Your car's performance is suffering and you're paying more at the gas station. You smell like gasoline when you start your car, and flames or black smoke come from the exhaust pipe. The engine control light is on and the car moves forward but not as smoothly as you recognize. All of these are signs that you may need to replace your car's air filter.
Most automotive companies recommend changing your air filter every 10,000 to 15,000 miles, or every 12 months. However, if you normally drive in rural or dusty areas such as Scottsdale, Arizona or San Antonio, Texas, you might want to have your mechanic check and replace it more frequently, for example, every 6,000 miles. Driving in busy areas where there is a lot of traffic, such as Los Angeles and Washington, D. C., can also require you to replace the air filter more often.
Your car also has a cabin air filter that is used to clean the air that enters the interior of the car, but it has a different maintenance program than an engine air filter. Our certified mobile mechanics perform home visits in more than 2,000 U. S. cities and offer fast and free online quotes for your car repair.
It's easy to forget about replacing the air filter in your HVAC system, but it's one of the easiest maintenance tasks that can help your home's heating and cooling system work efficiently and extend its lifespan, while avoiding problems with the air conditioner that can be costly to repair. In addition to regular filter cleaning, you should be aware of common signs that an air conditioning filter should be replaced - here are five of the most common:
- Dust and dirt that accumulate around the air conditioner vents may be caused by a filter.
- Particles can then escape the ventilation grille and build up on furniture and surfaces in your home.
- If your house is more dusty than normal, it may be due to a clogged filter.
- Another potential sign is a worsening of allergies.
- Replacing a dirty air filter can dramatically improve indoor air quality.
Worn or dirty air filters will cause the engine to malfunction; among the things you'll notice is that you'll have less power and weaker acceleration. You can visually check the engine air filter to see if it looks dirty or if it's full of dirt. Changing your air filter can be part of a general adjustment service that will help you get better mileage and performance from your vehicle. The air filter will trap everything from small pieces of mud and debris that come off the road surface to small insects or large pieces of pollen.
By providing a clean air flow to the engine, an air filter ensures that the engine receives the correct amount of air needed to operate at its maximum level. Improved fuel economy is also achieved when the filter supplies the exact amount of air needed to fuel the engine's combustion - when this occurs, airflow is restricted, reducing system efficiency, and the filter may also begin to release contaminants into the system. Therefore, after 10 to 15 thousand miles, you will have to change the air filter (or sooner if you drive and live in very dusty areas). Kaiser Air Conditioning provides repair, installation and maintenance of heating and cooling systems to homes and businesses in Oxnard, California.In conclusion, replacing your car's air filter regularly is essential for optimal performance.
It helps keep out debris, dirt, bugs and other road contaminants that can damage your engine while improving fuel economy. If you notice any of these signs - flames or black smoke coming from your exhaust pipe; less power or weaker acceleration; dust or dirt around your AC vents; worsening allergies; or hot air coming out from your AC - it's time for a new air filter.