Window air conditioner units need basic service done to them or they will not work as well as they should. One of the more important things to be done is to clean the filter from dust and other debris that can block the air flow. When air flow is block a A/C unit can not work properly and can fail to cool a room as well as when it was new. How To Clean a Window Air Conditioner Filter Remove the fount cover. Each unit will have its own clips or unique way the cover is attached. Slide the filter out. The filter can be cleaned in a sink with water. Only use water as any chemicals that are used will circulate in the room the unit is in. After cleaning the filter simply install it back into the unit. Be sure it is aligned correctly so no debris gets past it while it is operating. How often the filter is cleaned will depend on the climate lived in. For example a desert environment has much more debris in the air than a high mountain region. Keeping the filter clean is very important since a A/C unit works with air flow to transfer hot and cold air to the right places.

A dirty filter interrupts this process and can lead to an under-performing unit. Never run a window air conditioner without the filter as the fins that air flows though can become clogged. This can lead to more problems since the small fins are not easily cleaned and if no air is able to pass though the unit it will not work. If your window air conditioning unit is having problems and not blowing cold air read here for more tips. > Arts & Living > Home and Garden There's No Keeping Pollen Out, But Let's Try to Hold It Down Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, April 12, 2007 Pollen season -- leaving its telltale yellow film on windowsills, tabletops and cars -- is upon us with a sneezing, itchy-eyed vengeance. There is no way to avoid the stuff completely -- moving to Antarctica might help -- but there are ways to fight back inside our homes. The closest thing to universal advice from experts is to keep doors and windows shut, especially during the peak pollen hours of 5 to 10 a.m., says Thomas Casale, president of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, based in Milwaukee.

Beyond that, here are some options for clearing the air: Filters that fit over window screens are another low-tech approach to keeping out the allergens. These reusable filters -- some are made of wire mesh, others of plastic -- come in frames up to 11 inches tall that expand sideways for a snug fit. 3 ton ac unit capacityManufacturers claim they block 90 percent of pollen from entering the home. air conditioning outside unit fan Until you need to turn on the air conditioning, you can use the fan-only mode on window units or a central system to circulate air, says Mark Connelly, Consumer Reports magazine's senior director of appliances and home improvement. air conditioner window unit freezingThe fan will bring in fresh air while filtering particulates from outdoors.

For more protection, install HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in window air-conditioning units or central air and heating systems. These filters, made with glass fibers, are designed to trap more than 99 percent of pollen, dust and tobacco smoke. A one-inch-thick HEPA filter for HVAC units costs much more than a conventional model. At Strosniders hardware stores in Montgomery County, for example, standard filters start at $1.69, while the least-expensive HEPA version is $17.99. Retrofitting a forced-air ventilation system with larger HEPA filters can also be costly. To remain at peak effectiveness, HEPA filters must be changed at least every month, perhaps more often, because they trap more pollutants than standard filters. "If you don't [change them], the furnace or the blower motor can overheat or the air conditioner can ice up," says Bob Nibert, service manager at Academy Heating and Air Conditioning in Rockville. Room air purifiers, about the size of dehumidifiers, filter air within a closed space.

They use HEPA filters or other technology to clean air before recirculating it. Larger spaces need larger units; most specify the maximum area they can handle. For best results, they should circulate the air several times an hour. "If you are going to focus on a particular room, focus on the bedroom, because it's where you spend the most time," allergist Casale says. But Connelly of Consumer Reports has doubts about a single-room approach to air filtration. "If you have pollen as an issue, it makes more sense to get a whole-house cleaner" in the HVAC system. Remove pollen regularly from household surfaces by dusting with a microfiber cloth or a slightly damp rag, says Philip Doyle, owner of the MaidPro franchise in the District's Adams Morgan neighborhood. Clean "top to bottom" to keep particles from flying around. Although Web sites offering products geared to allergy sufferers feature special cleaning sprays such as AllerDust, Casale says, a regular dusting cloth or a feather duster sprayed with furniture polish will pick up more particles without sending them airborne.