There must be a consistent and strong flow of air both in and out of your air conditioner. This is essential for it to work effectively to cool off your home. You can imagine that having your air flow obstructed could cause your HVAC system to have some major problems. The thing is, it doesn’t just make you uncomfortable, it is really bad for your heating and air conditioning system. Clogged air filters can turn into major problems very quickly! It will definitely cause you to have to make a call for heating and air repair.
It may make it easier to understand why your air filter must be properly maintained if you understand the significance it plays when it comes to keeping you and your household comfortable.
Why You Need an Air Filter
You might think that the air filter is there to help protect your indoor air quality, it is actually there to protect the air conditioner itself. Many people misunderstand the purpose of the air filter and when they do not notice their air quality diminish, they do not think that there is any problem with the filter. The air filter does not generally affect your indoor air quality one way or the other (although some filters claim to enhance the indoor air quality) the purpose of the filter is to keep debris and dust from impacting how well your machine works.
How a Clogged Air Filter Becomes a Problem
Your heating and air filter becomes dirty over time by collecting debris and dust. If you are a smoker or have pets with fur or feathers in your home, your filter is working even harder to protect the machine. As all of this collects on the filter, eventually the filter will become dirty and even clogged. This can decrease or even stop the air flow to your air conditioner, which then ruins it’s efficiency
Decreased airflow that is caused by a dirty air filter is going to add to the amount of work your HVAC system has to do. Having less airflow through the air conditioner’s filter will make your heating and cooling system work a lot longer and a lot harder to maintain the desired temperature for your home. This means that it will use more energy which degrades your system’s efficiency.
Plus, the strain on your system can put your heating and cooling system at higher risk for breakdown and need for repairs in the future.
How to Make Airflow Better in Your Heating and Air Conditioner
If you want to increase the flow of air through your air conditioner in order to restore or improve energy efficiency and help the system to operate better, then you need to change the filter. It sounds simple enough to do, but in the end, many homeowners forget to do it. Sometimes, it may seem like it is not that important when compared to the other items on your list of things to do. However, in the end, changing your air filter will really help your heating and air system and prevent future problems.
Manufacturers and experts advise you to check and or replace your air conditioner’s air filter approximately every one to three months. You should always change a filter that you find to be dirty to keep your system operating properly. If your filter is the reusable type, you will still need to check and make sure that you clean it just as often as the disposable kind.
Searching for help with your heating and air conditioning system? You can contact Mullin Plumbing HVAC, Septic & Electric and schedule an appointment today.