Will a Dirty Filter Shut Down a Trane Air Conditioner?

Mechanism of Cooling

• An air conditioner cools the indoor air by sucking in room temperature air through the filter. This filter works to catch debris and particles that would otherwise clog the system. The air then passes through duct work up to the air conditioning unit itself, where it is cooled and dehumidified.

Filter Failure

• If an air conditioning filter becomes sufficiently clogged, the increase in air pressure can cause the filter itself to fail. This will lead to not only unfiltered air reaching the air conditioner, but potentially the trapped particles in the filter being released into the system. Accumulation of debris on the air conditioning coils and compressor can lead to unit failure and reduced energy efficiency, along with a costly repair bill.

Reduction of Energy Efficiency

• As a filter becomes more and more clogged, the unit has to work harder and harder to take in air, and will have to run longer to reduce the indoor air temperature to your thermostat setting. The longer a unit has to run, the more electricity it consumes to cool your house. Additionally, parts in an air conditioner are only rated for so many usage hours before failure. The longer you make your air conditioner run, and the harder you make it work, the sooner you will have to replace parts on the unit.

Filter Sensors

• Some newer air conditioners have sensors on their intake that can sense the amount of air flowing through the filter. If a filter becomes sufficiently clogged, the unit will shut down until the filter is replaced. Older units have timer-based systems that will shut down the air conditioning on a monthly basis and present a message on the thermostat that it is time to replace the filter. The air conditioner can be turned back on without changing the filter, but you may be voiding your warranty.