Date: July 14, 2023
Introduction
At Champion Services, we understand the importance of maintaining your home’s HVAC system. One important part of this maintenance is regularly changing the furnace humidifier filter. This filter captures dust and other particles from the air and helps ensure that your home’s air quality is kept at a healthy level. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what happens if you don’t change your furnace humidifier filters often enough and how to know when to do so.
Definition of furnace humidifier filter
The furnace humidifier filter is an important part of any HVAC system. It is responsible for filtering out dust, dirt, pet hair, and other pollutants from the air in your home so that it stays clean and safe to breathe. The filter also helps maintain a comfortable humidity level in your home by trapping excess moisture before it can build up and cause mold or other damage.
Overview of importance of changing filter regularly
It’s important to regularly change your furnace humidifier filter as it can become clogged with dust and debris over time. If left unchecked, this can lead to health risks for you and your family, damage to your furnace and home, as well as increased energy costs due to clogged filters.
Health Risks
Not changing furnace humidifier filters regularly can lead to a variety of health risks. Allergies and asthma can be triggered by the buildup of dust, dirt, and other particles in the filter. This buildup can also cause respiratory infections due to the inhalation of these particles. In addition, mold growth can occur if the filter is not changed often enough, leading to further health issues.
Allergies and Asthma
When a furnace humidifier filter is not changed on a regular basis, it can become clogged with dust, dirt, pollen, and other airborne particles that can trigger allergies and asthma in those who are prone to them. The accumulation of these particles in the filter causes them to be released into your home’s air supply when the furnace is running, leading to poor air quality and potential health risks for those living in your home.
Respiratory Infections
The buildup of dust, dirt, and other particles in a dirty furnace humidifier filter makes it more difficult for your body to breathe properly when you are exposed to this air supply. This can lead to respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia due to the increased presence of bacteria and viruses that are present in these particles.
Mold Growth
In addition to triggering allergies and asthma and causing respiratory infections, not changing your furnace humidifier filter regularly can also lead to mold growth due to an increase in moisture levels caused by the buildup of water vapor from the furnace’s heat exchanger. Mold spores can spread throughout your home’s air supply when your furnace is running, leading to potential health risks for anyone living in your home.
Not changing furnace humidifier filters can lead to various health risks, such as allergies/asthma, respiratory infections and mold growth.
Damage to Furnace and Home
Failing to regularly change your furnace humidifier filter can cause a range of damage to both the furnace and home. The most common issue is a clogged filter, which can lead to breakdowns in the furnace. This can be costly to repair and put additional strain on the components of the furnace, leading to further problems down the line.
Another issue is excess moisture in the home due to an old filter not being able to absorb as much water vapor. This can lead to water damage in walls, ceilings, and flooring, as well as other structural damage from mold growth. In addition, air quality can suffer if dust particles and other allergens are allowed to build up in the filter instead of being trapped by a new one.
Clogged Filter Leading To Furnace Breakdowns
When a filter becomes clogged with dust and dirt particles it will no longer be able to properly absorb water vapor from the air. This can cause moisture levels within the home to become unbalanced, leading to potential water damage or mold growth. It also puts extra strain on the components of your furnace such as fans and motors, which can eventually lead to breakdowns that require costly repairs or replacements.
Excess Moisture Leading To Water Damage In Home
When an old filter is unable to absorb enough water vapor from the air it can cause excessive humidity levels within your home. This can lead to condensation forming on windows, walls, and ceilings resulting in water damage or even mold growth if left unchecked for too long. It’s important that you monitor humidity levels within your home and replace filters when necessary in order to prevent this type of damage from occurring.
Air Quality Degradation In Home
An old filter will also be unable to trap dust particles and other allergens that are present in the air, which can result in poor air quality within your home. This could worsen existing allergies or asthma symptoms for those living inside as well as causing general discomfort due to breathing difficulty or irritation caused by dust particles floating around in the air.
| Potential Damage | Causes |
| Furnace Breakdowns | Clogged Filter |
| Water Damage in Home | Excess Moisture |
| Air Quality Degradation | Old Filter Not Trapping Allergens |
Cost Implications
The cost implications of not changing your furnace humidifier filter often enough can be significant. Not only can it lead to costly repairs, but it can also drive up energy costs and lead to water damage in the home.
High cost for repairs due to lack of maintenance
When a furnace humidifier filter is not changed regularly, dirt and debris accumulate in the filter, making it less effective at trapping particles from the air. Eventually, this buildup of dirt and debris will clog the filter entirely, leading to furnace breakdowns and requiring expensive repairs. Additionally, if a homeowner neglects to change their filter for long enough, it could potentially void any warranties that may have been included with their furnace or humidifier system.
Increased energy costs due to clogged filters
Not only do clogged filters require expensive repairs, but they also lead to increased energy costs as well. When a filter becomes clogged, the airflow through the system is reduced significantly, resulting in a decrease in efficiency and an increase in energy consumption by the furnace or humidifier system. This means that homeowners who fail to replace their filters regularly are likely paying more than necessary on their monthly energy bills.
Cost savings associated with regular filter changes
On the other hand, replacing your furnace humidifier filters regularly can save you money in both the short-term and long-term. In addition to preventing costly repairs due to clogged filters, replacing your filters regularly will also help keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently so you won’t have to worry about higher than normal energy bills each month. Furthermore, replacing your filters regularly will also help extend the life of your system so you won’t have to worry about buying a new one anytime soon either.
How Often Should You Change Your Filter?
The frequency of filter changes for furnace humidifier filters is typically recommended by the manufacturer. Depending on the type and quality of your filter, it may need to be changed as often as every month or as infrequently as once a year. It is important to check the manufacturer’s instructions when you purchase your filter in order to determine how often it should be changed.
Frequency of Filter Changes Recommended by Manufacturers
Most manufacturers recommend that you change your furnace humidifier filter at least once a season, although some may suggest more frequent changes depending on the type and quality of the filter. Generally, a standard fiberglass filter should be changed every three months while a pleated filter should be changed every six months. However, these are just general guidelines and the actual frequency will depend on your specific model and usage.
Factors That Could Affect How Often You Should Change Your Filter
In addition to the manufacturer’s recommendations, there are several other factors that could affect how often you should change your furnace humidifier filter. For example, if you live in an area with high levels of dust and debris in the air, then you may need to change your filter more frequently than someone who lives in an area with cleaner air. Other factors such as pet dander and tobacco smoke can also increase the amount of debris collected in your filter, so it is important to consider these when determining how often you should change it.
Overall, changing your furnace humidifier filters regularly is essential for maintaining good health and preventing costly repairs or damage to your home due to clogged filters or excess moisture accumulation. Following the manufacturer’s instructions and taking into account other factors such as air quality and pet dander can help ensure that you are changing your filters at the right intervals for optimal performance.
At Champion Services, we understand the importance of regular maintenance for your furnace humidifier filter. Not changing it often enough can lead to a variety of health risks, damage to your furnace and home, and increased energy costs. Depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations and other factors, you should change your filter at least once a year or more frequently. Regular maintenance is key to ensuring that your furnace and home remain in optimal condition!