Having a dirty air filter at home is problematic. The hot and humid weather in Texas even makes the problem worse, as more humidity is bad for the indoor air quality. Humidity breeds mold, and these two factors can cause poor ventilation and produce adverse health effects.
Later on, you might find yourself in the need of service replacement because of mold and dust. Replacing components of your air conditioner is necessary to prevent mold growth and reduce humidity inside your home. But you can keep that at bay for now by taking some simple precautions.
Why change air filters regularly?
Woven fiberglass filters keep your house cool. They are responsible for cleaning the air in your cooling and heating system. A good MERV rating for a filter is 5 to 8 for energy efficiency. However, having a decent MERV rating for your air filter doesn't guarantee long-term protection against repairs.
A filthy air filter reduces its capability to block tiny particles such as high amounts of dust, mold spores, and microorganisms. Hence, its replacement is important to avoid health problems, high power consumption, and an ineffective air conditioning system.
Air filter replacement is necessary to ensure that you can prolong your air conditioning unit's life. Doing so saves you time and a high labor cost spent on repairs in the long run.
Pests Can Infest Your Filters
Perhaps one thing you did not think about is how pests can actually cause issues in your air conditioning system. In particular small pests such as spider’s and their webs can pose a problem with spider droppings getting into the air and contaminating it or other pests such as mites that leave droppings. Very few people consider that allergies can also come from these dirty infested pests and their droppings in the air and contaminating the filter.
What are the symptoms of clogged air filters?
Find out the five obvious signs of a dirty air filter as well as the damage that they can do.
Dirt and dust are piled up in your air ducts
Ducts that are filled with dust are a big no-no for your system because they cause the components of your air conditioner to malfunction. Run the "white sheet test" to confirm your suspicion.
Here are the steps in doing the white sheet test:
- Hang a clean white sheet.
- See to it that the sheet stays about 5 inches away from the ducts.
- Leave the sheet hanging for at least an hour.
- Check the color of the sheet after an hour has passed.
A gray sheet indicates the presence of dirt, and you'll need to clean your system right away. Meanwhile, a dark sheet lets you know that you already need to change air filters fast because of the dirty ducts.
Your electricity bill has increased
Hot summers in Texas require homeowners to use air conditioning units often. If you're wondering why your energy bills have spiked up with no apparent reason, you might consider checking your air ducts and then change air filters straight away to help reduce the cost.
Clogged filters can reduce their capacity to control the temperature and you'll end up having poor air quality. This also indicates that it has piled up on the cooling coils. When your unit works more than usual, it compromises energy efficiency.
Your allergies are triggered
Filters are designed to protect you against pollutants. If you don't replace them, you are exposing yourself to health issues such as respiratory problems. You might even notice that your family members have sudden bouts of asthma attacks and allergy symptoms.
Air conditioning units with lingering debris inside them are bad for you. Hence, you should clean them and change the filters to keep those pesky allergies at bay.
Your AC unit's cooling ability has malfunctioned
When you notice that your unit is not cooling as it used to before, it is high time to check your AC unit. This case tells you that cool air isn't released properly from your unit because of the dirt that blocks it.
You need to change the air filter since it can be full of debris. Once you have replaced it and the problem persists, you need to contact your air conditioning service technician to check your unit.
The back of your AC is too hot
A filter filled with debris will make your air conditioner engine use more power. Once this happens, it induces heating and makes the back of your unit too hot.
You might notice that the air inside your home feels warm even when your air conditioner is already turned on. You end up getting sweaty, and your system doesn't even work properly for cooling.
If your unit always gets too hot, its life span is shortened drastically. Service repairs might not be a solution for AC efficiency, as the real cause might be the dirty filters inside the unit.
When do you need to change your AC filters?
As a rule, air filters should be replaced every 30 days. If your filters are still the same filters from the day you purchased your unit, you can be in huge trouble. The dust and dirt collected clog the vents and about 20-30% of the air that should've been circulated is already lost.
Changing your filters regularly will help with the efficiency of your unit. Poe Air ensures a clean air filter by replacing it regularly for your convenience. We have been in the industry for a long time, and we can provide the best service for your home air conditioning unit. Book an appointment with us today for a replacement service.
