Water & Air – Filter Systems News

It’s time to spring forward! Daylight Savings Time begins March 11 and ends the first Sunday in November. So you know what that means right? It’s time to set those clocks ahead one hour, and lose that all too important hour of sleep. On March 11, the clocks are moved ahead one hour from 2am standard time to 3am daylight savings time (or DST). Interestingly, not all places in the U.S. will participate in Daylight Savings Time. Hawaii and parts of Arizona will not observe DST, while around the world, countries like China will also not participate.

This is also a good time to remind ourselves to do maintenance around the home. Changing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are a must and can prevent some very serious situations down the road. Also remember to change filters, such as the filters in furnaces and HVAC systems, as well as water filters.

We have offered yearly maintenance suggestions in our November 3, November 1 and  October 24 blogs, but they bare repeating and remembering. Doing your yearly maintenance can save you a lot of time, money and heartache.   Filters Fast offers a wide selection of furnace filters and air conditioning filters for your home. We also offer water filters for your water purification system, refrigerator, and ice maker.

So as you are setting those clocks ahead, remember to put your maintenance on your “to-do list”. You’ll be glad you did.

The term “Daylight Savings Time” is generally understood to mean the time when we either set our clocks forward or back one hour, and the 6 month period of time in between these points. Although this term is widely used, the correct term is Daylight Saving Time, and the actual period that is Daylight Saving Time lasts from spring until fall. The period from fall to spring is actually referred to as Standard Time. So as the time approaches for us to fall back to Standard Time on Sunday, November 6, at 2 am, this is a good way to remind ourselves to do some yearly maintenance around the home, such as changing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and changing the filters in our furnaces and air conditioning systems, as well as any other filters around the home, such as water filters.

We offered many of these suggestions and tips in our October 24th and November 1st blogs. Some of these bear repeating, such as changing smoke alarm batteries. Changing furnace and air conditioning filters is a good way to ensure the air in your home stays clean and fresh, that your heating or cooling system doesn’t use excess energy, and to extend the life of your heating or cooling system. Filters Fast offers a wide selection of furnace filters and air conditioning filters for your home.  We also offer water filters for your water purification system, refrigerator, and ice maker.

The approaching time change reminds us all to do those household maintenance tasks that might otherwise go undone. This is also a good time to prepare our homes for the coming winter months. Winterizing is a simple yet effective way to ensure that energy isn’t lost through cracks and other escape routes in the home. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Taking this time now to ensure our homes are safe, clean, and energy efficient will keep winter outside where it belongs.

Daylight Savings Time is approaching for those of us who live in the United States. We set our clocks one hour forward in the spring, which means that we set them back one hour on Sunday, November 6. Daylight Savings Time also happens to be the perfect opportunity to remember to change, replace, or inspect your air and water filters, which we previously discussed in our Energy Conserving Tips guide. Here are a few recommendations that will help improve the quality of your home and save you money on energy costs:

Replace your air furnace filters

Air filters should be replaced every 3-6 months depending on your indoor air quality and the conditions where you live. With the proper air filter you will be able to reduce airborne contaminants in your home, including dust, dirt, and various allergens.

We sell a complete line of air furnace filters that will provide you with the high indoor air quality you deserve. The Filters Fast Air & Furnace Filters Merv 11, 6-pack is a solid choice that is both economical and highly effective.

Replace your refrigerator filters

Refrigerator filters help deliver refreshingly clean, cold water to your home by removing chlorine and off tastes and odors. Several refrigerator filters will also be able to remove even more harmful contaminants, such as cysts, lead, mercury, pesticides and more. Refrigerator filters will also provide clean ice, so that the other drinks you serve will be free of off flavors.

Two popular choices are the Maytag Puriclean II UKF8001 Filter and the GE MWF SmartWater Filter, though your choice ultimately depends on which refrigerator water filter is most compatible with the refrigerator you have at home.

Replace your humidifier filter

A humidifier releases clean moisture throughout your home in order to relieve the symptoms associated with dry air. You and your family will breathe more comfortably and have relief from cough and cold symptoms, such as itchy throat and cough. Humidifier filters should be replaced regularly and Daylight Savings Time is a great reminder to do so. Our website lists our humidifier filters based on brand, so you can find out which filter best matches your humidifier.

Several popular choices include the Aprilaire 35 humidifier water panel evaporator and the Holmes HWF100 Humidifier Filter.

Upgrade your thermostat

In today’s day and age it’s a good idea to upgrade your old thermostat to a digital thermostat, which offers you more comfort and convenience, as well as total control over your home’s air quality. Recently we discussed how to install a digital thermostat, which is easier to do than you might imagine. A quality digital thermostat will have a menu and several control options for added versatility.

An excellent option is to upgrade to the Honeywell Vision PRO 8000 Thermostat or the Honeywell PRO 4000 Programmable Thermostat 1007.

While it’s tough to remember when exactly to change your air and water filters, try to view Daylight Savings Time as the best opportunity to maintain the best indoor air quality and water filtration in your home.

Photo from Secure Lite Window Company

In the United States, we change our clocks in the spring for Daylight Savings Time and in the fall for Standard Time. As Sunday November 6 approaches, we welcome the moment to set our clocks back by one hour, since our days are shorter and the nights get longer. As a constant reminder, do not forget to change the batteries in your fire alarms and change the air furnace filters in your home.

Many of these things are recommendations you have heard before, but with the cost of fuel and electricity going up, we all could use that extra money to spend on something else more utilitarian. Here are some practical energy and money-saving tips to help you prepare to winterize your home:

• Change your air furnace filter

Based on the type of filter you have, we suggest that you change your air filters every 3 to 6 months, based on usage and indoor air quality. Filters help to capture airborne allergens and pollutants that could trigger health ailments and such things as carpet soiling. Proper maintenance of your air furnace will help to optimize the performance of your system, especially during the cold days of the winter season.

• Unplug appliances and electronics

Many appliances like washing machines, dryers, electronics, cell phone chargers and other electrical appliances tend to draw a lot of power when they are still turned off and plugged into the socket. To prevent constant draining of your power, unplug those electrical-related items.

• Check for air leakage

During the winter months especially, warm indoor air can seep through any size space and escape out of your home. Be sure to secure around your windows and doors to prevent this loss of energy and rising heating costs.

• Turn off the lights

Unknowingly, we tend to leave lights on in unoccupied rooms. Try using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) in place of your standard incandescent light bulb. These light bulbs remind you of a neon light, but use 75% less energy and lasts up to 10 times longer than your standard bulb.

• Allow natural light during the day

Instead of keeping your blinds or curtains closed during the day (which keeps your house cooler by the way), allow the sunlight to shine in and warm the inside of your home. This will help to reduce the use of your air furnace and saves energy! Cha-ching$

• Unblock vents

If you have anything like furniture, boxes or other storage items in the front of your vents, this will block the flow of air into your living area and put undue strain on your air furnace. If air is not flowing freely from your registers into air returns, this could pose to be a safety hazard and increase your energy costs.

• Wash with cold water when possible

We know that washing with hot water will dry your skin out from its natural moisture. The same concept applies to your clothes. If you have to use hot water for certain items, that is ok, but where you can transition to using cold water will save the wear on your clothes and save energy. Try to accumulate enough clothes to wash once a week. Frequent washing with your washing machine, as well as your dishwasher, will increase the wattage of energy that you use.

• Reduce your water heater settings

The ideal setting for the water heater in many homes is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. By maintaining a set temperature level, corrosion and mineral build-up is decelerated. Be sure to apply according to the temperature levels in your area and your appliance manuals for suggested temperature settings to help them operated to their maximum potential.

These are just a few practical tips to apply to your home. Preparing your home now to use less energy will show significant savings in your monthly energy bills.

Image Credit: discoverbuenosaires.com

“Spring forward, fall back.” It’s a simple phrase we’ve used for years to remind ourselves about Daylight Savings Time, when we either advance our clocks forward and back. We moved our clocks one hour forward earlier this Spring, March 2^nd to be exact, and we will move our clocks one hour back this fall, on November 6^th. While it’s important to note November 6^th to make sure you’re in synch with the rest of the world, there is a major reason you may not have thought about yet: replacing your air and furnace filters.

The Northwest Natural Gas Company notes that many American choose Daylight Savings as the time to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors, but we should also replace our furnace filters too. NW Natural states:

 “This will save money and extend the life of your furnace. The easiest and least expensive way to ensure your furnace is running efficiently is to change the filter on a regular basis. For a relatively low cost you can rack up measurable savings on winter heating costs and avoid expensive repairs in the future. Plan to replace your filter every one to three months when the heater is in use. Homes with pets may benefit from replacing the filter more frequently. This is an excellent way to improve home air quality in a season when many more hours are spent indoors.”

Having trouble deciding which furnace filter to buy? Here are a few suggestions:

Filters Fast Air & Furnace Filters MERV 11, 6-pack

•  These are economical filter replacements sold in a variety of sizes. With a MERV 11 rating you can ensure that your indoor air is protected from dust, dirt, mold spores, and pet dander.

Filtrete Ultra Allergen Air Filter

•  A high-performing air filter that uses electrostatically charged fibers to attract airborne particles, such as pollen, mold spores, dust mite debris, smoke, pet dander, household dust, smog, bacteria, and virus carrying particles. Also, save $6 through a mail-in-rebate available on our site.

Trion Air Bear Media AC Filter

•  This pleated air filter features a MERV 8 rating. Trion Air Bear whole-house media AC filters are a practical choice due to the high-efficiency synthetic material used in their construction and their extended-surface pleats that provide for higher dirt-holding capacity. Efficient air conditioning filters can prolong the life of your equipment, and save you money.