Chances are that you have a free-standing fan or two around your home. These are great for keeping air circulating in your home when it isn’t quite hot enough to justify using the AC system. If you have used fans in the past, there is also a chance that you have seen the impact that a build-up of dirt can have on this machine–reduced airflow being the main consequence.
The question we have for you is this: If a build-up of debris in your fan can create a noticeable impact on your comfort, what do you think a dirty filter can do to the airflow going in and out of your air conditioner? It isn’t a stretch to say it wouldn’t have a positive impact. But did you know a dirty filter can actually create the need for an AC repair in Clearwater, FL?
Why Is Your Air Filter Important?
The filter that is built to be a part of your air conditioning system is there to protect it. What we mean is that the job of this filter is specifically to protect the internal workings and mechanisms of your AC unit from encountering too much dust, dirt, and debris. In doing so, the filter allows clean air to flow through the system to be cooled and pumped into your home.
As you may have guessed, however, when a filter becomes clogged up, this process and any benefits that the filter previously offered won’t be able to be relied upon anymore.
The Consequences of a Dirty Filter
Over time, after months of regular use, your air filter is going to end up having collected a large amount of dirt and debris. While this might not seem like it can be too much of a problem, a little dust can have a huge impact on your home. These are the consequences that will result from an air filter that has become too dirty to be helpful anymore:
- Reduced airflow: Remember how we talked about the build-up of debris hindering the airflow from a stand-alone fan? It can do this for the flow of air into and out of your air conditioner too. A filter that is clogged full of dust and debris will end up slowing the airflow into your unit, which will slow down the cooling process.
- Dirty evaporator coil: Your filter may not be able to stop all of the debris that is trying to get into your air conditioner either. After a while, dust and dirt might be able to get through a clogged filter and will start to cause problems for your system. The biggest issue that this can lead to is a layer of dust collecting on your evaporator coil, which will hinder the cooling process and eventually cause additional damage as well.
- Less comfort: Of course, ultimately, too much dirt and debris collecting on your air filter are going to reduce the comfort in your home. This is because it will hinder the cooling process and will reduce the quality of the air in your home as well.
