Can You Run an Air Conditioner Without a Furnace Filter? - The Risks and Dangers

As an expert HVAC professional we advise against running an AC without an air filter. Doing so can cause serious damage to your system & significantly reduce your home's indoor air quality.

Can You Run an Air Conditioner Without a Furnace Filter? - The Risks and Dangers

As long as your air conditioning unit is working, it should never be operated without an air filter. Dirt is the main cause of breakdowns in air conditioners, so running the unit without air filters installed can cause serious damage. You may be tempted to try running your air conditioner without a filter one night, but this is not recommended. Even though the system will still work without a filter, it's better to wait until you have a new one.

Running the air conditioner without a filter is worse than running it with a dirty one. Instead, go to the store as soon as possible to have it replaced or call an HVAC professional to have it replaced. Without a filter, your air conditioner risks serious and costly problems. Follow our advice and never run your system without one. Technically, your air conditioner can work without a filter, but it's advisable not to try to do so.

Your air conditioner will erode if it works without a filter for more than 6 hours. Some air conditioning systems are large and complicated, and even finding the filter can be difficult. The air conditioner draws air from your home, strips it of heat, and then returns it to your home. Dirt, dust and debris are sucked up through the inlet, pumped back through the vents, and suspended in the air until someone inhales them or clogs the unit. The air conditioning filter is made of fiberglass material and is usually located near the furnace or return air duct.

Frozen evaporator coils will generate less air conditioning in rooms due to air pollutants trapped in the system. The main purpose of the air conditioning filter is to clean the air that circulates through the air conditioning system. The function of the air filter in the air conditioning system is to keep the unit clean, especially the fan motor and evaporator coils. When you run the air conditioner without an air filter in place, the air conditioner draws in “dirty air” and circulates it back to your home. We can check the air conditioner filter, ducts, and all internal parts before you turn on the air conditioner during the summer.

That said, running your air conditioner without a filter for more than 6 to 8 hours can cause serious damage to the air conditioning system and significantly reduce your home's air quality. It is usually located in the return air duct, but it could also be in the front of the boiler, near the bottom of the two systems that share the same ducts. One way to do this is to keep the air filter clean and always make sure it's in place before putting the system into operation. Next, let's look at how the air filter works and what happens when you run an AC without one. The George Brazil Air Conditioning & Heating System provides Phoenix area residents with professional, traditional, and high-quality customer service to create comfortable, healthy, safe, and energy efficient places to live and work. Your AC is one of the most important systems in your home, providing necessary cooling during Annapolis' hottest months. To ensure that your AC runs smoothly all summer long, never try running it without an air filter.

Doing so can cause serious damage to your system and significantly reduce your home's indoor air quality.

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