Here are 15 small jobs that let you invest in your home and hold down household costs:
1. Change HVAC filters
Your furnace and air conditioner filters trap airborne allergens and dust so you breathe clean air. These filters need changing on a regular basis while you’re using your furnace or air conditioning.
Angie’s List says 60 percent of furnace and air conditioner service calls are because of dirty filters. Those tiny particles of dirt can hurt your furnace’s heating coil and fan. Changing filters regularly also can lower utility bills $100 a year, because dirty filters force HVAC systems to run harder and use more energy.
Changing filters is a simple, important homeowner skill. Filters can be simple or higher-tech, as BobVila.com explains:
"Basic furnace filters are designed to trap dust, dirt, and airborne particulates before they can get into the system and potentially damage the fan or the heating coil. More expensive filters perform the same role, plus they can enhance the air quality in your home by trapping bacteria, pollen, and mildew and mold spores."
Consult your owner’s manual to locate your system’s filter. Inspect filters regularly and install new ones every month or two, or even more often. That depends on how dirty the filter is (BobVila.com shows examples of dirty and clean filters)
2. Fix leaky faucets
A dripping faucet means money down the drain, literally. A faucet that drips just once a minute wastes 34 gallons of water a year, according to this fun drip calculator from the U.S. Geological Survey. This Old House shows how to fix or replace a leaky faucet.
excerpted from Money Talks News
article by Marilyn Lewis www.moneytalksnews.com
Posts
This article reminded me that I need to change my furnace filters. I can't even remember the last time I did that. It's a simple repair so it shouldn't take me long.
ReplyDeleteSusan Hirst | http://rockymountainclimate.com/products-and-services-offered/furnaces/