Texas, Change Your Air Filters!

A few days ago, I walked into my house at the end of the day and the thermostat read 80 DEGREES... I don't know about you, but that's a little too warm form my comfort.

I opened the dreaded maintenance closet and was greeted by icy pipes and a steadily-growing pool of water at the base of my AC unit. I went out and bought a couple of air filters because my limited brain knew it was due to an over-stuffed filter.

Well, I switched the filter out and wondered how often I should do so (I originally went with the 'every few months or so' approach). It turns out that there really is no definitive answer, so I thought I'd share some tips from professionals.

Signs your air filter should be changed

If you see water pooling from your AC unit and/or ice forming on either your internal or external pipes, you probably need a new filter.

Especially in Texas, air conditioning is a blessing. Hutchinson, a plumbing and AC company, provides the four different types of filters that most homes have:

• Re-usable filters
  • These can be great opportunities to save money in the long run
  • Replace once about every five years
• HEPA filters
  • Exceptionally good at trapping airborne particles
  • Replace once about every six months to a year
• Pleated filters
  • What I roll with in my home: looks like an accordian
  • Replace once about every three months
• Fiberglass filters
  • Most popular option in homes
  • Replace once about every month

Not only does replacing your air filter mitigate issues with your AC unit, it also provides cleaner air to flow throughout your house.

So, don't be like me. Don't wait until the last minute to change out your AC filter unless you want to re-enact sleeping in a Texas shack in an 1800's Summer...