The Dangers of Reusing AC Filters

In order to save some money, you may try to clean off your HVAC’s air filter and reuse it. This is not worth the possible money that it may save you. Here are four reasons why it may be counterproductive to try to reuse an air filter.

A Backed-Up Filter Can Damage Your HVAC

A dirty AC filter can place your HVAC system itself in jeopardy. You can never quite clean and reuse air filters well enough. As a result, the filter may pile up with debris on its second usage. When that happens, it could damage the HVAC system, which has to work even harder to do its job with a dirty filter.

It Can Contribute to Indoor Air Pollution

Reusing an AC filter will also pollute the air inside your home. There will still be old particles in the filter, and these will get recirculated in your home as the HVAC blows air. If you have allergies or any type of respiratory condition, they will be aggravated by the dirty air that you are breathing.

A Wet Filter Gets Moldy

There are several different ways that you would try to clean a filter to reuse it. One is wetting the AC filter to remove things such as hair or debris. When you do this, it could cause mold to grow on the filter. Then, your HVAC system will spread the mold throughout your home. A filter that has been wet and dried will also be less effective, hurting your energy efficiency.

The Filter May Tear

Another way of trying to reuse the filter is by shaking it out to try to remove the particles that have accumulated. When you do this, you risk damaging the filter itself. There is a risk that it could tear. A torn filter is not effective at removing particles from the air in your home.

KW Lang Mechanical is here to handle your heating and cooling needs in the Akron area. Our experts can also consult on green technology. Call us today in Solon, OH, to learn how we can help you!