It's easy to forget about the air filter in your home, but it's important to remember that it plays a vital role in keeping your home comfortable and healthy. A dirty filter reduces airflow to the HVAC system, making it work harder and use more energy, which costs you more money. It can also make it difficult 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.
This can lead to immediate problems such as 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. 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. Condensation that does not dissipate can freeze, inhibiting the condenser's ability to remove heat from the air to cool it. Now that we've covered why it's important to change your air filter on a regular basis, here are some tips to help you do that. Buying air filters online is not only convenient, but bulk purchase discounts and auto-renew options can save you time and money.
Most air filter manufacturers and HVAC companies recommend changing the air filter every 90 days or 3 months. 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.
