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

One of the most routine problems that we encounter at Broad Ripple Service Experts in Indianapolis is dirty air filters. They may seem like a very insignificant piece of the overall home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us create comfort is a lot bigger than most homeowners realize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a dirty air filter can cause a host of problems for your heating and AC system.

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

• Reduced airflow. This is easily the greatest problem you’ll notice when your home’s air filter is very clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being changed, 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 a lot harder to provide you with the same amount of air.
• Frozen coil. If your system is operating harder due to a clogged air filter, you also run the risk of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s running overtime to give you 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 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 could overheat or break down from the added work, possibly causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

• A diminished equipment lifecycle
• Decreased energy efficiency
• Lower air quality
• More dust and debris
• Lack of comfort