Does cabin air filter affect ac? As the air filter tends to prevent debris from the drawn wind by the ac, it affects the ac performance. And, It’s the most underrated issue we overlook.
Once the cabin air filter fails to prevent unwanted debris from outside, those specks of dirt take place in the ac. And sooner or later, the ac begins to release warm air and a musty odor.
The following will walk you through a lot of unknown facts regarding the topic. And you’ll get to know the replacement cost of an air filter with some answers to frequently asked questions.
Does Cabin Air Filter Affect AC Really?
A cabin air filter prevents polluted air from entering your car. But if it doesn’t work properly it directly affects the ac. It only happens when the filter gets clogged. So, it is advised that you should change your air filter once in a while.
When the cabin air filter gets clogged, you’ll feel a lack of airflow in the dashboard vents. Also, an unpleasant smell or a noisy blower motor will simply indicate that your air filter is clogged. Once you notice these symptoms, immediately change the filter before it heavily affects your car’s cooling system.
How Does the Cabin Air Filter Affect AC?
When the cabin air filter is clogged, it can’t prevent diverse amounts of allergens from getting inside your car. So, when the air conditioner consumes wind, it takes ample amounts of pollen, spores, dander, and even bacteria inside it. This little dirt build-up gradually starts getting stuck on the air conditioner’s coil. And gradually it leads your ac performance into vain.
Once it happens, the ac begins to spread warm air. You’ll notice a delay in cooling the car. Also, a musty smell and weird fan noise will appear unhurriedly. A reduced vent airflow will also indicate that you should change your cabin air filter soon.
How Does the Cabin Air Filter Quality And Performance Affect AC
You’ll be surprised to know that the quality and performance of an air filter affect the ac. The higher the quality air filter you choose, the harder it’ll be for your ac to breathe air. High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters are something that everyone chooses, but none consider the capacity of the air cooling system.
According to the EPA rating, air filters are measured by MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). The MERV ranges between 1 to 20. Point 1 is the worst, where 20 is considered HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air). So, you surely want to grab the air filter that has a 20 MERV rate.
Yet, if the efficiency of your cabin air filter is too high and out of the air conditioner’s capacity, it’ll create a substantial pressure drop in your ac and parts are most likely to fall apart. That’s why a MERV range of 13-17 is an ideal rate for an air filter that suits most of the ac.
Also, you can contact a technician to know if your ac can tolerate your cabin air filter nicely.
Cabin Air Filter Replacing Cost
The cabin air filter replacement cost depends on the mechanics and how your vehicle has been manufactured. Depending on the labor cost, it may cost between 60 to 170 dollars. And the price of a cabin air filter is around 40$, depending on its model.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can A Dirty Air Filter Cause AC Not to Cool?
The debris that a dirty air filter provides gets stuck on the AC and affects the air conditioning system badly. It can also lead to a premature failure of your system. If the air filter is dirty, your AC will take too much time to cool your car and provide warm air from time to time.
Can A Car AC Work Without A Cabin Air Filter?
The air that is taken in by the air conditioner has invisible dust and pollen particles. And an air filter is something that prevents debris from coming in. But if your car ac works without a cabin air filter, it’ll get clogged after a certain period. And gradually, it’ll lead to a severe malfunction.
What Happens If You Don’t Change Your Cabin Air Filter?
If you don’t change your cabin air filter for a long time, it’ll get clogged more and more. It’ll also affect the air conditioning system, and both won’t perform efficiently. And the foul odor inside your car will increase day by day.
Can Air Filters Affect AC Performance?
Yes, a faulty or clogged air filter directly affects the ac performance. Once the cabin air filter doesn’t perform to its limit, the ac gets clogged by unwanted debris.
Also, the quality of an air filter affects the ac performance. The more high-efficiency air participating rate an air filter has, the more intolerable it’ll be for an ac.
Bottom Line
Does cabin air filter affect ac? We hope you get to know the answer now. So, whenever you see your car AC dropping its performance, check the cabin air filter to see whether it’s clogged. As the replacement cost isn’t that much, replace the air filter whenever needed.
It also recommended changing the air filter once every 1500 miles. Not only for the car’s ac performance but for your health issues, changing it regularly is instructed. And when you change it, you better follow manufacturers’ guidelines rather than spending money on mechanics. It’ll save you some valuable cash.
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