The majority of people know they should change the air filter in their HVAC regularly, but often our hectic lives get in the way.
If you forget replacing your air filter for a lengthened period, there are often devastating outcomes. To educate our customers about HVAC air filters, we at Lewis Center-Powell Heating & Air compiled the following information:
HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD I CHANGE MY HVAC FILTER?
That depends on the sort of filter you have and who and what is in your residence. With that information, you need to abide by specific schedules to make sure your system is operating at its best and most efficient. The majority of manufacturers recommend people with basic filters to replace them at least every couple of months, but certain conditions could alter that schedule.
For instance, you should change a filter in a conventional home with no animals every three months.
If you have a pet in the home, you should renew the filter every two months. For multiple pets, it needs to be replaced anywhere from a month to less than two months, particularly if someone in the home has allergies.
People who live by themselves with no pets can usually change filters once or twice a year without any issues. The same goes for those who have vacation homes that don’t get used often.
WHAT OCCURS WHEN MY AIR FILTER IS CLOGGED?
When you don’t regularly replace air filters, they can suffocate your system. The accumulation of particles and pollutants connect to the filter and act as a blanket blocking the flow of air. While the screen is intended to hold these small items, the buildup can produce a wall blocking the flow of all air. This blockage leads to a slew of issues for the entire HVAC system, some of which include:
Health Troubles
If the air filter is clogged and cannot keep pollutants out of the air as it should, those items can return to the air you breathe. Immediate problems, as a result, could include itchy eyes or throat, headaches, and more. If you continue on with that same air filter and the issues keep up, the long-term impacts could be grave. They include possible heart disease, respiratory illnesses, even cause cancer, experts say.
Poor Temperature Control
When your airflow is blocked up by an old clogged up filter, warm and cool air cannot sufficiently go where it is required. Blocked up air filters make the system strain to create airflow. As a result, homeowners find some rooms can be too cold during the winter or too hot during the summer.
It’s like your system is spinning its wheels.
Furnace Failures
It can trigger an all-out break down if your system is working too hard to go around and through blocked up air filters. If this happens, and you need to replace the whole thing, we’re talking thousands, in some cases, up to $12,000 for a new system. A typical air filter costs on average $30-$40. They are simple to replace compared to replacing the entire system, a mere fraction of the cost.
Costly energy bills
Air cannot flow through your entire system when your air filter gets clogged. This blockage causes the whole system to strain and overwork, making it challenging for it to direct heat or air where it is necessary. This strain raises your utility bills since the unit is working harder.
Froze-Up Coils
Evaporative coils help your air conditioner eliminate heat from the air to keep your home cool. They can freeze up if they are overburdened. With a clogged air filter, the air won’t flow over the coils properly, which makes them cease functioning and leads to a total system breakdown. Here yet again, the cost to remedy this problem is merely buying a new air filter every few months. Safeguard your HVAC system and your budget by changing the air filters on a routine schedule.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
If you have not replaced the air filters in your home lately, heed our warning! Your next move should be to find out which ones you require and change them ASAP. If you find your current filters look like nothing could go through them; it’s time to call an HVAC specialist. We can go to your home to examine the system and address any issues caused by the old filters, therefore avoiding additional problems down the road.
GIVE US A CALL TODAY
For more information, or to schedule a money-saving visit from one of our friendly technicians, call Lewis Center-Powell Heating & Air today at 614-490-7530, or schedule an appointment online now at www.lewiscenterpowellheatingandair.com/schedule-now/
