The answer is simple: yes, a dirty air filter can have a significant impact on your electric bill. Dust and dirt on the filter slow down air flow, forcing the heating or cooling system to work harder to maintain a comfortable home temperature. This wastes energy and increases your utility bills. When a filter gets dirty, your HVAC system has to work harder to extract air through it and bring it to your home.
This will result in higher energy consumption and higher bills. The Department of Energy reports that replacing dirty filters with clean air filters can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%. If you take it and combine it with the fact that your heating and cooling system is responsible for almost half of your energy consumption, you could save 7.5% every month. The function of an air filter is quite simple: it prevents as many air impurities from entering and circulating in the indoor environment as possible.
They filter the air of small particles but, in doing so, create a chemical reaction that produces ozone. For that reason, it's very difficult to find a HEPA filter for standard HVAC systems in the local home center. That's why it's so important for homeowners to follow the manufacturer's specifications and use the type of air filter the system is designed for. How often you need to change an HVAC filter depends on what your system can use and your home environment.
When that air flow is hampered by a dirty or clogged air filter, it means your system has to work much harder to cool your home. Dirty filters can cause many problems, some of which go unnoticed, while others can leave you without a working air conditioning system. By changing your air filter regularly, you can keep your air conditioning system running efficiently and save money on your energy costs. Depending on the type of system you have, filters can be reusable or single-use. Unfortunately, even though manufacturers design residential HVAC systems to use a variety of air filters, homeowners will need to review an often confusing variety of filters to find the right one.
In addition to improving the energy efficiency of your air conditioner and saving money on cooling bills, maintaining a clean air filter has other benefits. HVAC air filters work in partnership with your home's heating and cooling system to make it run smoothly and efficiently. So, if you want to save money on your electric bill, make sure you replace your air filter regularly. It's an easy way to ensure that your HVAC system is running efficiently and that you're not wasting energy.