Not changing your air filter on a regular basis can have serious consequences for your HVAC system and your health. A dirty filter reduces airflow to the HVAC system, making it work harder and use more energy, which costs you more money. It can also make it difficult to keep your home at the right temperature. If the air filter is clogged and can't trap contaminants like it did before, those things can go back to the air that everyone in your home breathes.
This can lead to immediate problems such as headaches, itchy eyes or throat, and dizziness. If air filters are not changed and problems persist, long-term effects could be respiratory disease, heart disease, or cancer. The Minimum Efficiency Report Value (MERV) rating for an air filter measures how effectively the filter prevents dust and other contaminants from passing through the filter into the air stream. If you find that old filters look like nothing, not even air, could pass through them, it's time to contact an HVAC professional. Homeowners who ignore filters in their heating and air conditioning systems risk increasing energy costs, damaging expensive equipment, and decreasing indoor air quality and personal health. If you want to keep the air in your home clean and avoid unnecessary repairs, consider replacing air filters every 30 to 90 days.
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), this filtration helps provide healthier indoor air quality. When you change your air conditioner filter every month during peak cooling season, you can save about 15% each month on utilities, as well as avoid repair problems due to airflow restrictions. Ultimately, these four main things will happen if you continue to leave a dirty air filter in your air conditioner: uses more energy which costs you more money; makes it difficult to keep your home at the right temperature; decreases indoor air quality and personal health; and causes repair problems due to airflow restrictions. Getting the most value out of your home can be as easy as changing air filters. If you haven't changed your home's air filters lately, the next step should be to determine which filters you need and replace them as soon as possible. Keep in mind that buying air filters online is not only convenient, but bulk purchase discounts and auto-renew options can save you time and money.
