How long has it been since you last changed your home’s air filters? 

Home air filters trap and remove dust and particles from the air you breathe; leaving “clean air” to circulate your home. 

Clean air in your home is important because it promotes better health.

One way to keep to keep your home’s air as clean as possible is to replace its used air filters at least once per quarter; or once monthly in homes with shedding pets or that otherwise “get dusty”.

Changing air filters is among the easier do-it-yourself chores for a Longmont homeowner; a task that takes less than one minute. The secondary benefit of doing it is that new filters help keep your HVAC unit in tip-top shape. 

Here’s how to change your home’s air filter :

1. Open the air filter compartment door/slider on your HVAC unit.
2. Note the size of your current filter. It’s typically written on the frame.
3. Note the direction in which the filter is pointing. There may be an arrow on its frame.
4. Purchase a new filter at a hardware store. Make sure the sizes matches the size from Step 2.
5. Remove the old filter. 
6. Replace old filter with the newly purchased one from Step 4. Make sure the arrow is pointing in the same direction as the original filter’s arrow.
7. Using a marker, note the date of filter change on the side of the filter.
8. Close the air filter compartment door/slider.

And that’s it.

When you find a filter type and style that you like, consider buying them in bulk — it can be helpful to have extra air filters laying around the home for when you need them — especially during season changes when you may want to replace filters more frequently.

In addition, when purchasing air filters, don’t opt for the cheapest available. Often, the least expensive filters allow large particles to recirculate through the HVAC unit, and back in to your home. Choose a middle- or top-line product instead.

Your home and your health will thank you.

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about with all the chemicals in our food, our furniture, our carpet, and toys manufactured in a country far away we now have to worry about Radon gas too?  Radon is an odorless (not like grandpa’s gas), colorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas that’s formed from the decay of radium contained in rock, soil, and water.  Radon gas reportedly causes over 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.  It is also the second most frequent cause of lung cancer deaths with cigarette smoking taking the number one spot.
When purchasing a home, especially a home with a basement, it is very important to have the radon levels checked before you buy the home.  Most home inspectors are able to perform a radon test and the cost to do so is usually around $100.  According to the EPA, radon levels above 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) are a health hazard.  If radon levels are high you should install a radon mitigation system.  Most radon mitigation systems will start at $800 or higher depending on the size of the basement, crawl spaces, and foundation/flooring composition.

Radon levels vary depending on geographic locations and soil composition and levels from home to home can vary.  If you would like to see where radon levels are most prevalent check out the map below.

A good real estate agent will always recommend you test for radon if you are about to purchase a home with a basement.  It is definitely worth the extra money to test for radon especially if you will be spending time in the basement of your new home.  A short term test may take 2-3 days and test results may take an additional 1-3 so get this tested as soon as possible after you are under contract.  Most sellers are willing to remedy the issue by installing or paying for a radon mitigation system.

Don’t be a RADON casualty!!