It's understandable that you may not always have a new replacement filter on hand when you need to replace your current one, but it's best to wait until you have one. Running an air conditioner without a filter is worse than running it with a dirty one. Instead, go to the store as soon as possible for a replacement or call an HVAC professional to have it replaced. Without a filter, your air conditioner risks serious and costly problems.
The good news is that yes, you can run the air conditioner while you go to the store. This doesn't mean you can run the air conditioner permanently without a filter and simply sweep your house more often. An air conditioner cannot work more than 6-8 hours without a filter and not be damaged. More than this, you could be configuring your system for serious damage.
In theory, you can run your air conditioner without a filter for a limited period. However, doing so for longer than 6 to 8 hours can be harmful to your system and reduce your home's indoor air quality. Sooner than expected, it will start to work ineffectively and will no longer provide proper filtration to the air conditioner. After all, running the air conditioner for more than a day without a filter could affect the system enough to ensure an immediate repair of the air conditioner.
If you have dirty filters in your air conditioner or don't have any filters, dirt and dirt will build up inside as it adheres to the coils and fins, creating a thick layer of dust on the coils. If you don't change your air filter often enough, it will work less efficiently or it may stop working completely because the filters are clogged. By trapping these particles within your fibers, the filter keeps them out of the HVAC system, helping to protect your family and your air conditioner. The air conditioner draws air from the indoor environment and cools it before dispensing it back to the indoor environment. Among other things, this can cause damage to the compressor, freeze the evaporator coils, or even actually damage the coils.
The function of the air filter, together with the compressor motor and evaporator coils, is to prevent air contaminants from entering the air conditioner. Regular maintenance of the air conditioning filter will ensure that the air conditioner dispenses the best quality air that adapts to the required conditions of its environment. Everything from pets to guests to leaky air ducts and vacuums can increase contaminants in your home. To be clear, if this is how your cooling system normally operates, you may need to repair your air conditioner much sooner than expected. An air conditioner works by drawing air from the environment and returning it through the fiberglass tubes of the freon air conditioner.
According to popular belief, the more you use your air conditioner, the more often you'll need to change your air filter. As stated earlier, operating the air conditioner without a filter allows dust and dirt to settle inside the air conditioning system, forcing the system to cool the house ineffectively. In conclusion, running an air conditioning system without a filter for more than 6-8 hours can cause serious damage to it and significantly reduce your home's indoor air quality. We understand that you won't always have a new replacement filter on hand when you want to replace your current one but it's best to wait until you have one. Never try running an AC without a filter as this could lead to costly repairs or even complete breakdown of your system.
