Your home air filter is in place for a reason. Yes, it can filter out particulate that could otherwise make you sick or have an effect on your allergies or asthma symptoms. However, that’s more a feature of modern air filters. Filters have been engineered for furnaces and air conditioners since the beginning of the 20th century, since without them, the system could be pummeled by debris as the blower fan sucks in air.
An air filter is there to protect your health and your investment. But when it gets too dirty, it’s not really helping you at all. This isn’t just due to health concerns. (In fact, the lack of air circulation may help to stop even more particles from circulating!) Rather, it’s because a dirty filter raises the cost of heating and cooling.
A Dirty Filter Interferes with Regular AC/Heating Function
First, you should know how an air filter clogged with dirt interferes with the regular function of your heating system and your air conditioner. The blower fan in a furnace, heat pump, and central AC has to suck in air from your around your home before heating/cooling it and sending it out through the vents.
A dirty air filter can have so much debris clogging it up that air cannot get sucked in, at least not as much as it needs. Your equipment was designed to heat or cool a certain amount of air, and without it, your system has to work harder to get the home to the temperature on the thermostat.
You Pay More to Run the Air Conditioner or Heater
First, you pay more money to run a system that isn’t getting the right amount of air. It’s meant to run until temperatures finally reach the setting on the thermostat, and that means the motor is going to continue to go until it does. You can expect energy bills to go up and up, until you change the filter.
You May Have to Pay for These Common AC Repairs
When you attempt to run an air conditioner or heater with a clogged filter, you may encounter a number of repairs. The system is working harder to compensate for the lack of airflow, and that’s bound to result in some trouble.
- Frozen coils in an AC or heat pump.
- An overworked motor.
- A broken-down furnace or AC system.
That’s not to mention the possible risk to your safety if a furnace overheats.
You May Have to Replace Equipment Early
You might have to replace your heating or AC equipment earlier than expected when you don’t keep it properly maintained. That means that you need to schedule routine maintenance with professional technicians, but a simple filter change is just as important.
Changing the filter once a month (or every 3 months at least) stops the AC and heating components from wearing down so quickly, which means you can delay heating and air conditioning service and the inevitable replacement.
To schedule heating or air conditioning service in Waterflow, NM, reach out to the friendly team at Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.