Sometimes a simple task can make a big difference, like checking your HVAC air filter to maintain your indoor air quality and comfort. However, most people neglect these filters and put their building’s air quality and personal health at risk.
You need to check and change your air filter as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can contact an HVAC expert to timely fix dirty and clogged filters. This simple step will not only ensure sufficient airflow in each room but will also reduce energy consumption.
If you are not careful about the air filters and don’t change them regularly, it can adversely impact your health and finances. Take a look at what happens when you ignore the air filters:
1. Your HVAC Unit Can Break Down
If you don’t change the air filter and leave them clogged and dirty, it will not just impact your air filter. But it will stop your HVAC unit from functioning as well. The typical life of a commercial HVAC system is between 15 and 20 years. All that is required is to change or upgrade them when required.
However, air filters are an important part of your HVAC unit. So, by neglecting them, you may shorten the average lifespan of your HVAC system by five to ten years. Once your air filter starts accumulating dust in the ducts, it degrades the moving parts and makes them draw more power. It causes your unit to wear out much faster than normal. Thus, you may soon have to replace parts of your HVAC that can be quite expensive.
2. Diminished Comfort & Air Quality
The indoor air quality can be much worse than the air outdoors. It has various sources of pollution as well that we often tend to forget such as cooking residue, paints, varnishes, fungal spores, etc. Thus, if you don’t clean or replace a clogged air filter, the poor-quality air will continue to circulate inside your building.
Poor air quality can lead to decreased comfort for those inside the building and may cause watery eyes, coughing, sneezing fits, asthma-related symptoms, and even long-term respiratory problems.
3. Outrageous Energy Bills
HVAC units are known to significantly increase your energy bills. However, a clogged air filter can contribute to an additional 15% increase in energy usage. Once the dust and debris in a clogged air filter slow down the airflow, it pushes your unit into overdrive to maintain the temperature inside the room. It will not only wear down your unit but also waste energy and cause outrageous energy bills.
If you don’t want to risk these big and expensive problems, you should clean or replace your HVAC unit’s air filter every two months during the cooling season. However, if your unit is constantly subjected to dusty conditions, it may require more frequent attention. Your HVAC unit requires regular maintenance by experts. But this small DIY step can save both your health and money.
