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

One of the most basic concerns that we come acress at Falso Service Experts in East Syracuse is dirty air filters. They might seem like a very insignificant piece of the big home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us maintain comfort is a lot larger than most homeowners notice. 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 neglect to swap out your air filter? Here are a just a few of the side effects you may encounter:

• Decreased airflow. This is easily the greatest 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 a lot harder to give you 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 operating overtime to provide 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 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 may overheat or break down from the added work, which could end up causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

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