What Happens When You Forget to Change Your Air Filter?

Learn how not changing your air filter impacts your health and home

You’ve probably heard multiple times that you should change the filter in your AC unit every 30 or 60 days. However, life gets busy and sometimes, you may forget this important task but if you postpone longer than unusual. If you’ve done this a time or two and nothing bad has occurred, you may begin to think that changing your filter is not a big deal. This is far from the truth. Once you understand what happens when you forget to change your filter, you’ll be much more inclined to make this a priority.

• 10 days - after not changing your air filter, the number of air borne pollutants and allergens will increase. There might be extra dust on surfaces because the dirt and dust is recirculating in your home.

• 20 days - after, if you are sensitive to various pollutants in the air, you run the risk of triggering allergy and asthma symptoms. You might start sneezing or coughing because the air filter is now clogged and it makes your AC work harder and consume more energy.

• 50 days - after - your AC becomes inefficient and the fan’s motor has to work harder, and you air filter slot may be clogged with debris. Your walls may become extremely dusty at the places where your vents are located in the home. At this point your indoor air quality is extremely poor.

• 70 days - or more – Your AC unit may overheat and even break or stop working altogether. Some AC units might last an entire year without having an air filter change. However, they can expect an electricity bill about four times the regular monthly amount.

In essence, having a clogged air filter longer than recommended will be hazardous to the health of those living in your home including pets. Ultimately, these four main things will happen if you continue to leave a dirty air filter in your AC.

• Energy Costs Rise - No matter if you have a gas or electric-powered system, a unit with a dirty filter will have to work harder to achieve your desired temperature. You’ll see the difference in your utility bills. If you’ve noticed your energy bills seem higher than usual for no good reason, a dirty filter could be the cause.

• Your System is More Prone to Breakage - That hard work you’re putting your HVAC unit through comes with another coast. A system that has to work harder will be more likely to break or wear out over time. Unfortunately, those repairs are often costly and time-consuming.

• Unable to Cool or Warm Your House to the Ideal Temperature - With a clogged filter, you may find the unit runs and runs without reaching the ideal temperature. If you’re paying for the unit to run constantly, shouldn’t you be comfortable?

• Quality of Your Indoor Air Suffers - When the air is recirculated through a clogged filter time and time again, it will not get as clean as it could be. If you have asthma or allergy sufferers in the home, they may notice it is more difficult to breathe too.

It should be obvious that changing your air filter regularly should certainly be a priority. In addition, choosing the right air filters matters quite a bit too. If you have any questions about what type of filter is best for your system or how often you should change it, reach out to us at Factory Direct Filters. Our goal is to improve your indoor air quality, and in turn, improve your life!

Sources - 5 Things That Happen When You Don't Change Your Air Filters - @Redfin, 5 Reasons to Change Your Furnace Filter

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