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 Mobile ViewAIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS A/C - HEAT PUMP CONTROLS & SWITCHES A/C DATA TAGS A/C - HEAT PUMP CRITICAL DEFECTS A/C DIAGNOSTIC FAQs A/C REFRIGERANTS A/C TYPES, ENERGY SOURCES AGE of AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES AGE of WATER HEATERS AIR CONDITIONER BTU CHART AIR CONDITIONER COMPONENT PARTS AIR CONDITIONER TYPES, ENERGY SOURCES AIR CONDITIONER NOT WORKING AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS Air Filter Accessibility Air Filter Bypass Leakage Air Filter Installation Procedure Build Large Air Filters Air Filter Location Dirty Air Filter Problems ENERGY SAVINGS by AIR FILTERS Air Filtering Strategies Missing or Leaky Air Filters AIR FILTERS, OPTIMUM INDOOR Air Filter Efficiency Optimum Air Filter Design / Location How to Cascade Air Filters CONTINUOUS BLOWER FAN OPERATION AIR FILTER EFFECTIVENESS MERV, HEPA Definitions MERV Air Filter Ratings How Air Filters Work Particle Sizes & IAQ Gasketed air filters Debris in Return Air Plenum Washable air filters AIR FILTERING STRATEGIES FIBERGLASS & AIR FILTERS Air Filters Shed Fibers? Fiberglass & Test Lab Accuracy Variations in Fiber Size SOURCES FOR AIR FILTERS OTHER AIR CLEANERS AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS ADDING A/C: RETROFIT SIZING BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLOWER LEAKS, RUST & MOLD COOLING / EVAPORATOR COIL DEFECTS DAMAGED COOLING COIL DIRTY A/C BLOWERS Leaks, Rodents In Air Handlers Mold Growth in Air Handlers DIRTY COOLING COIL DIRTY COIL CLEANING PROCEDURES FROST BUILD-UP on AIR CONDITIONER COILS ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings BACKUP HEAT for HEAT PUMPS BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BOOKSTORE - Air Conditioning "How To" Books CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS CAPILLARY TUBES CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CIRCUIT BREAKER SIZE for A/C or HEAT PUMP CLEANING & Legionella BACTERIA COMPRESSOR CONDENSER CONDENSATE HANDLING, A/C CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS COOL OFF HEAT Thermostat Switch COOLING CAPACITY, RATED COOLING COIL or EVAPORATOR COIL COOLING LOAD REDUCTION by ROOF VENTS COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS CONDENSATE HANDLING, A/C CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS DATA TAGS on AIR CONDITIONERS DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE DIAGNOSE & FIX AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-BOILER DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUCTS - Asbestos AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS ALLOY SYSTEMS FLEXDUCT ASBESTOS HVAC DUCTS ASBESTOS PAPER on DUCTWORK ASBESTOS TRANSITE DUCTWORK BALANCING AIR DUCT FLOW DUCT & AIR HANDLER ODORS DUCT DAMAGE, MECHANICAL DUCT INSULATION - Asbestos Paper DUCT ROUTING & SUPPORT DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? FIBERGLASS DUCT, RIGID CONSTRUCTION FIBERGLASS HVAC DUCTS GOODMAN GRAY FLEXDUCT INCREASING RETURN AIR LEAKY DUCT CONNECTIONS LOCATION OF REGISTERS & DUCTS MOLD in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK NOISES in DUCT SYSTEM ODORS in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK OWENS CORNING FLEXDUCT OWL FLEXDUCT RETURN AIR REGISTERS & DUCTS SOUNDPROOFING for DUCTWORK SUPPLY DUCTS & REGISTERS TRANSITE PIPE AIR DUCTS UNDERSIZED RETURN DUCTS UNSAFE DUCT OPENINGS VIBRATION DAMPENERS WATER & ICE IN DUCT WORK WET CORRODED DUCT WORK DUCT INSULATION, Asbestos Paper DUCT INSULATION for SOUNDPROOFING DUCT SYSTEM NOISES DUCTS, Asbestos Transite Pipe DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? EDUCATION, HVAC SCHOOLS ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS EVAPORATOR COIL or COOLING COIL EXPANSION VALVES, REFRIGERANT FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT FAN AUTO ON Thermostat Switch FAN, COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER UNIT FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS FAN LIMIT SWITCH FAN NOISES FURNACES WARM AIR HEATING SYSTEMS GASES, EXPOSURE, TESTING Carbon Dioxide - CO2 Carbon Monoxide - CO METHANE GAS SOURCES GAS MEASUREMENT TOOLS GAUGE, REFRIGERATION PRESSURE TEST HEAT LOSS (or GAIN) in buildings HEAT PUMPS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSPECTION LIMITATIONS LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOST COOLING CAPACITY MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH NOISY AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE Air Leak Noises AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP NOISES OPERATING COST OPERATING DEFECTS OPERATING TEMPERATURES PORTABLE ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS PRESSURE READINGS, REFRIGERANT REPAIR GUIDE, AIR CONDITIONERS / HEAT PUMPS REPAIR & DIAGNOSTIC FAQs for A/C REFRIGERANTS RETROFIT SIZING for A/C or HEAT PUMPS SEER RATINGS & OTHER DEFINITIONS SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS SWAMP COOLERS SYSTEM OPERATION THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING THERMOSTATIC EXPANSION VALVES WATER COOLED AIR CONDITIONERS More Information |
This article explains the causes and effects of clogged air conditioning or heating air filters. Air filter clogging may be the result of high indoor debris levels, abnormal condensate handling or indoor moisture, or even more subtle problems that need to be corrected. A clogged HVAC air filter increases heating and air conditioning operating cost and in some cases can even be quite dangerous. InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.Also see our HVAC air filters home page at AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS. This website answers almost any question you might ask about air filters for heating or air conditioning systems. We explain how an air conditioning service technician will diagnose certain common air conditioning system failures or defects. We include photographs to assist readers in recognizing cooling system defects. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Dirty Air Conditioner Filters Cause Multiple Problems for an Air Conditioning System
Questions & Answers regarding this articleQuestions & Answers about clogged HVAC duct air filters, causes, effects, cure and prevention Question: What's causing a damp, clogged air filter in my air handler?Roger Cote said: Just had unit installed 2 weeks air flow was fantastic until Saturday started out great then got very little air flow. Shut unit down and re-started Sunday am and got the same result. Looking to remove filter noticed electric box on Furnance blocked filter, also noticed filter has quite a bit of build up 1/8 inch thick. I am assuming this could be my problem. After running an hour dirt gets damp and blocks ari flow what is your take Reply: Roger, it would be unusual for an HVAC air filter to go from free flowing to totally clogged in two weeks without an unusual debris source or water source. You cite damp air filter - I agree that would certainly block air flow (and might collapse the filter for an even more dangerous problem if the filter gets sucked into the blower).
Take a look at the condensate handling system in your blower unit to be sure it's draining and not blowing water or leaking water where it doesn't belong. Take a look at BLOWER LEAKS, RUST & MOLD and WATER & ICE IN DUCT WORK and WET CORRODED DUCT WORK More obscure: if an HVAC system is oversized for the space to be cooled, it might drop the temperature very nicely but not dehumidify - that'll be a bigger problem to fix. If you suspect that problem see if your blower fan can be run on a lower speed - as a test and stopgap measure. We explain air conditioner oversizing at DEHUMIDIFICATION PROBLEMS. Your system is new, surely under warranty - let us know what the installer and service tech report. Question: what happens if I install an air filter that is too small?(6 days ago) acourtland said: Guys. I placed a filter in the unit in the attic that was the wrong size; it was too small. Now, the compressor outside is not working, and I am not getting any cool air. Can anyone tell me what I need to do, or what did I actually break, and what my next steps should be? Reply: Acourtland, A too-small air filter at the air handler would not be expected to break the outside compressor/condenser. At least not directly. But severe airflow restriction in the air handler could slow down airflow across the cooling coil (indoors in the air handler) enough that it might ice-up, blocking some or all airlflow indoors. In turn I could SPECULATE that the effect could be unusual refrigerant pressures developing in the whole system and speculate further that in turn that might activate a pressure safety switch that could shut the system down - though it's not exactly what I've seen in residential HVAC systems. More often the outdoor compressor/condenser continues to run but no cool air is being delivered indoors. Shut off the system for an hour, or more, and put in the right filter, then restart (turn everything back on) and let us know what happened. Question: my new central air conditioner doesn't cool very well - what might be wrong?(July 10, 2011) larry said: I bought a new central a/c new duct work n all, but it doesnt cool that great n the day time when its really hot. the repair man said its because its so hot outside. ive gone to my friends houses and its alway nice. what could b the problom Reply: Larry there are several possible problems with your new system. First, was it installed properly in all regards and second was it sized properly for the home.
I'd start by taking a look at the article linked-to at page left and titled LOST COOLING CAPACITY Question: Air is only coming out of one of my air supply registers - what might be wrong?(July 8, 2011) sara said: i turned on my a/c recently for the first time in quite a while. i had replaced the filter prior to starting it up. it seemed to take forever to cool the house and i went around to each room and found only one of the supply vents had any air coming out of it. what could the problem be? Reply: Since we don't think a clogged air filter is at fault, if you have good air flow at even ONE supply register then I'd look for
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