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

One of the most common problems that we hear about at Freschi Service Experts in Concord is dusty air filters. They might seem like a very insignificant piece of the overall home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us control comfort is a lot larger than most homeowners realize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a filthy air filter can cause a number of issues for your heating and AC system.

So what exactly happens when you forget to swap out your air filter? Here are a just a few of the side effects you might encounter:

• Decreased airflow. This is easily the largest headache you’ll notice 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 hinders air from passing through the filter as it should, meaning your system is working significantly harder to leave you with the same amount of air.
• Frozen coil. If your system is working 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 running overtime to leave you with cool air.
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a probability 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 all the time. When your system short cycles, it could overheat or break down from the added work, potentially causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

• A shorter equipment lifecycle
• Lower energy efficiency
• Diminished air quality
• Greater dust and debris
• Lack of comfort