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

One of the most common problems that we hear about at Coastal Service Experts in Savannah is dirty air filters. They can seem like a very insignificant piece of the whole home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us maintain comfort is a lot bigger than most homeowners notice. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a filthy air filter can cause a variety of problems for your heating and AC system.

So what exactly happens when you neglect to switch out your air filter? Here are a just a handful of the side effects you might encounter:

• Reduced airflow. This is easily the largest issue you’ll note when your home’s air filter is severely clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being switched, the more dirt, dust and other particles build up. Of course, this inhibits air from passing through the filter as it should, meaning your system is working significantly harder to give you 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 chance of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s operating overtime to leave you with cool air.
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a possibility if your air filter goes neglected for months and months on end. In essence, you will have worked your system so hard that something quits working or wears out and needs to be replaced or serviced.
• Short cycling. Short cycling means the heating and cooling system turns on and off excessively. When your system short cycles, it may overheat or break down from the added work, possibly causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

• A shorter equipment lifecycle
• Decreased energy efficiency
• Diminished air quality
• Increase in dust and debris
• Lack of comfort