Your air conditioner is a forced air system. That basically means it’s pulling in air, and then forcing air out through your vents to deliver cool air throughout your home. Let’s focus on one part, though: the air intake. This is crucial for the entire system to operate, and it could be failing due to a simple, basic reason.
With all the AC service in Sarasota, FL we provide, we see a little bit of everything. One of the biggest problems is not switching out your air filter, then it remains clogged and suffocates your air conditioning system. This actually leads to a lot more problems than you might think, so let’s go over what those are, and why you need to switch out your air filter more often.
Your Air Filter Doesn’t Just Help With Air Quality
Your air conditioner relies on a steady stream of air coming through to actually help the entire system run. We often think the filter is just there for our air quality’s sake, but your AC actually needs that air to function properly.
When air flows in, it impacts the closed-loop system that’s filled with refrigerant. The air temperature can change the state of refrigerant from gas to liquid, but if the air isn’t coming in, the condenser coil isn’t getting the air it needs to work. It can ironically make your system freeze up because the dust that’s getting in as a result of having a filter that’s already dirty is that it coats the condenser coil., insulating it and not allowing that air to come in and do its job.
You Can Change Your Filter Right Now
You can purchase new air filters for a few dollars and switch it out with your old one, and you can do it right now. It’s a non-invasive task that doesn’t put you at risk or contact with the electrical parts of your air conditioner, nor moving metal parts. This needs to be checked on every 30 days, and possibly changed out with a new filter every 30-90 days.
The Long-Term Drawback of a Clogged Air Filter
Beyond not getting the cool air that you want on a consistent basis, a clogged air filter also forces the system to work harder than it truly needs to. This puts unnecessary and overwhelming mechanical strain on your system, which leads to more breakdowns in the future. That’s more money out of your pocket in the long run.
Switch Your Filter, Schedule a Tune-Up
Now that you know how much of an impact that little filter has on your entire system, and what it can cost you down the road if you don’t switch it out regularly, it’s time to make a change. Set reminders to check on and possibly change your air filter every 30 days, and schedule a tune-up so we can clean up your AC from any dust and debris that made it into the system in the meantime.
Contact us today to schedule your AC fix as soon as possible.