Stupid Question

[Belle]

Daddy is no help when it comes to matters of the home. He's the kind of guy who will pay someone rather than try to fix something on his own (too many bad experiences, I think. ;) )

I had to get a new AC/Heating unit and the blasted thing requires a "custom" filter. It's a hard plastic shell with a "reusable" filter inside it. You're supposed to be able to clean it off and replace it, but it has to dry before you replace it and it never really seems to get all that clean. Besides that, it's not as tight as the store-bought filters and you can see straight through it, so I wonder how well it works anyway.

I want an alternative to this filter and tried buying the size closest to the filter and wrapping it with weather stripping, but it's not working. The stripping is too flexible and doesn't hold the filter in place.

Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas about how I can use a better filter and not have to rely on the one that came with the system?

[Morgan]

Call a couple heating and air condition companies and see if they will "special order" the right sized filter in a "poly" for you. They should have vendors who will make filters in any size needed.

You don't need fancy allergy filters, but you definitely want something better than fiberglass. I recommend either poly or pleated, and these are generally inexpensive.

Edited December 29, 2005 by Morgan

[Cowgirl]

Oh Belle, what I would give to have a problem with an air conditioner! LOL :D Right now, the filter I have to change is for a furnace (you probably don't have those down there, eh?) Sometime I have to go down and hit the furnace a few times to get it up and running because I don't want to fork out the money to get the furnace guy in to fix the starter switch (I think that's what it's called) BRRRRRRRRRR !!!

[George Aar]

Belle,

I got an adjustable filter for mine. I think Lowes carries them. They have a plastic framework and a woven, reuseable filter element that you cut to size and then fiddle around with the plastic frame to fit.

I've used the one I have for 4 or 5 years now with no problems. Fairly inexpensive too. And the filter is supposed to be "hypoallergenic" or somesuch too...

[Shellon]

Additionally, if you have to special order or do find locally what you need, get extra so that next time you don't have to wait.

Or if you have to special order through a store, ask them to keep the product in their store for you, shop there for other things, get to know them.

[Belle]

Cowgirl, do you know I've never even seen a furnace in my whole life except on tv? :huh: In fact, I never even saw a real live basement till I was in college. The whole concept was so far beyond my pea brained understanding. LOL!

Truth be told, I'd love to have a fire in the fireplace and get to wear big, cozy sweaters. I soooo miss the four seasons and even though we never had much snow growing up in Mississippi, I really think I'd love to live where there's snow. Those pictures you post are absolutely beautiful and I can only imagine how nice it is to wake up to that so many mornings. I really feel sorry for all y'all with the rising heating prices, though. :(

Thanks for the suggestions!!

George, I'll try Lowes and either get a bunch or see if they'll carry them for me. Thanks for that suggestion, Shellon.

If not, I'll call the cmpany who installed the unit to see if they can order some for me. Thanks for that info and the proper terminology, Morgan!

It's funny all the things you just don't pay attention to when someone else has always done them. In apartments the maintenance people always did that, then my ex - this is a first for me. Now.....if I could just find someone to clean those blasted rain gutters....I got an oak and a few elm trees growing in them. :P

[themex]

:wub: Sweet... Belle:

You may ask what ever you want when ever you want and that never is goint to be stupid. :wub:

[ex70sHouston]

Belle

Go to your local hardware store and order a case of pleated filters to fit the size you need.

I own the heating and cooling company and I sent people to the local Ace hardware store for filters all the time.

Just take your current filter down there and tell them it fits to loss and let them order the correct size.

I sugjest a good pleated filter. It filters the air to the point that it helps with alergys.

[herbiejuan]

Belle I duct taped three filters together to make a shop wide dust collecter prefilter system and I hooked that up to a fan to collect airbourne dust, I also had a 2 horse primary dust collector that ate most of the dust, chips and occasional chunks of wood that I swept into it. In addition, I had a 1/8th horse personal air filtration system that I used while sanding and finishing but it was a pain in the a$$ to use so I mostly didn't. I looked into running central heat into the old house but figured unless it was well insulated it was going to be a waste of my money and time.

Most heating systems are composed of a heating unit, a blower, and duct work to get the hot air from point A to point B, the precise delivery method differs from system to system but overall I'm guessing it's not that hard to figure out nor make adjustements to.

Edited December 30, 2005 by herbiejuan

[dmiller]

and then fiddle around with the plastic frame to fit.

Harrumpppppph!!!!!

Did I read *fiddle around* ---

with a *plastic frame*

in the same sentence???

It has been a disgrace ---

For me,

To have been

on this thread today!!

:biglaugh:

[oilfieldmedic]

LOL dmiller...you're a little too sensitive...LOL