The air filter in your HVAC system is an annoying attention-seeker, and we all wish we could do without it. Life would be so much easier if you did not have to spend time and money on replacing the air filter every couple of months. But can you run your furnace without a filter? No matter how much we wish for it, the answer is a big NO. There are several reasons to convince you that running your furnace without a filter is a bad idea. We will go deeper into that in the sections that follow.
For all your HVAC maintenance and repair needs, including cleaning and replacing your air filters, you need a reliable HVAC technician. In St. Louis and the surrounding areas, give the heating and air conditioning experts at Galmiche & Sons a call at 314-993-1110 to learn how we can help.
Why Is It Dangerous To Run Your Furnace Without a Filter?
The air quality inside your home is important to your health. There is already a lot of pollution and contamination in the outside air. You want to ensure that your family at least has clean air to breathe inside your home. Contaminants can be present in indoor air too. Since the HVAC system will be circulating the same indoor air throughout your house, it is important that these contaminants are filtered out. There may be many allergens and impurities like pet hair, dust, bacteria, and fungi lurking around your house. When the HVAC system sucks in the air to warm up the furnace, these contaminants are sucked in through the vents as well.
The air filter within the furnace prevents these impurities from entering the furnace. It also prevents these impurities from being circulated throughout the house along with the heated air.
Here is why the answer to “Can you run your furnace without a filter?” is no.
It Affects Indoor Air Quality
Without an air filter, the warm air that you receive from the furnace may contain contaminates and allergens. The air filter can trap most of the particulate matter in the air and improve indoor air quality. Though you might think that the heat from the furnace would destroy most of the contaminants floating in the air, it is not possible. So an air filter with the furnace is indispensable.
Especially if someone in your family has breathing issues like asthma, you should not take a risk removing the air filter.
Running Your Furnace without a Filter Affects Health and Well-Being
For people with allergies and breathing problems, unfiltered air is dangerous any day. But even if no one in your family suffers from such health issues, breathing in contaminated air every day can lead to new illnesses. If pet dander or dust makes its way into your home and floats about in the air, you could develop health issues over time. Bacteria and viruses could also be circulated the same way without an air filter in your HVAC system, compromising your health.
Removing the Air Filter Could Damage Your Furnace
Contaminants circulating through the HVAC system could also cause damage to the system. Dust and dirt can accumulate inside the equipment and result in a malfunction or breakdown. Running a furnace without a filter is harmful not just to your health but to the HVAC system’s health too.
It Could Be a Fire Hazard
Contaminants making their way into the furnace could be flammable. Running your furnace without a filter means that these particles accumulate and may catch fire, posing a risk to safety.
Hire a Reliable HVAC Contractor for Your HVAC Needs
If you need to get your HVAC system cleaned or the air filter replaced, contact a reliable HVAC contractor. In St. Louis, Galmiche & Sons has been in the HVAC maintenance and repairs business since 1950. Get in touch with our heating and air conditioning experts to learn more about how we can help keep your system running efficiently and effectively.
