How Failure to Change Your Filter Stresses Your Heat Pump
Summertime means we are all lifting our face to the register to allow that cool, refreshed air to our faces after a brief stint out in 100-plus degree temperatures. Our heat pump takes care of us in summer and winter, but, in summer, especially, we have to give it back something. The best offering a homeowner can give their heat pump is regular filter replacements.
Okay, but we forget, right? We're busy and have things on our minds. Does it matter that much? Why? Today we're going to tell you why replacing your air filter is so important to your heat pump.
Indoor air quality
For many reasons, indoor air quality is fairly gross. From outgassing to pet hair, homes are filled with an abundance of motes such as tracked-in dirt and fibers from the furniture. Another one is dead skin cells, which our bodies shed quickly, only to be consumed by dust mites, which thrive where there is an abundance of body dander. Dust mite eggs and fecal matter are allergy triggers for many people--this is all before the irritating little things die in bedding, upholstery, and carpeting. A mattress can double its weight in ten years just as a result of dust mite bodies and their poop. If that isn't enough incentive to change your air filter, read on!
Blocked flow
It is essential for the successful operation of a heat pump that the airflow through the return vent and filter remain unblocked. If it is blocked by too much debris in the filter, the amount of air will be lower, and the system's ability to cool correctly will be compromised as a result. The smaller quantity of air isn't enough to cool your home to the appropriate temperature.
Short cycling
Short cycles are another condition of a blocked air filter. The system can't produce enough air. Meanwhile, the thermometer informs the heat pump the temperature hasn't dropped enough, so the heat pump cycles again. These short cycles are hard on the system, and system stress is the set-up for a future of repairs.
No filter
Sometimes, the temptation takes hold to run the system without one 'just until I buy another.' Nothing could be worse, as the air, now unfiltered, brings contaminants directly into the heat pump system, including the coils, ducts, and registers. There isn't a way for a homeowner to DIY clean his heat pump system. Professional cleaning is the only option.
We hope this has given you a better grasp of the air filter's importance to your heat pump. If you've changed the filter regularly (or even if you haven't) and you still have a problem with your heat pump, give us a call. We'd love to help!
Modern Air Conditioning & Heating is a Boulder City-based HVAC company offering 15 years of experience in residential and commercial HVAC services for all makes and models. You can also call us directly at (702) 919-4365.
