Spring Cleaning: Ductless Air Filters Edition

When you think of spring cleaning, you probably picture open windows, dusting and decluttering. One job that's easy to miss belongs on the list: your ductless mini split filters.

After a winter of heating, the filters in your indoor units have been catching dust, pet hair and debris for months. Spring, before the cooling season starts, is the ideal time to clean them, check their condition and replace anything that's worn out.

Why Clean Filters Matter

Air filters are one of the simplest parts of your heating and cooling system, and one of the most important.

• Lower energy bills: a clogged filter makes your system work harder to move air, which uses more electricity.
• Cleaner indoor air: dust, dirt and mold build up on neglected filters and reduce the air quality in your home, especially with kids, pets or allergy sufferers in the house.
• Longer equipment life: restricted airflow strains the fan and coil and can lead to costly repairs or early replacement.

Homes with children, pets or lots of foot traffic dirty filters faster. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning ductless filters every two weeks during heavy use.

Your Spring Filter Checklist

1. Turn off each indoor unit and open the front panel.
2. Remove all of the filters, including the main screens and any smaller secondary filters.
3. Check their condition. If a screen is torn, warped or brittle, or a secondary filter is past its replacement date, it's time for a replacement filter.
4. Clean the main screens: vacuum with a soft brush attachment, rinse with lukewarm water if needed, and let them dry completely before reinstalling.

For the full step-by-step process, see How to Clean Mini Split Filters.

Time to Replace?

Cleaning only helps a filter that's still within its service life. Main ductless screens typically last one to three years. Secondary filters, such as anti-allergy enzyme, deodorizing, Apple Catechin and Nano Platinum filters, aren't washable and are usually replaced once a year. Spring is a good time to replace them all at once with an annual filter bundle.

Not sure which filters your unit uses? See our mini split filter buying guide or the Mitsubishi Filter Finder. We sell only genuine OEM filters, never knockoffs.