The air filter is probably the least technologically sophisticated part of your AC system, being nothing more than a box with a cardboard frame and pleated material.
However, the air filter also happens to be one of the most important components of an AC unit. Without an air filter, your air conditioner will eventually end up facing a host of problems. The same thing is going to happen if you neglect to clean or replace the air filter regularly.
Here are some of the consequences of not changing your air filter regularly.
Poor airflow, and its adverse effects
The air that your AC unit draws in is full of contaminants and particulates, and trapping and holding them is the air filter’s primary purpose.
Over time, however, all the pollen, dirt, dust, fibers, lint, pet dander, mold spores, wood particles, and bacteria and other microorganisms it has collected is going to clog the air filter. All that filth will eventually lead to reduced airflow, which creates plenty of problems for your AC unit.
For one, the blower fan in your air conditioning system will have to work so much harder to push air. Your AC unit will have to use more electricity, which translates to a much higher energy bill by the end of the month. The longer you wait to switch out your air filter, the more inefficient your AC unit becomes.
Poor airflow also causes the evaporator or cooling coil of your air conditioner to freeze up. The cooling process produces condensation, and it’s the evaporator’s job to dissipate it. However, with poor airflow, the cooling coil will have a hard time doing its job. It will eventually freeze up and cause problems that may ultimately need fixing by air conditioning specialists.
Worse of all, all the unnecessary hard work that poor airflow forces your AC unit to do will eventually lead to a breakdown. The motors of your AC will be subjected to too much strain, a scenario that is easily preventable if only you replace the air filters regularly.
Decreased comfort
You had your entire AC system installed to keep you and your family comfortable. With a dirty air filter, however, your AC unit will be just like you if your mouth and nose had a hand clamped over them: it will have a hard time breathing. As it suffocates, its ability to produce cool air will also diminish, which will reduce any comfort your family gets from it.
Poor indoor air quality
As mentioned above, your AC’s air filter traps and holds all kinds of particulates and contaminants from the air inside your home. When you neglect to replace or clean your air filter, it will be less effective at what it does. That means it will not be able to draw in what it’s supposed to collect, and contaminants will continue circulating inside your home and render your indoor air quality poor.
A dirty air filter may also become a breeding ground for pathogens that it may trap, and the multiplying microorganisms will likely find their way into the downstream airflow and contaminate your indoor air.
With poor indoor air quality exacerbated by a dirty air filter, everyone in your household will be at risk for allergies, asthma attacks, skin rashes, nausea, coughing, eye irritation, and other health issues.
It’s easy to forget about your AC unit’s air filter even though it’s the easiest AC maintenance task that you can do. You don’t need an air conditioning service to swap out your filters every three months or every month if you have more than a few pets or someone in your household has allergies or asthma. Change your air filter regularly, and you will be doing your AC unit and your family a huge favor.
