Can a Dirty Filter Ruin Your Furnace?

A clogged air filter can cause significant damage to your home, especially to your boiler. It can prevent the boiler from heating your home, and it can also affect the airflow throughout the house and the HVAC system. The lack of fresh air in the oven will cause the heat exchanger to become too hot and deactivated. Dirty filters can also lead to short cycling problems and make it difficult to maintain heat in your home.

It is recommended to replace the clogged air filter before the summer season to avoid damaging the air conditioner compressor. The fan performance of the heating and cooling system can have a major impact on your home's energy consumption, and a clogged filter can consume 15% more energy according to the Department of Energy. If the air filter becomes clogged during the summer cooling season, this can cause the evaporator or cooling coil to freeze because not enough air passes through the coil to dissipate the condensation that normally occurs during the cooling process. If you find that your oven has a dirty filter, but it's a disposable filter and you don't have a replacement one handy, you may be tempted to remove it and let the oven run for a while without a filter.

In addition, if you have pets or have a lot of chemicals in your house, indoor air quality will worsen even more if the filter is dirty. The heating system will work longer to heat your home due to less air flowing through the system. Like replacing the car's engine oil and air filter every 3,000 miles, a clean HVAC air filter protects the boiler system from damage and, ultimately, from completely failing. It is important to continuously check and replace dirty air filters every 1 to 6 months to save money on energy consumption.

When the air filter is dirty and clogged, the boiler must work harder than usual to compensate for the increased airflow obstruction. Dust and dirt from a household air filter restrict air flow, forcing the boiler to work hard and use more energy to heat or cool the house. In winter, when the heating system is operating 24 hours a day, you should check the filter more often to make sure it hasn't been clogged. A well-maintained oven will also work more efficiently and effectively than one that works despite clogged filters or other problems.