If you don't change your air filter regularly, it can quickly become clogged with dust and particles, preventing proper air filtration. This leads to a variety of problems for your HVAC system, including system inefficiency, higher energy bills, inadequate air quality, and ultimately failures. Not changing the air filter can also have serious health implications. Immediate problems may include headaches, itchy eyes or throat, and dizziness.
Long-term effects could be respiratory disease, heart disease, or cancer. Replacing the air filter and having the HVAC system inspected regularly are part of a preventive maintenance routine. Failure to change the air filter can damage other parts of the system and can result in a large repair bill later on. Changing air filters regularly can help preserve the life of your system and make it work more efficiently.
When you change your air conditioning filter every month during peak cooling season, you can save about 15% each month on utilities, as well as avoid repair problems due to airflow restrictions. This means that the entire system has to work harder to distribute heat or air where it's needed, increasing your utility bills, as the air works longer. If you find that old filters look like nothing, not even air, could pass through them, it's time to contact an HVAC professional. That doesn't even take into account the business you could lose if you were to close to repair or replace your air conditioner.
Your HVAC system is powered by a fan motor that will have to work harder and harder to push air through a clogged filter. The Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) rating for an air filter measures how effectively the filter prevents dust and other contaminants from passing through the filter into the air stream. These air filters act as barriers to prevent contaminants from entering the HVAC system or circulating in the air. If the air filter doesn't do this, not only will debris pass through and begin to clog your HVAC system, but it will also end up circulating around your home along with the air circulating your system.
In short, when you forget to change your air filter, contaminants such as pollen and dust clog the filter and prevent you from doing your job cleaning the air that circulates throughout your home. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), this filtration helps provide healthier indoor air quality. When an air filter is too clogged and dirty, debris ends up entering, entering your HVAC system, and circulating around your home. If you need help remembering to change your air filter, try setting an alarm on your phone or dialing the digital or paper calendar. If you are looking for an air conditioner repair in Atlanta or HVAC in Midtown, contact Moncrief Heating & Air Conditioning with any problems or questions you may have regarding your HVAC system.
