You have had it drilled into your head over and over again. Your air conditioner needs annual, professional maintenance. If you are a responsible homeowner, then you are diligent in scheduling annual maintenance with trained professionals that you can trust. In fact, you’ve probably already joined our outstanding maintenance program. You may still be falling short in one particular area, though, and that is in changing your air filter as needed. Yes, we’ll do it during your tune-up, but that’s not enough.
Your air filter is going to need to be changed somewhere in the every 1-3 month range, though there are a lot of different factors that can influence just how frequently yours will require changing. And before you ask, yes, it really is that important. Leaving a dirty air filter in your HVAC system can have a number of detrimental effects on that system, as you’ll see in the post that follows. So read on, and remember to schedule your AC services in Chesterfield with us.
Protecting Systems and Performance—Not Indoor Air Quality
One thing that we frequently hear from homeowners is “well, the air quality seems fine”. That’s great! But it’s not due to your air filter. At least, not the type of standard air filter that we are talking about today. Air filtration is definitely a good way to boost indoor air quality, but this air filter is far too inefficient for doing so effectively.
So if it’s not there to boost indoor air quality in the living space, what exactly is it there for? Well, this particular air filter is there to prevent the buildup of dust and dirt from compromising the function of the air conditioning system. A dirty filter won’t do that job effectively, and it will start to create new problems of its own, as well.
Inefficiency
If your air filter is very dirty, then it is going to increase airflow resistance in your HVAC system. When that happens, you are going to notice an increase in your energy costs. Cooling your home is not going to come for free, but you shouldn’t have to overpay for it just because your filter is dirty.
The dirtier that filter, the harder it is for your air conditioner to force air through it. This can actually cause air to go around the filter, along with the pollutants that it would normally remove. That can lead to reduced indoor air quality, but will be most evident in efficiency and performance levels. Speaking of which—
Your System Will Short Cycle
Have you noticed that your air conditioner is running in short bursts? Did it used to run in full, even cycles? If so, the system may be overheating due to the strain put on it by a very dirty filter. Then, it is shutting down to prevent damages. The added strain on the system will only make damages more likely, though, and you will really start to see efficiency drop if you let the issue persist.
Schedule your air conditioning services with Fresh Air Heating & Cooling.