What Happens When You Don't Change Your Furnace's Air Filter

One of the most common problems that we encounter at Midway Services in Clearwater is filthy air filters. They can seem like a very insignificant piece of the whole home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us control comfort is a lot greater than most homeowners realize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a filthy air filter can cause a host of concerns for your heating and AC system.

So what exactly happens when you neglect to swap out your air filter? Here are a just a handful of the side effects you may encounter:

• Diminished airflow. This is easily the largest issue you’ll recognize when your home’s air filter is very clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being switched, the more dirt, dust and other particles build up. Of course, this prevents air from passing through the filter as it should, meaning your system is working a lot harder to leave you with the same amount of air.
• Frozen coil. If your system is running harder due to a clogged air filter, you also run the danger of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s operating overtime to give you cool air.
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a threat if your air filter goes neglected for months and months on end. In essence, you will have worked your system so hard that something gives out or wears out and needs to be replaced or serviced.
• Short cycling. Short cycling means the heating and cooling system turns on and off excessively. When your system short cycles, it can overheat or break down from the added work, possibly causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

• A diminished equipment lifecycle
• Reduced energy efficiency
• Lower air quality
• Greater dust and debris
• Lack of comfort