When it comes to air conditioning in Brisbane, cleaning is a crucial part of system maintenance.

And we aren’t just talking about dusting off the top of your split system or wiping away the dust in your ducted air conditioning ducts, either – it’s also important that you clean out the insides of it as well!

In particular, it’s important that you clean out your air conditioning filters.

Cleaning out the filters in split system air conditioning is relatively straightforward – but how do you clean a ducted air conditioning filter, anyway? Can you do it on your own? Is there a difference between cleaning the two systems?

Our mobile tech team is here to explain how it all works.

Why does it matter if your filters are clean?

All the cool air that’s delivered to your home passes through your air conditioning system’s filters first.

You can thank these filters for the dust and debris-free air you enjoy during summer!

When these filters are blocked or clogged however, you might find yourself suffering from…

Worse air quality

If your filters are clogged with dust and debris, any air pumped back into your home may carry with them airborne allergens, dust, debris and all sorts of other hidden nasties! Additionally, your unit may emit nasty odours or a musty smell. 

This is especially troubling if you have asthma or another respiratory condition – fortunately, a good clean can stop this problem in its tracks.

Air flow and cooling power

Worse air isn’t the only problem that a clogged filter can present – it can also reduce the amount of cool air that reaches your home.

Dust and debris sometimes builds up until it forms a physical barrier, stopping cool air from being pumped back into your home.

And that means that you’ll need to wait longer until your house hits a comfortable temperature.

Higher electricity bills

Clogged filters don’t just mean you’ll need to sweat it out for longer – they also up your power bills too!

A clogged filter reduces the cool air pumped into your home. To compensate, your system needs to run for longer to reach the same comfortable temperature. And that uses electricity, which drives up your power bill.

While cleaning your filter can take some time, it also saves you a bunch of money – it’s well worth working into your schedule!

How often will I need to clean my air conditioning filters?

Ideally, every second month.

In reality however, it all depends on how often you use your system, as well as air quality.

Obviously, you’re going to have to clean out your filters more frequently during the warmer half of the year to account for increased use.

It’s also important that you think about air quality – while this isn’t an issue for most homes, it’s something that commercial properties need to think about, as most businesses tend to build up a lot more dust than most homes.

It’s especially important if you run a factory or warehouse!

Unsure what the timeframe for filter cleaning looks like for your property? Ask us during your next split system or ducted air conditioning service – based on your usage and its condition, we can give our opinions.

Now for the nitty-gritty…

Cleaning split system air conditioning filters

Split system air conditioners aren’t just easier to install – they’re also easier to clean.

While the details are going to be different depending on the brand and the system, generally speaking split system air conditioning filters are located directly “under the hood”.

Remove the casing or lift up the lid, and you’ll come face-to-face with the filter.

In most models, this filter is removable.

Carefully remove the filter and give it a thorough brush, or even a vacuum. In situations where the dust and debris are stubborn and won’t come off, you can wash them in warm water with detergent.

While you’re there, take the opportunity to clean out your system’s louvres too – these are the blades that direct air and which direct airflow.

How to clean ducted air conditioning filters

While cleaning the filters in a split system is something that you can DIY, unfortunately, the filters in ducted air conditioning systems can sometimes be harder to tackle.

Usually there’s a return air grille built into one of your walls or your ceiling, normally near a central area like a hallway.

This grille often features a built-in filter which can be removed and cleaned just like with a split system:

• Vacuumed
• Washed with soapy water
• Wiped down with wet wipes

In other cases however, the filters in a ducted system can be harder to reach. Sometimes, they’re deep in your ceiling space at a centralised location far away from the ducts themselves. In others, they’re located further down the ductwork.

Whether or not you can do this on your own depends on how your ducted air conditioning system is set up.

What about ducts?

While it may be possible to clean your ducted air conditioning filters by yourself, this part’s best left to the pros!

You know that ducts transport air – you also can probably piece together that they slowly build up dust and other pollutants over time.

The thing is, you can’t exactly remove your air conditioning ducts for a clean!

In addition to cleaning out ducts, our team can also inspect the state of your ductwork, identifying potential tears and rips that might be negatively impacting your comfort.

Don’t sweat it – Tri-Tech it!

Call our mobile tech team for air conditioning service in Brisbane

Whether it’s a filter cleaning, a smelly unit, or unknown reasons why your air con isn’t working, our air conditioning team can help.

With over 30 years in the business, we’ve seen – and fixed – just about every air conditioning problem out there, including problems with filters.

Our team has also worked on just about every brand as well, with particular focus on Mitsubishi Electric and Daikin (two brands that we’re official warranty agents for!)

With the weather heating up, now’s the time to get your system serviced! Enjoy a more efficient and cost-effective aircon solution this summer – get in touch with our team today on (07) 3394 0222 or click here to book an appointment.