A dirty air filter can have serious consequences for your home and health. It reduces airflow to the HVAC system, making it work harder and use more energy, which costs you more money. It also means that you may be unable to keep your home at the right temperature.
If the air filter is clogged and can't trap contaminants like it did before, those things can go back to the air that everyone in your home breathes.
Immediate problems may include headaches, itchy eyes or throat, and dizziness.If air filters are not changed and problems persist, long-term effects could be respiratory disease, heart disease, or cancer. When the air filter becomes too dirty, it will clog and the engine will not be able to draw enough air into the combustion chamber. This will result in poorer performance and lower fuel efficiency. Most likely, the engine check light will come on.
While this rarely causes permanent damage, neglecting the air filter long enough can cause the engine to stop working completely. Outdoor debris can build up over time and wreak havoc on the combustion chamber. Getting the most value out of your home can be as easy as changing air filters. Homeowners who ignore filters in their heating and air conditioning systems risk increasing energy costs, damaging expensive equipment, and decreasing indoor air quality and personal health.
See below to learn what can happen if you don't change your air filters. If the air cleaner is clogged and can't keep contaminants out of the air as they should, those elements can return to the air you breathe. As a result, immediate problems could include itchy eyes or throat, headaches, and more. If you continue with that same air filter and the problems keep pace, the long-term impacts could be serious. They include possible heart disease, respiratory disease and even cause cancer, experts say. Air filters typically have a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Report Value) that determines the type and size of contaminants against which the filter will act.
If you have a higher efficiency filter and don't change the AC filter often enough, a buildup of moisture can cause mold to build up in the ducts, leading to serious mold infestations. Depending on the type of air filter you use, you will need to follow different programs to ensure that the filter is always working for optimal performance. When air filters are not constantly changed, they become clogged by the accumulation of particles and contaminants that adhere to the filter. If you haven't changed your home's air filters lately, the next step should be to determine which filters you need and replace them as soon as possible. Using an air filter with a MERV rating higher than recommended by the manufacturer of your oven or air conditioner may impair its performance. If you have any questions about what type of filter is best for your system or how often you should change it, please contact us at Air Filters Delivered.
In general, most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing the air filter every 90 days or 3 months. 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. But why is this? How can something as simple as changing an air filter be so important? The truth is that not changing your air filter on a regular basis can cause a number of problems with your HVAC system. The only type of filters that trap allergens and spores are HEPA, or high-energy particulate air filters. Not changing your home's air filters regularly can lead to increased energy costs due to reduced airflow from a clogged filter; damage to expensive equipment; decreased indoor air quality; health issues such as headaches, itchy eyes or throat; long-term effects such as respiratory disease, heart disease or cancer; poor engine performance; lower fuel efficiency; mold infestations; and even complete engine failure. To get the most value out of your home and avoid these issues, make sure to change your home's air filters regularly according to manufacturer recommendations.
