During a hot and sometimes humid summer in Chicagoland, you will need to have your air conditioner running on a regular basis. This means a great deal of wear and tear placed on the system, but one of the ways you can reduce the stress and keep the AC energy-efficient is to always clean the air filter once a month.

“Air filter? Where’s that? How do I clean it?” These are common questions from homeowners, and we would like to help. Cleaning the filter is a regular part of annual professional maintenance, but it is also something you need to handle yourself each month when the AC is running:

• The trickiest part of cleaning the filter is finding it in the first place, as there are multiple locations where it might be. The best place to check is the area on the indoor cabinet where the return duct enters the air handler; the filter should be in a slot on the intake side of the air filter (the return duct side) and you can slide it out.
• If you can’t find the filter around the AC cabinet, look for the return vent inside the house. Take off the vent cover and check if the filter is located behind it. If you still can’t find the filter, call for a professional maintenance technician.
• Take the filter out and use a vacuum with a hose attachment to remove major clumps of dirt and dust. (If the filter is a temporary one, simply exchange it for a new filter.)
• Go outside and use a garden hose on low pressure to wash off the rest of the filter.
• Lay the filter on a towel, in direct sun if possible, and let it dry.
• Only replace the filter in the AC when it is thoroughly dry.

If you wish to schedule regular maintenance for your air conditioner (and receive assistance with the filter), call Lifeline Plumbing, Inc. We serve East Dundee with quality home services.