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All of us search for methods to cut costs every month. We shut off the lights, weather-strip our doors, and maybe even adjust the temperature settings slightly downwards when it comes to winter heating in Southern Ontario. However, there is one item in your home that may be costing you significantly each month without your awareness.

It is your regular air filter. Although this may appear to be an unremarkable piece of fabric or fiberglass mesh, it is crucial in determining how well your entire HVAC system works. Once the filter becomes dirty and gets clogged up with dust, pet hair, and other particles, it not only affects your air quality but also places an added burden on your system, increasing your energy use by up to 20%.

The Physics of Resistance: Why Your System Struggles

Your HVAC system, be it an efficient heat pump in Guelph or a regular furnace in Kitchener, has a particular amount of airflow required for its proper functioning. Your HVAC system should be likened to a pair of lungs. When the filter is clean, it makes breathing easier for the HVAC system.

When the filter gets filled with dirt, it generates “static pressure,” which means creating a physical blockage for the blower motor. In order to pass the air at the same volume through a dirty filter, the blower motor needs to spin faster and longer. This will take much more power than normally needed. If your blower motor has to work 20% harder to get air through dirt, then this is reflected in your energy bill.

The Ripple Effect: Beyond Just High Bills

Although a 20% increase in your utility bills is annoying, the problem usually does not end there. A clogged filter causes a cascade effect where your HVAC system breaks down.

1. Short Cycling

In case your system does not have enough air flow, your heating pump or furnace may begin to overheat. The machine will shut itself down, but once it has cooled down for some time, it will switch on again. This process is called short cycling, and it is extremely inefficient. Short cycling is the major culprit behind early wear and tear on costly components such as compressors and heat exchangers.

2. Frozen Evaporator Coils

Just for your information, if you have a clogged filter in summer, your air conditioner will get frozen. Since there will be no warm air passing through the evaporator coils, the refrigerant will remain cold and freeze the coils. Simply put, a frozen air conditioning system is unable to cool, and an expert should deal with it.

3. Shorter Life Span

HVAC units are supposed to function efficiently for up to 20 years. However, this is based on proper maintenance, meaning that running an HVAC unit at maximum pressure all the time can reduce its life span by five to seven years. It will be much more expensive to replace a heat pump in Waterloo five years earlier than expected.

How Often Should You Really Change It?

Our systems in Southern Ontario are kept busy 24/7. Even though changing filters every 90 days would be considered “normal,” there are times when your situation may call for changes to take place after 30 or 60 days.

Some “High-Use” factors to look for include:

• Pets: Your pets shed hair and are furry, and you will realize that you will be required to change your filters more frequently because there is more accumulation.
• Allergies: In case anyone in the house is an allergy victim, it would be prudent for you to go for high-quality filters, which means those with a higher MERV rating.
• Construction: There is new construction going on nearby, which will cause dust particles to enter your system through your return ducts.

The 20% Solution

The best part? It’s the easiest HVAC issue to resolve. Performing a filter check once a month is considered a “DIY” job that needs no tools at all, and only takes less than two minutes to complete.

Here at Frozen Flame, we’ve encountered plenty of service requests that could have been easily prevented by simply replacing your filter for $20. But when you maintain this small task diligently, not only will you be saving 20 percent on your energy bills, but you’ll be keeping your home’s most valuable appliance running smoothly and breathing cleaner air for yourself and your loved ones.

Is your unit having a hard time handling itself? If replacing your filter didn’t make a difference in your bills, then perhaps you need some fine-tuning from our team at Frozen Flame.