Change Your Air Filter Why | Sound Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

Not many homeowners give much thought to how important an air filter is to the operation of their HVAC systems. A filter does little to protect against many of the allergens and pollutants that can aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms (for that you’ll want a high efficiency air filtration or purification system). Rather, the air filter is there to protect the inside components of your Tacoma, WA HVAC system from contaminants that can restrict airflow and cause a host of other problems.

You can always reach out to anyone on our staff if you have questions about the impact of your air filter or are worried about HVAC performance. In the meantime, we’ve shared below some reasons you should always stay on top of changing out your air filter every 1 to 3 months.

Protect the Well-Being of Your HVAC System

Your central air conditioner, and your furnace for that matter, has a blower fan that sucks in air through a filter before heating or cooling it and sending it back out through the ventilation system. The air filter is meant to stop it from also sucking in debris that could damage the system. But when that filter is clogged, it can’t effectively do its job.

The airflow restriction will prevent the blower fan from sucking in enough air, meaning you won’t feel very comfortable and your HVAC system will struggle to do its job, harming its efficiency.

Prevent Repairs

As we alluded to above, the blower fan in your heater or air conditioner is prone to becoming overworked when circumstances within the system allow it to. So when the air filter is too clogged or dirty, the fan has to work harder.

This can lead to premature replacement for that blower fan. The limited airflow can cause other problems too, like frozen coils and other issues. Many of the repair needs we receive calls for are actually preventable by just changing the air filter.

Lower Your Monthly Utility Bills

We get it—it doesn’t seem like you’re saving money when you are spending money every 1 to 3 months on air filters. However, this can help to keep costs lower on your monthly utility bills.

This is because when your fan is working overtime, your bills reflect it. It may not seem like a significant amount, but over time it adds up—especially when you factor in potentially costly and preventable repair needs.

Help Your HVAC System Last Longer

As you’ve probably guessed from above, although the air filter seems like such a small and unimportant component in your HVAC system, it can have a large impact on it. Your heater or air conditioner can wear out quicker if the air filter is allowed to become too clogged and dirty.

As we stated above, an air filter should be changed every 1 to 3 months. This depends on the type of air filter you have, as well as the level of contaminants in your home. For instance, someone with a lot of pet dander and/or cigarette smoke should change their air filter more often that someone with none of this. If you’re unsure, however, of how often to change your filter, don’t hesitate to give our pros a call.