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

One of the most routine problems that we encounter at Roland J. Down Service Experts in Albany is filthy air filters. They may seem like a very small piece of the overall home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us control comfort is a lot bigger than most homeowners recognize. 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 neglect to change your air filter? Here are a just a handful of the side effects you might encounter:

• Diminished airflow. This is easily the largest problem you’ll note when your home’s air filter is very clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being swapped out, the more dirt, dust and other particles build up. Of course, this prevents air from passing through the filter as it should, meaning your system is working significantly 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 working overtime to leave you with cool air.
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a probability if your air filter goes unattended for months and months on end. In essence, you will have worked your system so hard that something quits working or wears out and needs to be replaced or serviced.
• Short cycling. Short cycling means the heating and cooling system turns on and off excessively. When your system short cycles, it could overheat or break down from the added work, potentially causing damage to your system.

In addition to these, you can also expect:

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