Dirty Air Filters Cause Heating Problems

Heaters are mechanical systems,  and that means that occasional operating problems are inevitable. Routine heating maintenance will certainly help to keep any such problems to a minimum, but you are eventually going to require professional heating repairs in Phoenix, AZ.  The fact that our winter season is so mild does not mean that you can just ignore problems with your home heating system. While annual maintenance is a must, there is also one maintenance task that you should handle on your own, much more frequently than once a year.

That task? Changing your air filter. If you use a forced-air heater, such as a furnace or a heat pump, then you need to make sure you are keeping a fresh filter in that system at all times. Typically, it will need to be changed somewhere in the range of every 1-3 months. These filters are cheap and very simple to swap out, and the benefits of doing so as needed cannot be overlooked.

Dirty Filter? What’s the Big Deal?

We know, we know. The heater is still heating, so a dirty filter can’t be that big of a deal, right? Wrong! Sure, your heater may still be up and running. That does not necessarily mean that it is up and running properly, though. It also doesn’t mean that the strain put on it by that dirty filter is not taking its toll on the system.

The major issue with a very dirty air filter is that it creates a lot of airflow resistance that the heater must overcome in order to distribute heated air throughout the house. This higher level of resistance means that the heater is going to be using more energy than it should in order to effectively heat your home, and that means that you are going to be paying more money to heat your home than you should have to. Not only that, but you are probably going to be paying more for what amounts to a weaker heating performance.

This drop in energy efficiency is troubling enough, but that is hardly where the problems caused by dirty filters end. You see, that strain put on the system by the dirty filter also puts a lot of wear and tear on the system. That causes parts of the system to degrade, and that increases the risk of running into repair needs with increased frequency.

If enough resistance is created due to this dirty filter, the system can actually start to overheat as it struggles to do its job. That can result in short cycling, wherein the system shuts down before a full heating cycle is completed in order to avoid damages. Short cycling wastes a lot of energy, and the starting and stopping of the system over and over again increases the risk of damages.

With all of this in mind, it should be clear that the benefits of a fresh air filter are well worth the minimal expense and effort of purchasing and installing replacement air filters. Please feel free to contact Goettl Air Conditioning Phoenix with any questions that you may have.

G-O-E-T-T-L it’ll keep you cool but it’s hard to spell.