With dirty furnace filters, your furnace undergoes more wear and tear to clean your air. This overdrive depreciates your furnace system more quickly than if you had a well-oiled machine. As a result of a dirty furnace filter, you'll likely have to do more furnace repairs and maintenance ahead of your regular schedule.
Dirt and dust accumulate in your air filter over time, making it more and more difficult for air to pass through. If you don't change the air filter, it will cause a decrease in efficiency in terms of energy usage, and eventually the clogged filter will restrict airflow throughout the system.
In general, this is how often changing furnace filters needs to be done: For 1- to 2-inch filters, replace them every 1 to 3 months. For 3- to 4-inch filters, replace them every 6 to 9 months. For 5- to 6-inch filters, replace them every 9 to 12 months.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
When you don't maintain your furnace, it doesn't take long for the air filter to become completely clogged with dust, debris and even mold. Once the air filter can no longer keep particles out, your furnace and your ducts become coated with these nasty airborne particles.
Respiratory Infections: When Your HVAC Unit Hosts Unwanted Guests. Dirty air ducts can foster the growth of harmful microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. When these pathogens are blown into your living spaces, they can increase the risk of respiratory infections.
If your filter becomes clogged, it can cause your furnace to shut off as a safety feature to prevent damage to the furnace. To fix this problem, simply replace your air filter on a regular basis. If you have pets, be sure to change your air filter more frequently.
Your filter gets clogged faster when your furnace is running more often. That's because more air is cycled through your filter when your furnace goes through more heating cycles, so more contaminants get caught on the filter's media. The colder it gets outside, the faster your filter will get clogged with dirt.
This leads to a variety of issues for your HVAC system including system inefficiency, higher energy bills, inadequate air quality, and ultimately failure. If you haven't been swapping your air filters as frequently as you should, there's no time like the present to start practicing this crucial maintenance step.
The filter looks dirty: This is simple but effective – look at your air filter. If it looks dirty, dusty, or has clumps of hair and dust, it's time to change it.
The filter will be gray or black and bits of debris will be visible. But you may notice other changes that indicate the furnace is not operating properly.
Cleaning an air filter only has two additional steps from replacing one. Again, the first step is to turn off the HVAC system. Find the service panel, open the furnace, and then locate your filter and remove it from the furnace. From here, you'll want to place it dirty side up and gently vacuum the large debris.
Yes, a blocked/dirty filter can increase the chance of fire hazards.
If you don't change your AC filter, it will begin to fail. It will no longer be able to filter the air properly, letting dust and contaminants get into the HVAC system. Dust jams the moving parts of an AC such as fan motors and valves. Airflow is restricted which creates a strain on the system.
While it may seem obvious, dirty air filters are one of the main causes of poor home air quality. “If your family seems to be getting more colds or having more nasal congestion than usual, it might be a good idea to take a look at your furnace filter,” said Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, Morgan Yost, DO.
When the thermostat's fan setting is set to “ON” the indoor blower will run 24/7, constantly circulating air over the air filter. So now the filter is constantly catching airborne contaminants, causing it to quickly get dirty.
The most common problem you will face with a backwards facing filter is simple inefficiency. If your furnace is forced to blow air through the non-porous end of a filter, it will take more energy to do so. The blower will be overworked and you will pay more money for your heating.
Clean Environment
Solution: Even if your filter stays clean longer due to a cleaner environment, it's crucial to continue changing or cleaning it regularly to maintain system efficiency and prevent potential problems down the road.
Your furnace can, technically, run without a filter. However, we strongly recommend you don't run your furnace without a filter for any length of time. With air constantly moving through your furnace and your home, dust and debris can quickly build up, even in a matter of minutes.
Is my AC not working because of the filter? Potentially, yes. While there are a whole host of issues that could cause problems with your air conditioning system, a dirty air filter should be the first thing to check if your central air conditioning unit isn't working as properly as it should.
A dirty HVAC filter restricts airflow, which can lead to poor system efficiency, increased energy costs, and wear and tear on the unit.
Symptoms of Heater Sickness
Here are a few common symptoms to keep an eye out for: Coughing and sneezing. Sinus infections. Allergy symptoms.
If you or any of your family suffer from headaches, sore throat, irritation of the eyes, persistent cough, or problems with their sinuses, a dirty furnace filter may very well be the cause. Your furnace air filter is there to keep harmful dust, dander, and other allergens out of your home's air.