What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter
One of the most common concerns that we hear about at Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning in Fort Lauderdale is filthy air filters. They may seem like a very small piece of the whole home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us create comfort is a lot greater than most homeowners notice. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a clogged air filter can cause a variety 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 handful of the side effects you may encounter:
- Diminished airflow. This is easily the largest issue you’ll notice when your home’s air filter is severely clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being swapped out, 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 significantly harder to provide you with the same amount of air.
- Frozen coil. If your system is operating harder as a result of a filthy air filter, you also run the danger of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s operating overtime to provide you with cool air.
- Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a possibility if your air filter goes unattended 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 all the time. When your system short cycles, it may overheat or break down from the added work, potentially causing damage to your system.
In addition to these, you can also expect:
- A shortened equipment lifecycle
- Lower energy efficiency
- Lower air quality
- Increase in dust and debris
- Lack of comfort
If you’re not sure when you last switched out your air filter, it may be a good time to do so in order to avert any likely damage that could 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 number of air filters we carry, give Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning a call at 954-736-4314 or schedule an appointment online.