm not an expert on ac, but I imagine the principle is the same as in a fridge. How often does one have to check the cooling liquid in a fridge?

[Pib]

So many different varieties of air cons and exactly how their filter(s) are removed, but usually the filter is easily removed by removing the plastic/metal cover they are under, remove and wash the filter/spray hose it, reinstall and you are good for another couple of months. I would recommend you clean the filter at least every 3 months, if nothing else to keep the filter from clogging up and reducing the efficiency of your air con. If the filter hasn't been cleaned in 2 years it's probably one filthy filter; but whether it's causing your sickness is a different story...heck, I have at least a half dozen relatives sick right now with a cold/cough to include the wife and I....and I haven't been able to shake the cough for almost two weeks now but it's getting better....just something going away.

[pattayadingo]

I'd recommend getting a pro to do it. It's cheap, and hopefully, they know what they are doing.

Where are you located?

Also, there's a nasty cold going around. I was sick for 2 1/2 weeks, and I know others that were out of it for 3+ weeks. Worst cold I've had in years.

Yep " caigt " is right had a cough for three weeks just on it's way out, thank's to " tiffy ".

The heat of the day then a very cold air-con room will make you cough anyway.

Recommended to clean air-cons at least once a year, I do mine myself but you can get someone to do it at very little cost as said.

Yeah I've had a head cold and nasty cough for going on 3 weeks now and it isn't getting any better. I've been stocking up on the Tiffy but it just doesn't seem to be shifting!

Looks like I'll get someone in to clean the air con filters. The guys paid a visit for maintenance about a month or so ago but I'm not sure they actually cleaned the filter. I'll chase up with them.

Glad to know I'm not the only one with this nasty illness.

Same here. Since before Christmas. Gave me a bad chest infection on top + sneezes. Only now is it clearing.

Air con can make you cough too so you are not the only one. I only put mine on when very hot or in bed for.... erm ... you know

[bartender100]

I'd recommend getting a pro to do it. It's cheap, and hopefully, they know what they are doing.

Where are you located?

Also, there's a nasty cold going around. I was sick for 2 1/2 weeks, and I know others that were out of it for 3+ weeks. Worst cold I've had in years.

Me to, worse one I can remember only had it a week, but it seems to be shifting, (Pattaya) I always go for 1000mg VitC with Zinc soluble tabs, 3 a day till its gone.

You can buy a foam spray from Homepro that you squirt into the AC metal grills

[rgs2001uk]

Air conditions are thankful if serviced on a regular basis. 6 monthly or at least yearly. The cooling liquid needs to be checked and everything gets cleaned.

Cleaning of the Filter (monthly/quarterly): Open AC (mavbe 2 screws), remove filter, take into bathroom and shower it clean. Let it dry and put back into place. Fix the screws.

We have a winner, most modern ones dont even have screws, push/press and open, located on the side.

The mrs washes the plastic filters in the sink with regular Sunlight washing up liquid, leaves to dry and refits.

Yeah you can pay someone else 400/500 baht for doing a 5 minute job, better yet get the B/f to pay.

[craigt3365]

Air conditions are thankful if serviced on a regular basis. 6 monthly or at least yearly. The cooling liquid needs to be checked and everything gets cleaned.

Cleaning of the Filter (monthly/quarterly): Open AC (mavbe 2 screws), remove filter, take into bathroom and shower it clean. Let it dry and put back into place. Fix the screws.

We have a winner, most modern ones dont even have screws, push/press and open, located on the side.

The mrs washes the plastic filters in the sink with regular Sunlight washing up liquid, leaves to dry and refits.

Yeah you can pay someone else 400/500 baht for doing a 5 minute job, better yet get the B/f to pay.

We've got 4 AC units. The guy was here for half a day cleaning them out and checking them with his gizmo. I don't have that equipment, so can't check the fluid levels. I guess it's kinda like checking the AC unit in your car. Needs to be done every so often or it doesn't cool as well.

Luckily, our guy comes for free. Part of the deal we made with him when we bought the units. Yearly cleaning/checking!

[Naam]

three things are mixed up here, namely filter cleaning, aircon cleaning and aircon maintenance.

-nobody needs an expert to clean the filter. if the unit was built after World War II you open a front lid (no screws), take out the filter, hose it down in the shower or bathtub and put it back.

-cleaning the unit itself requires a professional. it's a tricky (and dirty business) to clean the fins of the evaporator and the fan blades. the same applies to the compressor/condenser (outside unit).

-in "civilised" countries there's no need to check the refrigerant level as the refrigerant system is (as opposed to automotive systems) closed by soldering. unfortunately Thailand's aircon installers are not "civilised" in this respect and shoddy installation with systems leaking is quite common.

-400/600 Baht cost per unit is justified if a "foam cleaning / rinse" which takes including preparation time at least 20 minutes and a small amount of refrigerant is included in the price. a big leak requires more refrigerant which is quite expensive, therefore a higher price. price of service also depends on the number of units. more units = less overhead = lower price per unit.

by the way, a dirty filter is a health hazard but does not necessarily affect the efficiency of a unit if the evaporator is clean. on the contrary, in some cases dirty filters enhance efficiency by increasing dehumidification and therefore result in a higher latent cooling capacity.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Naam

[Pib]

by the way, a dirty filter is a health hazard but does not necessarily affect the efficiency of a unit if the evaporator is clean. on the contrary, in some cases dirty filters enhance efficiency by increasing dehumidification and therefore result in a higher latent cooling capacity.

I guess you are saying it increases dehumidification because of the decreased/slower air flow through the evaporator which gives more time for more water to be condensed/taken out of the air passing through...no doubt that's true at just the right filter "dirty" level.

On my wall mounted split air cons its pretty easy to figure out when the filter is getting too dirty/clogged because the unit gets louder from trying to suck the air through the filter, air flow output noticeably drops, and on one the squirrel cage fan starts rattling (even though the fan itself is pretty clean); clean the filters--which just take a few minutes to remove and water hose spray clean--and all that goes away for a few months. I try to avoid it reaching this point but sometimes I'm just lazy, procrastinate in getting the 5 ft step ladder out to reach the air con units and clean the filters every couple of months. And if a person has dogs/cats which live in the house you will be amazed how much fur is in the filter when cleaning it, which also means the filter needs cleaning more often.

On some air con models if the freon level is too low and/or expansion valve not working properly when the filter gets to dirty to where most air flow is blocked it can actually cost the evaporator to freeze-up (ice formation) due to water condensing on the evaporator fins, air flow not enough to help it flow to the drip pan, and then it freezes in & on the fins which can totally block air flow....then the ice starts melting becasue the reduced air flow causes some warming around the ice which causes water leakage beneath the air con.

But I will say usually the real cause of greatly reduced air flow is not so much the dirty filter but dirty/clogged evaporator fins--that may have got dirty/clogged ahead of their time due to the filter not being cleaned often enough, not using a filter, or just stuff in the air that the filter don't stop too well like where a lot of cooking/oily air occurs, etc. Air cons can be such a pain if not properly maintained. Yeap, evaporator fins are another place for nasty stuff to setup shop. Peaching to the choir I know.

[ETatBKK]

if OP's aircon not been cleaned in the last two years, get an aircon service guy and he would clean the filter, the aircon fan unit ( indoor ) and the compressor ( outdoor ). few hundreds baht.

aircon filter need to be cleaned AT LEAST once a quarter, even per month depends on application conditions.

snap off the filter from the cover, shower it through and air dry. be reminded that some filters ( carbon and plasma ) should not be cleaned by water.

certainly dirty aircon filter is a health hazard !! if aircon filter is not clean, technically it is a bacteria incubator and it blow to your nose everyday.

[Naam]

aircon filter need to be cleaned AT LEAST once a quarter, even per month depends on application conditions.

that of course depends on usage. the filter of a unit that runs 10-12 hours a day should be cleaned once a month. it dirties up even in real clean homes where vacuum cleaning and wet wiping is applied twice a week..

[Naam]

Pib,

there's not much to add to your posting except that evaporator icing caused by a dirty filter is rather rare. of course if a bunch of lizards have taken possession of the unit then...

but a true story is that in our holiday home in another country a compact unit, built low in the wall, failed because a family of mice had occupied it, built a nest and blocked the fan blade.