SPRING Cleaning

NEA Today, Mar 2005 by Flannery, Mary Ellen, O'Neil, John

The remedy? Change them, soldiers! It's simple, it's cheap, and it'll effectively extend the life of your system by easing air flow, said Shanteler, who also has owned a residential repair business. His tips:

SIZE THINGS UP. You'll usually find your filter at the return air grille or the fan air unit. Once you've found it, take note of the measurements and you're ready to buy a replacement.

PONY UP A LITTLE MORE DOUGH. Disposable "bottle cap" filters are cheap, but they won't trap small particles of dust, including animal dander and insect parts. One-inch pleated filters are better, and you may want to consider more expensive electrostatic filters.

GET INTO THE HABIT. Changing the filters should be part of your home maintenance routine. Common filters should be replaced monthly for a unit that runs continuously; other types less often.

PLAY IT SAFE. Don't forget to turn off your HVAC unit when changing the filter, because if the unit starts up before you get the new filter in, it could suck your grocery list or candy wrapper right into the motor. Not pretty.