What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Furnace’s Air Filter  

One of the most common issues that we encounter at BW/Cook Service Experts in Elkhart is dirty air filters. They can seem like a very tiny piece of the big home comfort puzzle, but the role they play in helping us maintain comfort is a lot bigger than most homeowners realize. Regardless if it is cooling season or heating season, having a clogged air filter can cause a variety of issues for your heating and AC system.  

So what exactly happens when you forget to change your air filter? Here are a just a few of the side effects you might encounter:  

• Reduced airflow. This is easily the largest issue you’ll notice when your home’s air filter is very clogged. The longer the air filter goes without being switched, the more dirt, dust and other particles build up. Of course, this inhibits air from passing through the filter as it should, meaning your system is working significantly harder to give you the same amount of air.  
• Frozen coil. If your system is working harder because of a filthy air filter, you also run the risk of having the cooling coil freeze inside of the system, because it’s working overtime to give you cool air.  
• Total loss of cooling or heating. This is also a possibility if your air filter goes neglected for months and months on end. In essence, you will have worked your system so hard that something breaks or wears out and needs to be replaced or serviced.  
• Short cycling. Short cycling means the heating and cooling system turns on and off excessively. When your system short cycles, it can overheat or break down from the added work, potentially causing damage to your system.  

In addition to these, you can also expect:  

• A shorter equipment lifecycle  
• Lower energy efficiency  
• Diminished air quality  
• Increase in dust and debris  

• Lack of comfort  

If you’re not sure when you last changed your air filter, it may be a good time to do so in order to avert any potential damage that might come with a clogged air filter. If you don’t know where your home’s air filter is located or you simply have a question about the variety of air filters available, give BW/Cook Service Experts a call at 574-218-6404 or schedule an appointment online.