Preventive maintenance is the premise that must be adopted throughout the life of the owner with his vehicle, but when any recommended service directly affects the health of its occupants, attention must be doubled. At this point, the cabin filter, popularly known as air conditioning or anti pollen, has a peculiarity: it does not have the exchange programmed fora per-established period or mileage. View here for more info: best air filter car

“As this filter does not have a previously defined exchange period, it is extremely important that a periodic visual inspection is carried out on it. However uncomfortable the access may be. For vehicles traveling in large urban centers, a monthly inspection is recommended. In very dusty places,the inspection must be biweekly. Vehicles that travel along the coast also deserve special attention. Although the particulate (dust) index is lower, the high humidity in the air can lead to the formation of mold in the filter element ”, explains Fernando Landulfo, professor at the Mechanical Engineering faculty at FMU.

How it works?

The external air passes through a filter element,eliminating the particles that would enter the vehicle's cabin. In some cases,the filter has activated carbon, which assimilates the function of retaining some undesirable odors. This way, even if the internal air re circulation system is connected, the filter is able to retain odors external to the vehicle.

Why is it bad for your health?

It is very common for cabin filters to proliferate fungi and bacteria when not replaced for a long time. Generally, it is possible to notice the existence of small spots on the filter element that can indicate the presence of these biological agents. The constant variations in temperature and humidity make the region a full plate for the reproduction of these microorganisms.Thus, failure to replace the cabin filter can result in respiratory illnesses for the occupants, such as colds, allergies and others.

Maintenance

It is important to always pay attention to the signs that indicate that the filter is saturated, such as loss of efficiency of the air conditioning unit and bad smell when the ventilation is activated. Changing the filter is not difficult, but the position of the filter varies depending on the vehicle. Therefore, there is no formula that indicates exactly where it is located. For this, the owner's manual or direct contact with the vehicle manufacturer are the best ways.

However, not every car has a cabin filter. In this case, no changes to the set are recommended, such as opening a window to insert the filter element, for example. In this case, nothing better than contacting the vehicle manufacturer to answer any questions.