You have probably read everywhere that it is essential to change the furnace filter once it gets dirty.
But, have you ever wondered what will happen if you don’t change a dirty furnace filter? Will a dirty furnace filter affect air conditioning?
The answer is yes! This article will explain the effects of a dirty furnace filter on air conditioning.
Can a dirty furnace filter affect air conditioning?
Yes, a dirty furnace filter can affect air conditioning.
The purpose of a furnace filter is to remove dust, dirt, debris, and other impurities from the air so it is safe for you to inhale.
If you will not change the dirty furnace filter for a long time, it will degrade the air quality in your room. Moreover, it will also affect the performance of your air conditioner and decrease its heating/cooling efficiency.
How much can a dirty furnace filter affect air conditioning?
Here is a detailed list of all the air conditioning problems that can be caused by a dirty furnace filter:
1. It overheats the AC
When the furnace filter is clogged with dirt and debris, the air conditioner has to work harder to perform its job.
As a result, the air conditioner starts overheating due to intense pressure, and its life reduces.
2. High energy consumption
When the furnace filter is blocked by dust and debris, the air conditioner has to work harder to perform its job.
When an air conditioner has to work harder, it will consume more energy, and your energy bills will spark up.
3. The AC blows unhealthy air
A dirty furnace filter is always clogged with dust, debris, dirt, and other harmful airborne particles.
If you will not change the dirty furnace filter on time, the AC will start throwing dust, dirt, and debris into your room and destroy the air quality.
When you will inhale this contaminated air, you are likely to suffer from various health problems like allergies.
4. Increased wear and tear
Once the furnace filter is clogged with dirt, the air conditioner starts working harder to perform cooling.
When the air conditioner works harder, it exerts more pressure on its various parts. As a result, the wear and tear increase, and the air conditioner breaks down.
Hence, you have to frequently spend more money on repairing various parts of the AC.
5. AC starts short cycling
The air conditioner works in cycles.
It turns on when the room temperature rises above the temperature set on the thermostat and starts cooling to bring it down. Once it has reached the set temperature, it cycles off.
When the furnace filter is dirty, the air conditioner starts short cycling. It turns on & off too frequently in a short time. It causes wear and tear and reduces the life of the AC. Moreover, you are unable to get the desired temperature in the room. Please check out the idea aircon circuit breaker size.
6. The efficiency of AC decreases
A dirty furnace filter forces the air conditioner unit to work hard and consume more energy.
The AC will struggle badly to perform good cooling but also use a lot of energy and increase your electricity bills.
Thus, the overall efficiency of the air conditioner will significantly decrease.
7. Poor cooling
Your air conditioner will struggle to perform effective cooling if the furnace filter is clogged with debris and dust.
You will observe a significantly warm temperature in your room despite the air conditioner running all the time. Please check out why aircon not cold.
8. Frozen evaporator coils
A clean furnace filter allows the air to pass easily through it. But, when the filter gets dirty it blocks the passage of cold air.
As a result, the cold air starts accumulating inside the evaporator coils and eventually freezes them.
When the evaporator coils freeze, your air conditioner won’t be able to remove heat from the air inside your room. Its cooling capacity will decrease. We recommend you clean your AC evaporator coils on regular basis.
What to do with a dirty furnace filter?
If the furnace filter of your air conditioner has become dirty, you have two options:
1. Wash the filter (if reusable)
If you are using a reusable furnace filter the best thing you can do is to wash the filter.
Read the user manual and carefully remove the furnace filter from the AC unit. After that, wash the filter thoroughly and remove all the dust, dirt, and debris stuck inside it.
Now let the furnace filter dry out completely before installing it back.
You will see a big improvement in the performance of your air conditioner after cleaning the dirty furnace filter.
2. Buy a new filter (if not reusable)
If the furnace filter of your air conditioner is not reusable, you can buy a new filter and replace it with the dirty one.
After doing this, you will see a good improvement in the performance of the air conditioner.
How do I know my furnace filter is dirty?
Here are the key symptoms that indicate a dirty furnace filter. You should look for the following factors:
1. Increase in electricity bill
If you have observed an unusual increase in your electricity bill (especially after running the air conditioner) it can be due to a dirty furnace filter.
The reason is that a dirty furnace filter forces the air conditioner to work harder and use more energy which increases the electricity bill.
2. Allergy attacks
If you or anyone else in your house has suffered from allergies or other health problems after sitting under the air conditioner, it is a sign of a dirty furnace filter.
It’s because a dirty furnace filter contains many harmful airborne particles. The AC blows them into your room and when you inhale this unhealthy air, you get sick.
3. AC shuts down frequently
A clogged furnace filter forces the AC to perform short cycles. Consequently, the air conditioner shuts down frequently.
If your AC is turning ON/OFF frequently, you must check the furnace filter.
4. AC becomes very hot
If your AC has become very hot, it might be due to a dirty furnace filter.
When the filter is dirty, the AC works harder, and in this process, it gets very hot.
5. Ineffective cooling
If the air conditioner is not performing effective cooling, it can be because the furnace filter is clogged with dust.
So, if you see any of these symptoms, check the furnace filter and clean it.
