The Effects of Dirty Air Filter in House: Everything You Should Know (+ Tips to Avoid)

The effects of dirty air filter in house are probably more serious than you realize. With 20+ years in the HVAC industry, I’ve seen some true horror stories (and some seriously filthy filters).

The thing is, most people don’t realize their house has a dirty filter. Around 82% of Americans fail to change their filters on a monthly basis, probably because they forget to mark their calendars. Another third (around 29%) don’t change their air filters at all. I’m willing to bet it’s because they don’t know they should. But take it from me — they do.

The longer you leave a dirty filter in your home, the more serious its effects become. If you’re not making clean filters top priority today, I hope this guide will help you reconsider.

Let’s take a look at the side effects of dirty filters so you know why I recommend monthly changes (at the very least).

5 Things a Dirty Air Filter Can Do To Your Home

Can a dirty air filter cause that much trouble in your home?

Yes. Absolutely. Possibly more than you know.

And if you don’t believe me, I’ll let the numbers do the talking:

1. Raise Your Energy Bill

A dirty air filter is like a sock in your dryer vent — it’s going to clog up your HVAC system and prevent it from running effectively. The dirtier your filter is, the more reduced the airflow becomes. This forces your HVAC to work even harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Dirty air filters can raise your HVAC’s energy expenditure by up to 15%. If you’re spending an average of $100 per month just on heating or cooling, you might be adding $15 of unnecessary expenditure.

2. Reduce Air Quality

I didn’t start looking into household air quality until I had my first child roughly a decade ago. Unfortunately, indoor air conditions aren’t always healthy. And if you’re not regularly changing your air filters, you could be dealing with a potential health hazard.

The average indoor air quality is two to five times worse than outdoor air quality. This is mostly due to contaminants like:

• Dust and dander, which can trigger allergies
• Smoke, both from fireplaces and tobacco
• CO2, which is deadly at high concentrations

Now think back to the dirty air filter that’s trying (and failing) to remove these contaminants. Do you really want to risk the problem getting worse?

3. Create Hot and Cool Spots

Remember how I said dirty air filters slow air flow through your home? This can also create hot and cold spots where the temperature-adjusted air can’t make your home comfortable. If you own an older home with floor vents, for example, it may take a longer time to heat up or cool down your space.

4. Damage System Performance

If you force an HVAC system to work overtime long enough, you may wind up needing repairs and maintenance much sooner than later. I can’t tell you how many heating/cooling systems I’ve replaced over the years because the homeowner didn’t regularly change out their air filters.

5. Instigate Safety Hazards

It may not necessarily be the first thing you think about, but dirty air filters can dramatically increase your risk of fire. Think this is a rarity? No such chance — there are more than 58,000 HVAC fires recorded every year.

So When Should I Change My Air Filter?

You know how most air filters are sold ‘good for 90 days?’

This is a marketing ploy more than anything else.

I’ve seen dozens (yes, dozens) of HVAC systems die because their dirty air filters were only removed four times per year. This is a huge mistake that will cost you money in the long run.

I always tell clients to swap their filters whenever they pay their rent/mortgage. It’s an easy rule of thumb that makes filter replacement routine. But if you’re in a ‘shoulder season’ or don’t run your HVAC much, you may be able to let things slide for another 30 days or so.

So: how do you avoid getting a dirty air filter?

Let’s look at some strategies below.

How to Avoid the Effects of Dirty Air Filter in House

The risks of leaving a dirty air filter in your home will compound each week you leave it alone.

The inconvenient truth is, there’s only one way to avoid the side effects — you’ll need to change out your air filters before they get dirty.

Not sure how to do this? I’ve got a video guide to changing air filters so you can follow along with your own system.

Are you looking for ways to avoid dirty air filters in the future? Here are some suggestions I make to my customers:

1. Set Reminders in Your Phone

Google Calendar can be a lifesaver here.

Just open the app, create a recurring reminder for air filters, and let the program provide you with a friendly monthly reminder.

2. Have Your Ducts Cleaned

Whether or not you keep pets in your home, a once-yearly duct cleaning can reduce the amount of dust and dirt your filters have to contend with.

Plus, purchasing higher-quality filters will reduce the amount of dust and dirt that gets into your HVAC system in the first place. If you’re not already buying commercial quality, sealed edge filters, you can order some from Grab Filters today.

3. Switch to Grab Filters

Grab Filters specializes in custom air filters delivered to your home without additional shipping costs. We carry almost any MERV (from 8 to 13) so you can keep your home as clean as possible.

And by the way: we don’t do subscriptions. Just order what you need when you need it, and we’ll see it gets to your door.

You can make your first order and claim your 20% off coupon by signing up for our newsletter below.