Have you ever wondered if your air cooling system has some ability that you might still don’t know? I have heard many people asking me about this question, do air conditioners filter out smoke also?
Just imagine there is a wildlife fire out there somewhere. Your house is full of heavy smoke. Or you just faced a fire-related incident at your home, and now your home is full of smoke.
Is it okay to just rely on your air cooling system? Do air coolers really filter out smoke? Is it a smart option just to use your air cooling system to remove smoke from your home?
Today we will clear up this confusing matter. I hope after reading this article, you will know what to do and what not to do in these situations. So without any further delays, let’s get started.
Do Air Conditioners Filter Out Smoke
How much is there any truth behind your question that air conditioners filter out smoke? Today we will reveal it.
So your answer to your question is, according to the air conditioners dealers association, air conditioners can filter out the smoke through its filter no matter if it is heavy smoke or just minor cigarette smoke.
If I elaborate more, if wildlife smoke or bushfire smoke or any kind of fire-related incident smoke happens and it enters your home, in this case, air coolers filter can help to remove it.
What Is An Air Cooler Strainer? And How Does It Work In Your Air Cooling System?
Have you ever wondered which part of your air cooler cleans or traps down all of the dust and impurities and how does it do its job? This job is done by your aircon’s filter. Let’s learn what a filter is and how it works.
Air strainers, also known as furnace filters, are used in air conditioners to help increase your furnace life. Not just that, they also are basically used in air conditioners to give us better air quality by removing all kinds of dirt, dust, humidity, pollen, etc.
You can run an air conditioner without an air filter. But if you don’t want to hamper your furnace, then you must install an air filter.
An air filter drags inside all the impurities from the air and gives us cleaner and fresh air. Air strainers are also the cause behind the protection of HVAC systems. Whenever the air drags inside the blower, this air filter then catches all kinds of dust or impurities which come with the air.
Normally the material which is used in the filter to catch all these things is a pleated cloth or paper.
Read more:
What Happens If AC Filter Is Dirty?
Have you ever faced any troubles after using a dirty air filter? Or you don’t even know that you have to clean your air filter too so that it doesn’t create any new problem.
Well, a dirty filter can cause some problems. For example:
- You will find your outside component is realizing warm air.
- Your air cooler needs to be repeatedly repaired. Because a dirty air filter creates clog inside of your air cooling system.
- This will make the air cooler work more than it usually does, which will lower down its durability.
- You will also find your air conditioner is unable to cool down your home. It is because of the clogged air filter.
- If it is too bad inside, then the worst case can happen if it can freeze inside of your air cooling system because stuck cool air can create ice inside of the coil. Etc.
What Happens If You Leave Ac Without A Filter?
Even though you can use your air cooling system without a filter, it should be only for a limited time. Because it will create so many problems, here are some reasons why you should not use an air cooling system without a filter.
- Draining moisture from your air cooling component will slow down.
- If that moisture then goes into the pan, then that water can damage the whole system.
- It will increase energy bills.
- It will create problems in the motor or compressor.
- It will also create health issues if the pollutants can not be removed from your home.
Does Smoke Affect Air Conditioners?
Smoke can cause some problems. But not for the air cooling system. But for your aircon’s filter.
Cigarette smoke or bush fire smoke, or wildlife smoke, no matter what it is, will lower down the duration of the filter. In this case, you might need to change your filter, or if your air filter is washable, then you have to clean it immediately.
If you do not do so, then it can cause so many problems in your air cooling system.
Something like-
- Clogging.
- Slower airflow.
- Lower the lifespan of your AC.
- Increase energy bills. Etc.
Do Air Conditioners Suck In Smoke From Outside?
Air coolers only consume the air and then supply it outside, which is already in your home. Air coolers do not transport any smoke from outside.
If your air cooler is sealed well enough, then any kind of smoke can not enter your home from outside. If by any chance, there is some gap left in your air cooling system, then there is nothing to worry about. Your air cooler will again filter it outside by consuming it like always.
Can Smoke Travel Through Vents?
There are some possibilities that smoke can travel through vents. If your vent has some gap, then smoke can easily enter your home through it.
But you can prevent it by sealing those gaps with insulation padding or with masking tape.
How Can You Stop Your Vents From Smoking?
If you are one of those victims who is continuously suffering from smoke coming through their vents, then I have the ultimate solution for you, and it’s a very easy and convenient solution.
And the best thing about it is, you can find these materials available in your home.
So the things you can do to stop your vents from outside smoke is-
- You can use insulation padding if there are any gaps in your vents.
- You can use caulk or weather stripping’s also to fill those gaps around your windows.
- You can also fit extractive window fans.
- You can also use masking tapes for the gaps in your vents. Etc.
Do Air Conditioners Filter Out Smoke? Is An Ac Filter Necessary?
Sometimes smoke can come inside of your home through your window or through the gap in your vents. If you smoke a cigarette inside of your house or if there is a bush fire or wildlife fire, or any fire-related incident, smoke can easily enter your home.
But do air conditioners filter out smoke? That is a very nice question. Air coolers can easily filter out smoke from your house by using its filter. If you are in doubt if it is the smart thing to do, and if air coolers can filter out the smoke, then without any doubts, you can switch on your air cooler in this case.
Air coolers will help you remove those unwanted smokes from your home by consuming them and will help you to clear your home’s air.
That’s why an air cooler filter is necessary. Air cooler filters trap down all the dust and pollutants, and impurities from our home and help to release fresh air.
Even though you can use an air cooler without an air filter, you should not use it like that. Because air filters not only help to remove unwanted dust and pollutants, it is also a reason behind our good health.
How Often Should AC Filters Be Replaced?
If you are in doubt about when is the right time for your air filter to be replaced, then you have to keep some things in mind. They are-
- How polluted your area is.
- Your air filters model.
- How much pollution inside of your home is.
- If you own any pets or not. Also, the number of your pets.
- How small or big your home is.
You have to keep these things on your mind before your filter replacement because your filter replacement depends on these things. Otherwise, you can change them every 90 days if you do not have any respiratory problems. But changing them every 45 days is a better option if you want better service.
Can Air Filter Affect AC?
An air filter can easily affect your air cooling system if it is dirty. Dirty filters can form clogs inside of your air cooling system. Clogs can reduce airflow and also reserve cold air inside of your AC component. This can freeze up the coil. It can also reduce the duration of your air cooling system. Can increase bills.
So yeah, a dirty filter can affect your air cooling system.
Can AC Filters Be Washed?
Air filters can be washed if it is washable. And washing an air filter is very, very easy. All you will need are three things. They are-
- An old toothbrush.
- Some dishwashing soap or white vinegar.
- Water.
Detach your air filter from your air cooler. Then fill the sink with water. Use your toothbrush, dishwashing soap, or vinegar and clean the filter until all the dirt is gone. After cleaning it, wait until it is dry. Then attach it again with your air cooling system.
How Much Does An AC Filter Cost?
Air filters are not that costly. Depending on the model and quality, you can find an air filter for about $25 to $100. But if you can not install it on your own, then you have to spend some extra charge on labor.
Conclusion
Every problem has its own solution. I hope you also got a solution to your doubt. Your question was, do air conditioners filter out smoke, which was a very nice question.
I hope this article was able to answer your question. From now on, don’t be in doubt whether you should or should not switch on your air cooler if there is smoke in your home.
