The idea that you don’t need to maintain your air conditioner at all just because you pay for professional tune-ups each year is no less problematic than the idea that you can tune your air conditioner up on your own. This really is not the paradox that some homeowners seem to mistake it for being. Yes, you need professional AC tune-ups on an annual basis. Yes, there are also a few steps that you should take on your own more regularly. And yes, changing your air filter as needed is a must!
Now, you may be thinking that a dirty air filter isn’t really that big of a problem. You may be thinking that your air filter isn’t that dirty, because it’s not as though your air quality has taken a serious dip. If that’s your way of thinking, though, then you can expect to run into some serious issues with your air conditioning in Cocoa, FL. Here is how a dirty air filter can negatively affect your system and its performance.
Air Quality May Slip, But Not As Much As You May Think
A common and detrimental misunderstanding of how it is that these standard air filters work is that they are there to protect the indoor air quality throughout one’s home. That is not at all accurate. Sure, they trap pollutants that may otherwise make it into the air that you breathe, but these filters are of a pretty low efficiency and actually function to protect your AC system itself from problems caused by pollutant buildup.
So, it is possible for the filter to grow so clogged that pollutants make their way through the gaps between the filter and its mounting frame, but don’t expect air quality to dive to a very noticeable level. It is much more likely that you’ll be tipped off by the resulting problems that will develop with your AC system. Those include the following.
Reduced Efficiency
Sick and tired of paying a high price for cooling your home? The answer that you seek may be as simple as changing your air filter. They only cost a few dollars, installing them is a breeze, and you’ll save money as a result. If you ask us, that’s a pretty good deal.
The dirtier that your air filter is, after all, the harder the air conditioner is going to have to work in order to force air through that filter. It may not sound like much, but trust us—that extra effort is going to show up in your energy costs.
Short Cycling
Your air conditioner does not (and should not) run all of the time. It runs in cycles, cooling the house and then cycling down, only to repeat the process as necessary to maintain consistently comfortable temperatures in your home. What does it mean when the system is doing this too rapidly?
It means that it is short cycling. It means that you are wasting energy and also putting a lot of wear and tear on the system for no reason. It means that you just may need to change your air filter. If your filter is too dirty and is restricting airflow too much, then it will start to overheat and will shut itself down to avoid serious damages. With a clean filter in place, you can avoid such issues.
Schedule your AC services with Next Generation Air & Heat, Inc.
