Lint in Air Filters

Baby, it's hot outside. I'm sure it is where you are, and it sure is where I am here in Phoenix. A high of 103 degrees Fahrenheit here today. Ugh. I hate it, but I mostly stay in but that means my air conditioner is running almost nonstop some days. It's a necessity here though, for me anyway. Otherwise I would be a lethargic puddle, so I bite the bullet and run the AC.

And since it runs so much, I try to be diligent about changing my air filter. I bought one of the 3-month air filters last time and put the little reminder label on my calender here by my desk. But, it's dusty here in the desert and I have a cat and I'm not a great housekeeper (I vacuum every week or so whether it needs it or not), so I decided to take a gander at the air filter the other day. It was gray. See? It's supposed to be white.

So, I checked the measurements, wrote them down, and went to the hardware store for a replacement even though I was 3 weeks early from the 90-day target. Maybe it'll reduce the utility bill by a buck or so, I reasoned. I asked the clerk where I could find furnace filters (old habits die hard). She directed me to the wall where they are stacked in boxes without correcting. Furnaces? We don't need no stinking furnaces.

Well, I found a coupon at the store for buy one get one free, so I bought two air filters. The wrong size. I had written down the right size, but they didn't have that size so since I had the coupon, I guess I just had buy some filters so I could use that coupon! The two air filters are both 2 inches too wide. Oh well. I've done it before; I cut off 2 inches and shoved it in with the little arrow pointing the right way and everything. Works fine and I didn't want to return the suckers.

So, on the paper label for the new air filter, it says that it traps animal dander, LINT!, plant spores, dust, and pollen. And instead of 90 days, I'll probably change it after 60 days or so again.

Have you changed your air filter lately?