Why Air Filters are Important for Your Heating System

October 8, 2020

Many heating systems have a ventilation system and undoubtedly need an air filter. For example, when dirt particles get inside of your heating system, your system would most likely fail to operate at its optimal efficiency. Without a filter, other problems could potentially arise and cause harm to your system.

Using air filters is a great way of helping your system run effectively and efficiently. Though an air filter may look like nothing more than a cardboard box full of pleated material, it can protect your indoor air quality and heating system performance. Furthermore, air filters are inexpensive and can help prolong the life of your HVAC system.

Here’s an overview of why air filters are important to your home’s heating system

8 Reasons Why Air Filters Are Important

1. Increases Your System’s Life Expectancy

Primarily, an air filter lives up to its name. It filters particles from the air. It doesn’t just keep pollen and dust out. It’s also tasked with preventing larger particles from collecting in your heating system’s internal components.

Through the use of air filters, you can rest assured that your system will run longer with little to risk of a breakdown. When your system is dirty, it can easily fail, thus increasing the cost of repairs. You can possibly avoid costly repairs by changing the air filter often.

2. Improves Your Heating System Efficiency

Having an indoor air filtration helps your heating system run at maximum efficiency. Your standard filter can effectively shield your system from large particles. However, it does less in preventing dirt, mold spores, and dust from building up on the blower and indoor coil.

Having this accumulation forces your system to work harder to heat your home. This, in turn, increases your utility bills. With time, your heating system will need more repairs, thus reducing its longevity. An air filter will help keep your system in its best shape, thus reducing operating and maintenance costs over time.

3. Saves You Money

In addition to saving money on repairs, you’ll also save money on your energy bills. A clean heat pump, furnace, or any other heating system will operate more effectively, reducing your energy expenses over time.

Keep in mind that cheap filters won’t be that efficient for you. This is because you’ll replace them more often, and they don’t remove as many pollutants as one that’s of higher quality.

4. Eliminates Harmful Chemicals from Your Home

Closing the windows and doors in your home doesn’t necessarily mean that you can shut off pollutants such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. You can commonly find these gases in high vehicle traffic areas and that may easily get into your home.

Research has shown that exposure to nitrogen and carbon monoxide increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia disease. Even if you don’t reside in large cities with automobiles, your home is still prone to pollution due to toxins from cleaning agents. Many standard cleaners have dangerous chemicals such as chlorine, phthalates, and ammonia.

Although exposure to these toxic chemicals in little amounts may be harmless, routine exposure can cause serious health issues like cancer, tumors, neurological disorders, or cardiovascular diseases.

Using air filters with your heating system cleanse these chemical contaminants, protecting you from several health problems. To achieve this, use a highly porous form of carbon in the carbon filtering method to recycle fresh air back into your home.

5. Neutralizes Unpleasant Odors

Some chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, and gasoline break down at room temperature. This leads to the release of an off-gassing odor. These chemicals, known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), can commonly be found in aerosol sprays, air fresheners, paints, and upholstered furniture.

Exposure to these odors from VOCs can cause breathlessness, nausea, and affect your cognitive functions. Research has shown that having low VOC levels in air improves performance and productivity. Air filters are efficient in trapping gases as well as dust particles. This significantly reduces pollutants in your indoor environment.

6. Reduces the Chances of Airborne Diseases

Installing an efficient air filter into your heating system is vital for your health. Air filters trap and shield your indoor air from other contaminants, so you breathe with ease. Airborne diseases such as flu and the common flu usually spread through tiny pathogens that float around.

When one of your family members catches the flu, it’s most likely to affect the rest of the family too. This can happen because all of you are breathing the same bacteria and virus-infected air.

With an air filter, you can help prevent the spread of a virus since they can capture these tiny bacteria. Eliminating the cause of airborne diseases safeguards you and your family from them. When you have children, a person with a weakened immune system, or even an elderly person within your home, air filters are a must-have.

7. Improves Sleep

Indoor allergens such as dust mites, bacteria, and fungi can trigger hay fever or allergies. Hay fever leads to a running nose, which can last up to several days and even weeks. Frequent coughing, watery eyes, sore throat, sneezing, or nose congestion are common allergic symptoms that can disrupt your sleep.

If you lack enough sleep, you’ll likely suffer from daytime drowsiness, thus interfering with your productivity the next morning. Wondering how you can avoid these sleep disruptions? Simply using air filters can help to filter out several allergens from your living space. Breathing cleaner air can lead to a better night’s sleep.

8. Eliminates Hazardous Asbestos Particles

Mostly people used asbestos insulation pipes or roofing materials in the 1940s and ’60s. If you work or reside in an old house, you’ll most likely be exposed to these particles. With age, buildings tend to shed asbestos materials, thus spreading asbestos dust in the air.

If you inhale asbestos particles, you could be in danger of developing a lung disease causing tissue scarring. Loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, and swelling in the face or neck are all symptoms of asbestosis. To protect yourself and your family from asbestosis, you should use air filters as they capture asbestos particles.

Still not convinced? In addition to keeping your heating system operating smoothly and protecting your home, investing in air filters has many other benefits as well. Here are just a few.

Extending shelf life: Removing germs and airborne bacteria can help prolong the life of perishable foods. You’ll find that you may save money on groceries when fruits kept on shelves last longer.

Protect décor and furniture: Believe it or not, using air filters will help keep your décor and furniture looking brand new! How’s this possible? Well, these components remove airborne dust, which can cause staining of surfaces. You’ll also realize that you’ll need to wash your linen such as blinds and pillows less frequently, thereby increasing their overall lifespan.

Rely on the Experts

Interested in knowing more about air filters and heating systems? C & C Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. We provide comprehensive heating and cooling services to homeowners in Macomb County. We have skilled and experienced technicians who are EPA, NCI, and NATE-certified.

Because of our consistency in delivering quality services, we’ve received A+ ratings with the BBB. We’re also highly rated on Angie’s List. You can rely on us for all your heating and cooling needs.

Contact C & C Heating & Air Conditioning today to learn how to improve your indoor air quality and prolong the life of your HVAC system as well as receive top-notch services at competitive rates.

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