What kind of bad things? Very bad things! Like—well, we’re not going to dive into it just yet. First, we want to start with the good news. Preventing problems caused by dirty filters is incredibly easy. It is incredibly affordable. And it is incredibly overlooked. That’s the bad part. As simple and affordable as changing your filter is, you may not do it enough.
How often is enough? In most homes, every 1-3 months makes sense. If you are constantly running your AC in Whittier , then probably on the more frequent side. If you go without it frequently, then on the less frequent side. The best step is simply to check the filter. Pull it out. Give it a once over. Replace if it is dirty. Simple enough.
Seriously—What Kinds of Bad Things?
We’re not going to dive into that just—oh, wait. We covered that already. We are diving right in. Well, these kinds of bad things!
- Increased energy costs . The harder that your air conditioner has to work to cool your home, the more money it costs to cool your home. And if the AC is struggling to force air through a dirty filter, guess what? It’s working harder than it should have to!
- Reduced cooling performance . You know what’s worse than an AC that costs a lot to run? One that costs a lot to run while also doing a lousy job of cooling! If your system has a filthy filter, its performance quality will drop.
- More frequent repairs . Changing an air filter is an easy DIY maintenance step. Probably the best thing that you yourself can do for your AC. It’s one of the most effective at preventing repair needs, too.
- Short cycling issues . Wondering how a dirty air filter could lead to repair needs? Short cycling is one answer. The system can overheat due to airflow resistance. It will shut down to prevent damage. Then start again. Then shut down again. That unnecessary wear and tear is a big issue.
- Shorter lifespan . When you put excessive strain on an AC over and over, you can wind up shortening its lifespan. Your AC isn’t going to suddenly break down because you forgot to change the filter every now and then. Eventually, however, you may take some time off its life.
Leave Your AC Maintenance Services to Us
When we tune up your air conditioner, we do a whole lot more than just changing an air filter. We do that, too. But there’s a lot more to a professional tune-up. That’s why we offer a few different tiers of our incredible Maintenance Program. There’s something for everyone! We’re not tuning up your system every month, though.
