HVAC experts recommend that homeowners in Hanover, PA, replace their AC filter every 30 to 90 days. The frequency will depend on whether pets, tobacco smoke, and other things are compromising the quality of your air, but in any event, one should not neglect this task. Here’s how a dirty air filter will raise your monthly cooling costs.
Premature Wear and Tear
First, a clogged filter will hinder the circulation of air back into the AC’s indoor unit, the air handler. The air handler’s fan motor will work extra hard, then, to push the same amount of air that it has always been sending through your supply vents. This puts wear and tear on the motor, and until it gives out completely, it will use increasingly more energy and raise your monthly bill.
Lukewarm Air or Long Cycles
Meanwhile, the filter is no longer doing its job of trapping dust, dirt, and so on. These pollutants will get inside the air handler and coat the evaporator coil, the component responsible for absorbing heat from your home. What you get is lukewarm air blowing back into your home. The AC cycles for longer than it should, and this, too, contributes to the rise in cooling costs.
Repairs You Could Have Avoided
Lastly, a dirty filter will soon have you requesting AC repairs that you could have avoided if you had maintained the system properly. On average, one should only need a couple of professional repairs a year.
You want to save money on cooling, so contact Siegman Forced Air Systems, Inc., today about our maintenance plan, which we make available to everyone in Hanover and the surrounding areas. Filter replacement is just one of the tasks we cover in our tune-up. Best of all, we provide many benefits with our maintenance plan, including a 10% parts discount.
Image provided by iStock