Learn the Possible Causes of a Wet Air Filter and How to Prevent It

Delaware and New Jersey’s oppressive summer humidity is a lot for your air conditioner to handle. A wet air filter is just one of the problems that can occur if your system isn’t in good enough condition to manage the condensate formed as it dehumidifies your air.

How an Air Filter Gets Wet

When warm air from your home hits the cold metal evaporator coil in your indoor unit, moisture in the air condenses into water. This is how your A/C dehumidifies the air. The water drips down into the condensate drain, then flows out of your home. When a problem with the condensate line prevents this drainage, the condensate can spill out onto other components, including your air filter.

One of the most common problems is a clog in the line. Constant moisture in the line creates ideal conditions for algae and mold to thrive. These can eventually reach levels that stop up the line entirely, causing water to back up and flow over. Similarly, a crack in the line can allow water to escape.

Prevent Another Wet Filter

A wet air filter is the perfect breeding ground for mold. Because all your home’s air passes through this filter, mold here will be quickly spread throughout your house. What’s more, the backup or leak that’s causing the wet air filter can eventually cause even worse damage if not corrected.

Preventing these issues is as simple as scheduling annual professional air conditioner maintenance. As part of annual maintenance, your technician will clean your condensate drain to remove the sludge buildup that inevitably develops. The technician will also replace any damaged parts of the line.

You can further discourage the growth of algae and mold by pouring a cup of vinegar into your condensate drain’s access port once or twice every cooling season.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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