What Happens When You Don't Change Your Furnace's Air Filter

One of the most basic issues that we come acress at Golden Seal Service Experts in Saint Charles is filthy air filters. They can 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 larger than most homeowners recognize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a clogged air filter can cause a variety of concerns for your heating and AC system.

So what exactly happens when you don’t remember to swap out your air filter? Here are a just a handful of the side effects you may encounter:

• Decreased airflow. This is easily the largest problem you’ll note when your home’s air filter is badly 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 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 working overtime to give you cool air.
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a threat if your air filter goes neglected 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 more than it should. When your system short cycles, it can 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
• Reduced energy efficiency
• Diminished air quality
• More dust and debris
• Lack of comfort