Regarding the care of your air conditioning system, the AC filter is one of the most often used but underappreciated parts. A clean filter guarantees the effective operation of your AC unit and the preservation of appropriate air quality in your house. Ignoring to replace or clean your filters, however, can cause a variety of issues, some of which might seriously shorten the lifetime of your air conditioner, lower its performance, and raise your energy expenses. Consulting with air conditioning contractors in Pearland can help you maintain your filters and ensure your system runs efficiently. This blog will go over the risks of neglecting filthy AC filters, how they affect your system, and the need for consistent filter cleaning.
What results from ignoring dirty AC filters?
Before they reach the system, your air conditioner uses the AC filter to catch dust, grime, and other airborne particles. This guarantees that your AC unit performs as it should and helps to preserve the air quality in your house. But various problems can result when you let these filters get choked with trash.
Lower Efficiency and Airflow
Restricted airflow is among the first issues unclean filters bring about. Dirt and trash build up on the filter, therefore blocking the air passage over your system. This not only makes it more difficult for the unit to move cool air but also drives it to push more forcefully. Your AC system thus needs more energy to produce the same cooling effect, which consequently results in additional utility expenses.
Furthermore, a system running overtime to offset limited airflow will undergo more wear and tear, therefore decreasing its lifetime and calling for more frequent maintenance.
Strained the AC System More broadly
The system must run longer cycles to compensate when an AC filter gets dirty and attain the intended temperature. The extra effort can cause unneeded stress on important parts such as the compressor and fan motor. This too much stress over time might cause expensive malfunctions and early system failure. Frequent filter changes or cleaning helps to lower system strain, guaranteeing better functioning and avoiding expensive damages.
Bad air quality in your house
Trapping dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens, AC filters help to maintain indoor air quality. A dirty filter lets these particles pass through your house without filtering them, therefore enabling their circulation. Particularly for those susceptible to airborne pollution, this can lead to allergies, asthma flare-ups, and respiratory problems. Maintaining clean filters guarantees that your air conditioning system will keep purifying the air, thereby encouraging a better living environment.
Coils for Frozen Evaporators
Under extreme circumstances, blocked filters could cause freezing of your evaporator coils. This occurs when limited airflow causes the temperature within the evaporator coils to dip too low, therefore causing condensation freezing on the coils. A frozen coil will make your AC system useless since it will impede heat from the air absorption. The longer you allow the issue to be ignored, the more damage can be done to the coils, resulting in costly repairs or perhaps the need for a total coil replacement.
Your AC Unit’s shortened lifespan
Your air conditioner’s longevity mostly relies on its maintenance quality. One of the most often occurring causes of AC system early failure is dirty filters. Dirty filters can greatly lower the lifetime and effectiveness of your system by making the unit work harder, damaging components, and reducing indoor air quality. A basic but efficient approach to prolong the life of your air conditioner is regular filter changes, therefore saving you money on replacements and repairs.
Why Should You Continually Replace or Clean Your AC Filter?
We have now discussed the several risks associated with neglecting filthy AC filters, and it is abundantly evident that regular maintenance guarantees the effective operation of your system. The following justifies your need to keep up your filter maintenance:
Energy Performance
As was already mentioned, unclean filters force your air conditioner to operate more aggressively, which raises energy utilization. Frequent filter changes help you to keep ideal airflow, cut energy use, and lessen your monthly utility expenditures.
Extended System Life
An air conditioner kept properly runs for many years. Frequent filter changes or cleaning helps your machine run as it should, therefore lowering the possibility of significant malfunctions. Along with saving money on expensive repairs, this postpones the necessity for a complete system replacement.
Improved Quality of Air
Your home’s air quality improves with a cleaner filter. Frequent replacement of your AC filter guarantees that allergies, dust, and mold are kept out of your system, therefore improving the air for your family and yourself. Those with allergies, asthma, or respiratory problems especially should pay close attention here.
Stopping Significant Repair Costs
Many mechanical problems including frozen coils, broken compressors, and malfunctioning fan motors can result from clogged filters. Repairing these issues can prove expensive. But you may avoid these problems and future costly repairs by just routinely checking and replacing your filter.
When should you change your AC filter? How often?
- Standard fiberglass filters: Every 30 days
- Pleated filters: Every 90 days
- High-efficiency filters: Every 6 months
- Pets or allergy sufferers: Consider changing the filter more frequently (every 20-45 days)
You might also have to change the filter more frequently if you have multiple dogs or live in a dusty location. To guarantee your particular system keeps working as advised by the manufacturer, always follow their guidelines.
In conclusion
Though they seem like a small matter, dirty AC filters can cause a variety of major issues for your air conditioning system if overlooked. Neglecting your filters has major effects on anything from lowered efficiency and higher energy expenses to bad indoor air quality and expensive repairs. Regular replacement or cleaning of your AC filter helps you to guarantee that your system functions effectively, that your house is pleasant, and that the air quality remains good.
Recall that a little preventative HVAC maintenance goes a lot towards extending the life of your AC unit and ultimately saving money. Maintaining the cleanliness of those filters can help your air conditioner appreciate you.