What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
One of the most routine problems that we encounter at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning in Fort Lauderdale is dirty air filters. They might seem like a very insignificant piece of the overall home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us maintain comfort is a lot greater than most homeowners recognize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a dirty air filter can cause a host of issues for your heating and AC system.
So what exactly happens when you don’t remember to switch out your air filter? Here are a just a couple of the side effects you could encounter:
- Diminished airflow. This is easily the largest headache you’ll note when your home’s air filter is very clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being changed, 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 operating harder as a result of a clogged air filter, you also run the risk of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s working overtime to provide you with cool air.
- Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a threat if your air filter goes unattended for months and months on end. In essence, you will have worked your system so hard that something breaks or wears out and needs to be replaced or serviced.
- Short cycling. Short cycling means the heating and cooling system turns on and off more than it should. When your system short cycles, it could overheat or break down from the added work, potentially causing damage to your system.
In addition to these, you can also expect:
- A shorter equipment lifecycle
- Decreased energy efficiency
- Decreased air quality
- Greater dust and debris
- Lack of comfort
If you’re not sure when you last changed your air filter, it may be a good time to do so in order to avoid any possible damage that may come with a clogged air filter. If you don’t know where your home’s air filter is located or you simply have a question about the variety of air filters available, give Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning a call at 954-736-4314 or schedule an appointment online.