In this segment, Derek Cole explains that accumulated dirt is the primary cause of air conditioner and heater failures. He emphasizes that neglecting filter changes leads to dirt buildup on motors and other components, increasing energy consumption and causing system breakdowns, especially during extreme temperatures. Cole cites Energy Star, noting that regular filter replacement is the most effective homeowner action to prevent failures. He recommends having a professional clean and inspect the HVAC system twice a year—once before the heating season and once before the cooling season—to reduce the likelihood of breakdowns under high load conditions.
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With the, with the heat, you have a lot of capacitors, a lot of motors, a lot of contactors, and really it all goes back to dirt. Dirt is the killer of most air conditioners and heaters. So if you get the unit maintained, the maintenance cleaned, checked, normally you do not have these kind of problems. If you do not, then it's a whole big process because the motor moves the air. The more you don't change the filter, the more dirt gets on the motor, the harder it has to work, the more energy it uses. And then that goes out and that stops your unit from work. It all goes back to dirt. Dirt is the number one cause of the problem. So you need to make sure your unit is maintenanced, maintained, cleaned, checked heating, cooling season. Make sure it's checked before you get into that period so you know you're good to go. And If you go back to the first question, checking and changing your filter, that'll stop a lot of problems. According to Energy Star, this is the one thing you can do, you the homeowner, can do for your system to prevent breakdowns. That's Energy Star saying that, it's not me saying that. So it starts there and then have the unit cleaned, the maintenance and checked by a professional twice a year. And that will prevent, it won't stop the problems, but it will prevent a lot of what's going on in these extreme times when it's really hot or really cold because that system is under load, under stress, and it's going to break.
