Air filters are one of the most ignored parts of an AC system. However, the importance of a clean air filter to an AC system cannot be overemphasized. Clogged air filters are one of the common problems that affect the efficiency of an AC system. It can reduce the efficiency of your AC system, thereby making your AC work harder to cool your home. It can also increase your electricity bills.
If you are conscious about making your AC system last longer, it’s crucial you understand the potential problems that clogged air filters can bring and how to fix them to preserve the efficiency of your AC system. Here are some of the major AC problems caused by clogged air filters:
Higher Energy Consumption
The entire AC system process works by the continuous circulation of air; hence your AC systems blower fan can affect the amount of energy consumed in your home. Clogged filters make the AC system run longer and work harder to perform its cooling function. When your blower fan works harder to recirculate air around your home, it consumes more energy, increasing your energy bills.
In fact, studies show that clogged filters can consume additional 15% energy. As the filters get clogged more and more, it consumes even more power because there’s no more room for air to pass through. The best way to avoid this problem is to ensure your air filter is clean.
Poor Air Quality
Efficient AC systems circulate good air quality throughout your home. But when your AC system becomes inefficient, it starts releasing unhealthy air. Clogged and dirty air filters make the efficiency of your AC system reduce making it release clouds of unclean air filled with dust and dirt throughout your home. This happens because there’s no room for the dust and debris that ought to go out pass through, so it recirculates back into your home.
Poor indoor air quality can affect your health negatively; it puts you at risk of contracting respiratory problems and other airborne sicknesses. If you or any family member have respiratory conditions like asthma, the air contaminants like mold spores, dust, and allergens can trigger it.
Also, if you have pets or chemicals within your home, the clogged filter would make your indoor air quality even worse. You can ensure that you and your family enjoy healthy indoor air by unclogging and cleaning your air filters or contact a local HVAC expert for HVAC filter replacement.
Insufficient Heating or Cooling
Clogged air filters are one of the common reasons you are not getting the desired temperature in your home. They can cause inadequate and uneven air circulation throughout the house. The blower fans are responsible for pushing air through the air filter. When the air filters are clogged with dirt and debris, the fans work harder to push the air through, and less air passes through.
As less air passes through the AC unit, the room temperature might not be evenly distributed, making it harder for the HVAC system to meet your desired temperature level; hence, you are left with cold and hot spots. Besides, your AC systems would have to run for longer periods to meet up while consuming more energy. If your air filter is clogged, you can get an HVAC professional to help you with HVAC filter replacement.
Frozen Evaporator Coils
When you see ice in your evaporator coils, you shouldn’t ignore it; it’s a problem that shouldn’t be overlooked. Frozen evaporator coils imply that air can’t pass through freely. When this happens, condensation may occur, and the moisture begins to freeze.
Clogged air filters can cause reduced airflow, meaning that adequate air does not pass through the evaporator coils to dispel the condensation that usually builds up during the cooling process, making it frozen. Frozen evaporator coils reduce your AC system’s ability to absorb heat, and it can cause the air conditioner to break down.
Overheating
Clogged air filters can make your AC overheat. This because the AC has to work twice as hard to cool your home. As the AC overworks itself to keep up, more pressure builds up, making the unit overheated.
Furnace Failure
Although air filters are generally perceived as a trivial AC component, something as simple as a clogged air filter can cause a heater to stop working. Clogged filters can cause internal damage to your HVAC system. Some studies even tag clogged air filters as the primary cause of AC systems failure. Air filters that are not correctly changed can also cause damage; it’s best to get an HVAC professional to handle your clogged HVAC filter replacement.
HVAC System Shut Down
Imagine dealing with a malfunctioning AC system during the hot season. Not so cool, right? You’d want to avoid that by checking your air filters. Regularly maintaining your AC means that it would always function at its best.
During maintenance, the HVAC experts check and replace the air filters; however, when the air filters are not maintained and left to become clogged with dirt, it can cause the components to start breaking down gradually. Rather than waiting for your AC system to break down, which would cost a lot of money to repair, you can save yourself money in the long run by getting an HVAC filter replacement when your air filters are clogged.
Dealing With Dirty Air Filters
Fortunately, clogged air filters are cheap to replace and easy to maintain. If your AC unit keeps experiencing problems caused by clogged air filters, you can try simple solutions such as cleaning the filter before getting a professional.
Cleaning your air filter is pretty simple. You will take the filter out of the furnace, unclog the dirt buildup and remove the debris, then clean the filter, placing it under warm running water. Allow the filter to get dried before installing it back to the system.
If you keep experiencing AC problems after cleaning the air filter, you may need to consider an HVAC filter replacement. If the problem persists after replacing the air filters, you’ll need to get an HVAC expert to find the problem and fix it.
