How dirty filters affect your home
You might be thinking why everyone keeps on reminding you to change the filters of your air conditioner. One of the commonest reasons is that it contaminates the air and causes health problems for the dwellers but that is solely not the reason to dispose of your dirty filters. Let's find out more reasons to change the dirty filters every month.
- It will make your home less comfortable- You may think that how dirty air filters are related to your comfort. But give it a thought – the dirt filters block the air coming out from the air conditioner and thus it makes your home less cool in the summer. Let’s keep it simple by saying that you won’t have enough cool air circulating in your home if the filters of your air conditioners are clogged. The temperature will never match up to that of your thermostat.
- Your air conditioner can freeze- Your air conditioner suck air from your home and the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air blowing over the evaporator coil. With the less availability of the warm air, again due to the dirty/blocked air filters, the evaporator coil can freeze. As it thaws, the water may drop in your home. It can also damage the components of the air conditioner. Changing filter monthly can prevent this from happening.
- High electricity bills- Your air conditioner will have to work a lot harder in order to bring the correct amount of air from the dirty filters. This extra work of your air conditioner will increase your electricity bills. Replacing the dirty filters with the new one is one of the easiest ways to reduce your electricity bills.
- Permanent damage to air conditioner- When the airflow decreases due to the dirty filters, the components of your air conditioner will work harder so there will be more wear and tear and if ignored your air conditioner will fail in the end.
- Health impacts- Dirty filters combined with the moisture act as a perfect breeding site for the molds and bacteria. They spread in the home through the air coming out from the air conditioner. As a result, they aggravate the allergic reactions and asthma in the family members.
- Reduced air quality- Dirty filters are responsible for the reduced air quality in your home. Clean filters will improve the air quality significantly.
The air filters have cost but not more than your health. Set a reminder on your phone and change the dirty filters monthly. You can get a new filter easily from the market but don’t forget to take the measurements of the old one so that you can get the one with accurate measurements. Air filters come with MERV ratings. The higher the rating, the more is the filtration capacity of a filter. There are so many types of air filters available:
- Fiberglass - They are about 1” thick and are required to be replaced once in a month. As the name suggests they are made up of fiberglass.
- Pleated – They are made up of paper material or polyester. They should be replaced every 3 to 6 months.
- Electrostatic- They are reusable and only needs to be washed. It filters the air by trapping the contaminants between the positively and negatively charged materials. Wash them once in a month.
- HEPA - They need to be replaced in every 12 months. They are usually used in air purifying system.
If you have pets in your home, if you are prone to respiratory illnesses and if you have leaky air ducts, you will definitely need to replace the air filters earlier than usual. If your air conditioner stops working, just call 24 Hour AC Repair Glendale any time. We will be there in no time for providing professional services.