# Keeping Dust Out Of Your Window AC In The Workshop



## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

A while back I posted a topic asking for solutions in keeping dust out of my AC unit and believe I've found a viable solution, they are called filter pads, my parents have been using them for a few years now in their home unit so I thought I'd give them a visit, they have a local business set up where I am and are Texas state wide in all major cities.

Joe W, Fly Con Inc

They cut them to the size you want and need, they come framed as well to fit your home central units, they are cheaper than the cost of all box store pricing and are better quality, I purchased 12 - 1/2" thick pads for just under $20.00 they are to be changed out monthly, some can go for 3 months depending on the material and thickness starting at 1/2" thick they also have a filter that has an oil based spray on it to catch even more dust, just all depends on what you want.

I opened up the front panel of my AC unit and took a measurement of 10" x 20 1/2" after giving them the measurement it was around 15 minutes wait time got them home and they fit perfect behind the panel.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Nice solution. Hope you'll give some follow-up after using them a while.

I'm about 1/2 way done insulating and installing OSB on interior walls/ceiling of my 12X23 shop. I'm planing on framing in a window A/C also. I'd love to do a mini split but I have 4 or 5 spare window units. We live in a house built in 1895 and are getting central A/C after 25 years of using window units. We have had central forced air heat the whole time.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

While I would agree that dust getting into an air conditioning unit is bad, you also have to worry about air flow. A decrease in air flow will allow the coils to freeze up, which depend upon warm returning air flowing over the cold coils to install BTU's back into the coils, and allow the Freon to flow back to the compressor. I'd be careful that you are now eliminating too much air flow. 
If it does, you simply have to turn it off, allow it to thaw, and eliminate some of the filtering.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Paul, I was taking that into consideration, either way be it caked dust or the filter installed on the coils is going to cause a freeze up, that's the problem I had with my old unit, once we took it out of the building and opened it up we found it caked on the inside with dust and glue together and I mean caked too, a lot of scrubbing and scrapping, that was even after monthly air and water cleaning when it was in operation, I keep the new unit on Eco mode, I hope that will work.


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

Thanks for sharing the idea. Do you have any generic terms for the pads that we could use to locate similar companies in other states?

I think of Texas as a hot weather state. Warm in the winter to hot & humid in the Spring through Fall with the western half being desert and bleaching cow heads. I would not have thought of window AC units as being sufficient.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Sorry but the only company I've found is the one I posted but I'm sure they ship or know of others that might help you.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I am in west Texas where it is hot all summer long. I have a small shop and I cool it with two window air conditioners. I use the more expensive pleated filters in front of them because they are more efficient than the pads that were described in the initial post. BY efficient, I mean catches finer dust and allows more air flow. I dust them off a few times and re use them before replacing them.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Jim, I just ran across these so if there's something else better out there then I'm all for it, can you share some more details please? Pictures?


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Randy,

My unit isn't running as often as yours. I do have a central heating unit ( forced air furnace) I installed. I have the cheapie air filters stacked in front of the 5 micron filters. So I am taking the washable plastic pre filters, and the secondary less dense filters aout and blowing the dust out, as often as I think about it. Not often enough. I have a new ac unit as my antique didn't blow cold enough for a shop your size. I will make and effort to do more general maintenance, as I don't want to try to take the new ac unit in and out. LOL! The old one slid out of the cabinet. But the old days were meant for maintenance. LOL!

Thanks!

Grizzly has air filtration systems for sale. Bought mine in 2006 no problem til I lost my second remote and the first one won't turn the damn thing off and it's in the rafters. But I would buy it again>


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

> Jim, I just ran across these so if there s something else better out there then I m all for it, can you share some more details please? Pictures?
> 
> - Blackie_


No photos but pleated filters are available at Lowe's or Home
Depot. These filters have a zig-zag profile, giving more area of filter for the overall size. The old style pads are about 30% efficient while the pleated filters are 50%- 90% efficient (HEPA filters). Cost more for sure and are not perfect. I still need to clean the air conditioner coils once a year with a spray on cleaning solution. I spend 35 hours a week in my workshop.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

As mentioned in my original post, they have different versions, I'm going to give these a go and will give a report , I wasn't able to find any pleated from my local HD or Lowes that fit between the panel and the coils and I understood that this company I'm buying from have a better product than the local big box stores, if these aren't doing the job I'll double up on them to 1" thick, as I can still get the panel shut.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Be cool for sure


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I just made a rack to hold a pleated filter that is large enough to cover the front, intake portion, of the window air conditioner.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

After two weeks here are the results on the filter and how it works.

The filter has proven to be just what the doctor ordered, not sure about Jim's statement could be the type of pads and or other factors but these pads have proven to keep the dust out of the unit and still allowing air flow, the filter has caught the majority of the dust allowing just a fraction to catch onto the factory filter and hardly none if any at all on the coils.

What you do see on the coils is what was on them before I installed the pads and after I blew them off with the air compressor.









Showing the filter full of dust.









Factory Filter with a light dust.









The coils with no visible dust.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Randy,

You probably have a reminder list to keep up on the maintenance of your equipment?

Been cool enough here to be without shop ac so far.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Not here Thomas been up in the 90s but Surprisingly for Texas it's been cool


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

You can buy stove vent hood filter material by the sheet on amazon. You could also try a layer or two of fine cheesecloth.


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## PaulWood (Apr 30, 2016)

I recently installed the new air conditioner at home with the help of hvac contractors Morris County NJ but after few time the same problem I was facing is of dust. I got relieved after reading this thread to keep dust out of AC. How much these filter pads will cost. i will definitely going to buy one.


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

Paul, I buy them in 24 sheets as I have to change out twice a month during the hot season. I believe I'm paying in around the $30 range.


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