Living Like Ed - (Page 21) probably hasn’t been changed in a while. Most central heating and air-conditioning systems have a filter at the air intake—on a wall or on the ceiling—and many window and wall-unit air conditioners have a filter element on the front that needs to be changed, too. I change mine regularly, sometimes six times a year, because we have two cats and a dog, and pet hair is always blowing around. I check the air inlet for my heating and airconditioning system regularly and often realize, “Whoa! It’s time to change this thing again.” Why is changing the filter so important? Because when the filter gets dusty or dirty or clogged, it’s harder for your system to pull air through it. That means your system has to work harder, and it has to stay on longer in order to do the same amount of work. So changing that filter regularly is the low-hanging fruit that you can pick right away. And it doesn’t matter if you have central heat and air or a window- or wall-mount air conditioner. Changing the filter is a great way to make your home more energy efficient. Beyond that, changing the filter will help if anyone in your family suffers from allergies. You can even go a step further and choose an air filter that’s designed especially to trap allergens. If odors are a problem in your home, there are filters designed to trap them, too. as 5 to 15 percent. As much as half of the energy used in your home goes toward heating and
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