The air filters in your Moore, OK home’s HVAC system are an essential part of keeping your indoor air quality at a healthy level. They are also designed to protect the interior components of your heating and cooling equipment. Whether the temperature outside is starting to become extremely hot or very cold, you may start to notice a shift in how much you’re paying for your monthly energy consumption. Increased usage impacts your energy bills, but so can clogged air filters. Let’s look at why the cleanliness of your filter matters and how to make improvements.
The Frequency of Filter Changes
A typical fiberglass or pleated HVAC filter should be changed once every 30 to 90 days. The exact time frame will depend on the recommendation made by the manufacturer of your filter. However, you may opt for more frequent filter changes if you have pets in the home or pollen levels are very high outside. This is also the case if you live in an area with a lot of pollution, you’ve had recent remodeling work done in your home, etc. If you’re prone to allergy symptoms, it’s essential that you keep up with the changing of your filters.
What people don’t realize is that clogged filters can not only impact your health and wellbeing, but they can also impact your HVAC system. Filters are designed to trap particulate matter before it can circulate into your home and accumulate in your HVAC system. For your heating and cooling equipment to work normally, there needs to be a certain amount of air flowing through this system while it’s running. When your filter clogs, this prevents an optimal flow of air. Air will attempt to squeeze through the small spaces that are left in your filter. However, this can overwork your system and cause problems.
Increased Energy Usage
When decreased airflow is present in your HVAC system because of a clogged filter, this can result in your furnace or air conditioner turning on more frequently. This frequency increases as your HVAC system attempts to keep your home at a certain temperature. The more your equipment runs, the more energy it will consume. This will inevitably raise your monthly energy bill. Simply changing your filter can promote better airflow so that your home will get to a comfortable temperature easier and with less energy.
The Need for More Frequent Repairs
In addition to your energy bills going up because of a dirty filter, you may also experience more repair costs. A dirty filter can cause a lot of wear and tear on your HVAC system, leading to interior components breaking down. Watch out for odd sounds while your equipment is running, foul smells coming from the vents, your system running more frequently than normal, etc. These can all indicate that there is a need for repair. We recommend that you reach out to our team as soon as possible to avoid more major issues from occurring.
Shortened HVAC Lifespan
Ignoring necessary repairs and failing to change your filter frequently can result in the shortening of the lifespan of your HVAC system. This can affect your furnace, air conditioner, ductwork, air purification equipment, and more. It can be far more expensive to replace these things than it is to invest in a new filter every so often. We commonly see things like the heat exchange mechanism overheating and short circuiting because of a dirty filter that was forgotten about. When your air conditioning unit is running in the summer, decreased airflow caused by a dirty filter can result in a frozen cooling coil.
The Impact on Your Indoor Air Quality
Let’s not fail to recognize the impact that a clogged air filter can have on your indoor air quality. Your filter is designed to remove particulate matter such as pet dander, dust, dust mites, mold spores, pollen, skin cells, and volatile organic compounds. There is less available surface area on a dirty filter, meaning that these particulates will be able to circulate back into your living spaces. This can result in an increase of allergy symptoms, fatigue, headaches, and more.
If you have whole-home air purification installed onto your HVAC system, this equipment will become overworked from a dirty filter as well. There are additional filters that are used by whole-home air purifiers. They tend to be more expensive than the traditional filter in your HVAC system. You may unnecessarily be clogging those filters as well, requiring them to need replacement more frequently. If you don’t change those filters, you could see an increase in energy usage on that end as well. You may also experience more frequent repair needs if your air purifier breaks down.
Signs Your Filter Needs Changing
Aside from watching the calendar to see how much time has gone by between filter changes, there are some other things you can look for.
Dirty HVAC Filter
Pull the filter out of your HVAC system when your heating and cooling equipment is not running. Inspect the filter to see if it looks very dirty. It’s time for a filter change if the filter is no longer white but appears brown or gray. You may also see large clumps of debris on the filter. Light can pass through a brand-new filter, so check yours to see if you can no longer do this.
Dusty Surfaces in Your Home
Do the surfaces in your home appear more dusty than normal? This could be because your HVAC filter is not doing a good job of stopping particles before they reenter your living spaces. Try changing your filter to see if your home stays cleaner longer.
Increased Allergy Symptoms
If you are prone to allergies, your dirty filter may be causing you to feel unwell. Take notice if you’re sneezing or coughing more than normal. You may also experience itchy eyes or skin, fatigue, or headaches. If you’re an allergy sufferer, consider upgrading your filter to something that can trap more allergens. This could be a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter or a filter with a higher MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating. Just make sure that your furnace can handle the restricted airflow that these filters sometimes cause.
Hot or Cold Spots
You may notice there are some spots in your home that feel hotter or colder than normal. This means your HVAC system is struggling to keep your home comfortable. One cause could be a dirty filter.
If you would like to learn more about the importance of changing your HVAC system’s air filter regularly, reach out to the team here at Home Comfort Solutions. We can help you come up with a proper maintenance schedule for your filters, as well as determine other ways that you can save money on your monthly energy bill. If you need repair or maintenance for your HVAC system, reach out to our team to schedule an appointment. We also offer indoor air quality testing, commercial HVAC services, maintenance plans, and new HVAC construction. Contact Home Comfort Solutions to schedule an appointment today.