Improving HVAC Efficiency with Air Filter Replacements by Crockett Facilities Services

When was the last time you had the air filters replaced in your facility’s air handlers, fan coil units or computer room air conditioning units? A few months? A year? Have they ever been changed? It’s a simple preventive maintenance task for HVAC units, yet often gets overlooked and underestimated as to the benefits it provides.

So why is this so important? As air filters clog, they reduce air flow and efficiency – the number of particles and contaminates removed from the air by the air filter. Clogged filters not only decrease the indoor air quality (IAQ), but excess dirt in the filters could migrate and negatively impact the motors, fans, and coils.

A dirty air filter is the No. 1 reason for HVAC system failure. Filter replacement is a small price to pay to extend the life of your HVAC system and reduce your monthly energy bills. It’s a simple win-win.

Improving HVAC Efficiency and Reducing Costs by Changing AC Filters

1. A dirty air filter restricts air flow, placing additional strain on the motor, which could, over time, cause the system to overheat and fail.
2. As the fan motor works harder, this not only strains the system, but consumes more energy, increasing utility costs.
3. A dirty air filter negatively impacts IAQ, which could aggravate allergies and cause health issues.
4. A dirty air filter increases a company’s carbon footprint. Replacing an air filter is a step towards being environmentally responsible.
5. The longer the air filter remains dirty, the more dirt, dust, and grime will build up in the system, decreasing equipment longevity.

Air Filter Preventative Maintenance

Determining when it is time to replace the air filter should not just be a visual inspection. Other methods should be used, as listed below, as some filters may appear dirty but have not yet reached their optimum efficiency levels. 

• Differential Pressure Management: A differential pressure measurement device will help identify the appropriate change-out times.
• Pressure Drop Switches: These switches will alert you when pressure drops as a result of dirty air filters.

Crockett Facilities Services (CFSI) HVAC technicians will select the correct type of air filter to use for your equipment and application – such as a pleated filter, mesh filter, or charcoal filter (used in ventilation systems and designed for biological attacks). With our preventive maintenance (PM) agreements, we will track and determine when to change your air filters, improving your air quality, HVAC efficiency, and energy consumption.

Call Crockett Facilities Services today to get a preventive maintenance quote for your HVAC system – call 202.600.2787, email sales@crockett-facilities.com or complete our online form. CFSI provides 24/7 commercial HVAC and mechanical services throughout Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Sources:

Air Filter Differences – What’s Important

Importance of changing your air filters

FILTER MONITORING

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