The short- and long-term effects of dirty air filters can have serious consequences on your health, the lifespan of your Pennsylvania home’s HVAC system, and your budget. The filter may be small and inexpensive, but it plays a crucial role in the function of your equipment.
Bad Indoor Air Quality
The filter traps airborne particles and keeps them from entering the blower compartment. When the filter is dirty, it can’t trap more particles, and those particles end up circulating through your home’s air, irritating anyone who has allergies or asthma. The most common indoor particulates include pollen, dust mite waste, household dust, pet dander and mold spores.
Reduced HVAC Lifespan
When the dust enters the blower compartment, it can cover the exposed components inside, like the fan motor, the evaporator coil and the heat exchanger. When it covers any of these parts, it acts as insulation. Dust covering the evaporator coil and heat exchanger slows the heat exchange process. In the summer, the evaporator coil can stay too cold, and instead of condensing the humidity from your home’s air, it may freeze it instead.
A frozen evaporator coil not only reduces your comfort by stopping the cooling process, it can also harm the compressor in the outdoor condenser to the point where it needs replacing. Other serious problems created by dirty air filters include:
- Water damage when the frost melts can damage any surface around the blower compartment.
- Dust covering the fan blades reduces the airflow through the system.
- A fan motor that’s dusty will run hotter, shortening its lifetime.
Higher Energy Bills
Anything that slows the air through the system raises energy bills all year long. The system will run until it matches the thermostat’s setting. As particles build on the filter, less air goes through it. It will take increasingly longer to condition your home, escalating energy consumption.
To learn more about the problems dirty air filters create and avoiding them, contact the New Age Air pros at 610-298-0271. We’ve proudly provided HVAC services for Collegeville homeowners for more than 20 years.