Keeping your HVAC system's air filter clean may not seem like it would make much of a difference in terms of performance. In reality, it's the most important thing you can do to keep your system running both efficiently and durably. Dust found on your filter and inside your air handler can significantly reduce your system's overall performance.
Importance of Airflow
Engineers design forced-air HVAC systems to pull a specific amount of air through the air handler for peak efficiency. A dirty filter slows airflow, reducing the volume of air that passes through the ductwork. As a result, it will take longer to heat or cool your home, driving up energy consumption.Air handlers also house the components that exchange heat in both the heating and cooling mode. A gas furnace has a heat exchanger, while a heat pump has an evaporator coil that can both heat and cool. When your heat exchanger and coil are dust-free, the heat exchange process is faster and more efficient.
Reducing Dust
Air filters trap airborne particulates of varying sizes, depending on the quality of the filter. Running your system with a dirty filter will eventually cover the parts inside it with dust. A heat exchanger that's covered with dust holds onto heat longer, which can cause it to crack. When the cracks go all the way through, carbon monoxide can escape into your home's air. An HVAC system with a cracked heat exchanger needs to be repaired or completely replaced.When too much dust covers the evaporator coil, the refrigerant inside it will stay cold long enough to freeze the condensation coming off the coil. Unless your system shuts off to give the coil a chance to thaw, the exceptionally cold refrigerant can burn out the compressor inside the outdoor condenser. Keeping your filter clean reduces the likelihood of compressor failure or water damage from a frozen coil.
To learn more about keeping your HVAC system running as efficiently as possible, contact Air Assurance. We've been providing top-notch HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners since 1985.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Fulop-Zsolt/Shutterstock”