We offer our customers plenty of advice for how they can get the most out of their air conditioning in Colorado Springs, CO: better performance, lower costs. The one piece of advice we share more than any other is “Change the AC’s air filter every one to three months.” It’s a basic job and it does so much to prevent numerous air conditioner troubles.
Unfortunately, it’s the basic jobs that people are the most likely to forget. Although we’ll change out the air filter when we come for your annual spring maintenance, you’ll have to remember to do the filter changes through the rest of the summer on your own. One technique you can use to help you remember is to attach checking the filter with another monthly task, such as paying a utility bill.
To help convince you to keep a regular filter change schedule, we’re going to take a look at the various problems a clogged filter can create for your air conditioner.
A rise in cooling costs
The air filter prevents debris from entering the HVAC cabinet along with the air pulled through the return air ducts. The dust, lint, and other particles caught in the filter will build up to the point where they will restrict airflow into the HVAC system. This forces the blower fan to work harder, which then causes the cost to run the AC to rise. When you see a jump in your monthly electric bills, it may be a warning it’s time to put in a new air filter.
A decrease in comfort
The blower fan will have more work to do to draw air through a clogged filter, and it will also not be able to draw as much air as usual. This will reduce the amount of cool air distributed through the house. Airflow from the vents will drop—and so will your comfort.
Frozen evaporator coil
You should never see ice forming anywhere on the air conditioner. If you see ice on the evaporator coil, it means something is preventing the cold refrigerant in the coil from absorbing enough heat. A clogged air filter is one possibility: the restriction on airflow isn’t allowing sufficient warm air to move across the coil.
Debris in the HVAC cabinet
A clogged air filter will eventually fail at its main job of keeping debris from getting into the HVAC cabinet, where it can damage the motors and other components. When the filter is thoroughly clogged, it will start to bend and distort against air pressure, and this opens up gaps along the sides where debris can slip through.
Overloaded circuit
If the blower motor is put under too much strain because of a clogged filter, it can easily overheat and trip the circuit breaker for the air conditioner, shutting down the whole system. If the AC ever trips the circuit breaker, check on the filter to see if it needs to be replaced for a clean one.
Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning serves Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. Schedule air conditioning repair today.
