Most homeowners here in the greater Boone, North Carolina area don’t think about their heating and air conditioning system until it stops operating the way it should. One of the biggest sources of a HVAC system failure is clogged air filters. Something so simple and little can cause major heating and cooling system complications, crazy right? Continue reading below to find out what can happen to your Boone, NC home and HVAC system when your air filters aren’t regularly changed.
How Do Air Filters Work & What Do They Do?
Air filters are typically made of spun fiberglass or pleated paper and surrounded by a cardboard frame. They are inserted into a specific place in the HVAC systems and act as a barrier to prevent pollutants and other contaminants from circulating in the air of your Boone, NC home. Some common things that air filters trap are pollen, dust, hair, dander, bacteria, lint, and more.
How Often Should My Air Filters Be Changed?
The frequency in which you need to change your air filters will vary greatly from home to home. Most manufacturers recommend that basic filters should be changed every 30-90 days. However, there are other circumstances that can affect that schedule. Things like the number of people in your home, the number of pets, if anyone in your home suffers from allergies, etc. are all things to consider when it comes to changing out your air filters. A good rule of thumb is to check on your air filters once a month and then assess whether or not to change them out.
What Happens When You Ignore Your Air Filters?
When your air filters are not frequently changed, they get dirty and become clogged from all of the dirt, pollen, dust, dander, etc. they’ve trapped. While your air filters are built and designed to accommodate for these items, they can only handle so much. The dirt creates a barrier that the air in your HVAC system cannot completely nor easily flow through. This can cause multiple problems for your heating and air conditioning system including the following:
• Higher Energy Bills
Like we touched on above, air cannot easily flow through your heating and cooling system with clogged air filters. This means your entire HVAC system will have to work harder to distribute heat or cool air where it’s needed. This results in an increase in energy usage and an increase in your energy bills.
• Decrease in Comfort
Because the air in your home won’t be able to flow through your HVAC system as easily as it could with clean filters, you will notice a decrease in your home comfort. The warm or cool air your system produces can’t adequately go where it’s needed so some rooms in your Boone, NC home could be too cold or too warm depending on the season.
• Health Concerns
Your air filters are placed throughout your HVAC system to help trap pollutants and contaminants. When they are dirty and clogged, they can no longer trap contaminants as it did before which means the pollen, dirt, dust, dander, etc. can end up back in the air in your home. You could suffer from itchy eyes or throat, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Additionally, those with existing respiratory issues could end up with long-term effects such as disease or cancer from poor indoor air quality in your Boone, NC home.
If you have more questions regarding your air filters or your heating and air conditioning system in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Edmisten Heating & Cooling team. We are always ready and willing to help out our Boone, NC customers!