Filters!

Today we are increasingly concerned about the quality of the air we breathe. There are stricter guidelines on car emissions and everything else. However, with all this attention paid to outside air, many times we forget about the quality of the inside air. The air in our homes can be almost two times as polluted as the air outside. What can we do about it? Well, here is a simple step that can make a big difference. If you have central air and heating, you can make sure that your filter is clean. Sometimes we get service calls because a unit isn't working. One of the common 'causes' - is a filter that hasn't been changed since the family has been in the house! If your filter is so covered with grime and dust and/or dirt that air cannot pass through it - yeah, your air conditioning (or heat) will NOT work.

• So first, make sure you know WHERE your filter is located.
• Then, figure out whether your filter is washable or disposable. If you're not sure, you can always call your air conditioning technician and they should be able to walk you through how to tell.
• If your filter is washable, pull it out of the furnace and rinse it with the hose. Make sure that you get all the particles that you can see off. Also, wait until the filter is COMPLETELY dry before putting it back into the unit.
• If your filter is disposable, measure the filter (or take the old one with you) to your local hardware store. FYI and helpful tip: filters are measured by height, width and length (so you should have three numbers - ex. 25 x 14 x 1). Then just put the new filter in.

Filters should be changed about every three months. In the summer, or during periods of constant usage, some recommend that going up to being changed every month. Keeping your filters clean not only helps to keep your air system running at top efficiency, but it also tremendously helps the air quality in your home. These filters are specially designed to trap any pet hairs, dirt, dust etc. and prevent these particles from re-circulating with hot (or cooled) air.