Regular filter changes are essential if you don’t want to destroy your HVAC, pollute your Niceville, FL home or see energy costs go through the roof. HVAC filters should be changed every 30 days or when you see visible dirt covering the filter’s surface. Here are four reasons to keep HVAC filters squeaky clean:

1. Prevent Uneven Heating and Cooling Caused by a Dirty Air Filter

As filters get dirtier, air flow slows down. Instead of being pushed through the ductwork to individual rooms, heated and cooled air lingers around the cooling coils or the heat exchanger. When it finally arrives at its destination, it’s not as cool or as warm as it was when it left the unit. Rooms farthest from the HVAC unit receive the least heated and cooled air, so your HVAC has to increase run-time to compensate for the loss. Energy bills go up; indoor comfort goes down.

2. Avoid Excess Equipment Wear and Tear in Your Emerald Coast Home

Dirty filters can shorten the life of your HVAC by up to 10 years. All that gunk trapped in the filter builds up on your HVAC’s internal components and eventually pollutes the entire system. The equipment has to work progressively harder to overcome resistance caused by grit that jams moving parts. The dirtier the filter, the more the system slows down. Your energy costs and amount of repairs you need will most likely increase.

3. Keep Your Niceville AC From Freezing Up

If cooled air in your air conditioner isn’t flowing, it can hang around the cooling coils, build up and lower the internal temperature of the unit. Over time, the cold air buildup can cause ice to form on your cooling coils and in your condensate drain line. At that point, the unit can stop working or suffer extensive damage.

4. Prevent Poor Indoor Air Quality That Can Make You Sick

Indoor air cycles through your HVAC and your home multiple times per day, and it brings all the gunk from a dirty filter with it. Pollen, mites, dust, dander, bacteria and viruses can quickly spread throughout your home and accumulate in the air. Polluted indoor air can even change the color of your walls and furniture.

You can save up to 15 percent on energy costs just by keeping your HVAC filters clean. To learn more about air filters, visit One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating® of Niceville or call to schedule indoor air quality testing for your Northwest Florida home.