As you probably know, your air conditioner has an air filter as one of its components. We strongly recommended that you clean or swap it out regularly, around every one to three months.
But why do you need to do this? What happens if you don’t change the air conditioner’s air filter? And what are the benefits when you do?
We’re so glad you asked. As air conditioning professionals, we feel very strongly about the importance of changing your AC unit’s air filter, because we often see the aftermath of the problems caused by a clogged air filter.
Decreased Performance
When your air conditioner’s performance decreases, your home’s temperature goes up and your comfort goes down. How does this happen? Well, one of the main ways that not changing your AC air filter prevents your home from cooling down enough is simply reduced airflow. When the filter is clogged with dust, pet hair, and other particles, your air conditioner just can’t get enough air through that clog. This means that your air vents won’t be blowing out enough cool air. Instead of a chilling blast, you’ll get a cool trickle, and your home won’t be able to maintain the comfortable temperature you deserve.
Leakage
The refrigerant that flows through your air conditioner’s coils evaporates indoors, absorbing heat, and condenses outdoors, releasing heat. During the indoor part of the cycle, heat is absorbed from warm air inside your air conditioner. That reduced airflow we mentioned above is also the culprit here: if not enough air is flowing, not enough heat will be absorbed. This can lead to the coil freezing and becoming coated in ice. When the ice melts, it can drip into your home, causing inconvenient and expensive water damage.
Keep in mind that frozen coils can have other causes, though. If you’ve been changing your filter regularly and you see this happening, you need AC repair in New Braunfels, TX to get the issue sorted out.
Increased Utility Bills
As your air conditioner works harder and harder to pull enough air through your clogged filter in an attempt to keep doing its job, it will use more and more energy. Not only will your home be uncomfortably warm, you’ll be paying extra for the insufficient cooling.
Wear and Tear
All that hard work adds unnecessary wear and tear. Your air conditioner’s critical components, like the compressor, will be under extra strain. This increases the likelihood that your AC unit will need repairs, and can even shorten the overall lifespan of your air conditioner. If simply changing your air filter can make it so you don’t need to replace it for much longer, that’s a huge savings.
Change It Often
During times of heavy use or when there’s extra dust in your air, change the filter every month. When you’re using your air conditioner less frequently, you should still change it about every third month.
At Thayer Air Conditioning, your comfort is our #1 priority! Contact us today.
