Changing your air conditioning filters regularly can make the difference between a system that runs smoothly and one that doesn’t do its job. It also makes the air healthier and allows the system to work without having to put out excess energy, saving both the motor and your utility bill. Similar to smoke alarm batteries, filters must be replaced, however, often times you need a reminder to help you remember when it’s time to change them. After all, it seems like a minor part of the system and not one you think about on a regular basis. Like that smoke alarm battery, however, it makes its presence known at the worst possible time when it is neglected. Here are some ways to remind yourself to change that air filter.
Send Yourself a Message
Today it is possible to schedule an email for a particular time or use your phone to set alarms. It is suggested that you change your filters four times a year to keep it running smoothly. Use your phone to schedule these four events now and you won’t have to worry for the next year because your phone will remind you when the task is due. As an alternative, you can schedule emails to arrive in your inbox on those days. If social media is your weapon of choice, you can also schedule “tweets” and Facebook posts.
Good Old Pen and Paper
In spite of the popularity of phones and such for schedules, many of us still love a paper calendar or the traditional date book. As your year begins, take a few minutes to automatically write in the dates you need to change your air filters. That way, you can see at the beginning of the week or month when the task is coming due and prepare for it, just as you do upcoming birthdays and other special occasions. After all, clean air is pretty special when you think about it.
Speaking of Birthdays
If family birthdays fall approximately three months apart, you could make changing your air filters part of those days. That isn’t always the case, but scheduling the change for certain holidays can work well, too. For example, New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day and Halloween fall approximately three months apart. Making a habit of changing the filters on those days would give you the clean filters you need and make it easier to remember that they need to be changed. Another great alternative is to schedule the air filters to be changed on the first days of spring, summer, winter and autumn. Those dates are fairly consistent and run exactly three months apart.
Let Your Air Filters Tell You
It would be nice if your filters could literally speak up when they needed changed, but the next best thing is to mark the date on your current filters. Use permanent marker to write down when they need changed. Of course, this method does mean you have to remember to look at them. A slightly better reminder would be to buy at least one extra set of filters and place them in a spot where you are likely to see them on a regular basis. Seeing the filters will remind you to check for the date you have written on them.
Home Maintenance Forms
Creating a spreadsheet or actual paper document that lists all the different tasks you need to take care of throughout the year, as well as when they need performed is another excellent reminder. This way, you have everything in one place and can refer to it on a monthly basis to schedule a day for that month’s task. This method is especially useful if you use it in combination with one of the others, such as a paper calendar or phone reminder. In fact, combining any of the methods here can only increase your chances of remembering.
For more information on maintaining your heating and cooling equipment, visit Snyder Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric. Our friendly staff will be more than glad to answer any of your questions and help you maintain your system in the best manner possible.
