FAQ

What is in the Air we Breathe?

What does the air we breathe contain?
The air we breathe contains so much more than just oxygen. If anything, Oxygen makes up of only 21% of the air we breathe. The other 78% or so is made up of nitrogen along with tiny amounts of argon, methane, and carbon dioxide.

Is the air we breathe really clean?
These days human activities have led to nothing but pollution. There are harmful gases emitted by various industries, not withstanding dust as well. There is a high possibility the air we breathe is no longer safe, but there are measures to help eradicate this nightmare. Besides the natural compounds of the air we breathe in any other component is an impurity and can be toxic or bring some health hazards.

How can one maintain clean breathing air?
There are numerous particles in space, and for instance, in a closed room, it’s easy to accumulate the wrong ones. Considering one is breathing and emitting carbon dioxide, it's always good to improve the indoor air quality by opening the windows for fresh air as well as using the right ac or furnace filter.

What should one do to have clean air in the house?
It's prevalent to find a house stuffy, and there's hardly any fresh air. Well, it could be one of two reasons either the ac or furnace unit is not functioning correctly or there's not enough air circulation in the house. To ensure the air is clean, its crucial for one to service and maintain their ac as well as the furnace unit. Most people purchase a yearly maintenance contract to prevent system breakdowns which will keep the air fresh and clean.

What are some of the measures of having clean breathing air?
The air we breathe contains a lot of impurities, and it's up to everyone to ensure they do their best to make it as clean as possible. I have a friend who takes significant interest in the quality of air they breathe. Over the years he has always been enthusiastic about changing his air filters regularly. According to him, risking his health is a gamble he would never take.

Are air purifiers worth it?
Many people ask themselves do I really need an air purifier in my home. Well, air purifiers become more and more necessary, especially when allergies start showing up uncontrollably. They also help in getting more fresh air in the house. As long as the filters in the HVAC unit are changed on a regular basis, there should not be any issues with having clean air in the home.

How Does Locations Effect Our Seasonal Allergies?
Every place on earth has a different climate. Some areas climate is hot, some areas are cold, some are moderate. Apart from these temperature differences, areas can be humid or dry. Areas that are rich in forests get more rain than the ones that have scarce trees. Different locations have different things that need to be taken precaution against. Some areas have a high pollen count than other places, which is the case in pollen season.

Pollen and allergies
When pollen count is high, people with allergies have a hard time going about their daily lives. Surprisingly allergies are very wide spread, at least 50 million people in the USA are allergic to one thing or the other. An allergen is a substance that causes the immune system to activate its defense mechanism in response to a foreign substance. One must know that some people might be entirely unaffected by the allergen and some people might have fatal reactions to it.

What happens in an allergy?
An allergy is the reaction caused by the body in response to an allergen. The symptoms caused by allergy can be from manageable to life threatening. When the body senses the allergen, it makes antibodies, the antibodies release chemicals that help fight the allergen. The release of chemicals causes allergic reactions.

Allergies like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and hay fever are caused by seasonal changes where as some allergies occur when the body comes in contact with an allergen. Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary Disorder or COPD occurs when an allergen enters the body. COPD patients have reported wheezing, chest tightness, the urge to clear throat after waking up because of mucus build up.

Types of pollen
Airway obstruction occurs when the body comes in contact with pollen. Many people start wheezing, sneezing and report nasal congestion. There are different types of pollen in the air in pollen season. Following are some of the types:

Grass pollen
Grass pollen that cause allergic reactions are: - Johnson - Redtop - Rye - Bermuda - Kentucky Bluegrass

Tree pollen
Following are some of the tree pollen that cause allergic reactions: - Oak - Cedar - Birch - Elm

Weeds
Weeds come out in June and goes away in September. Weeds are most likely to cause Hay fever. The following are the types of weed that cause allergic reactions: - Cocklebur - Russian thistle - Lamb’s Quarter - Pigweed

What are the most challenging places to live for people with allergies?
Following places has the highest pollen count: - Virginia - Louisiana - Pennsylvania - Kentucky - Massachusetts - Tennessee - Rhode Island - Mississippi - Texas

What can I do to get relief?
When allergies strike, everything seems down and dreary, you can take certain steps to ease your allergies: - Take pre-allergy medications - Tablets to desensitize the pollen - Spray to relieve nasal congestion - Nasal corticosteroid sprays to reduce inflammation.

You can also take care generally to avoid the pollen. Take a shower when you come from outside. Be sure to wear a mask at all times.

Why should you buy from a local business?
Buying from a local business brings a whole range of benefits - to yourself as a customer, the businesses, and even the community as a whole. In a time where there’s an explosion of businesses across all industries, it’s a challenge for small companies to kick start their way into the market. You as a potential customer can make a world of difference. Let’s take a look at some of the impacts you can have by choosing to purchase locally.

Benefits to the entire community
When you buy from a local business, the impacts reach beyond the people you’re purchasing from. You’re supporting the local economy and the employment of local people too. It keeps the cash flow within your local area, which aids the growth and development of your town or city. It also brings sustainability benefits to your local community as a whole, by strengthening relationships and contributing to important hometown causes.

Personalized experiences
As you might expect, local businesses tend to hire local people as employees. This often results in better customer service, as the people there are more familiar with the town, the area, and even the other members of the community! With an invested interest in what potential customers in the area want and need, these businesses are better informed to provide optimal experiences, services and products to locals in a personalized way.

Potential to spur local tourism
By shopping locally and helping local businesses to gain momentum and success, you increase the chances of attracting visitors to your town or local area when there are unique businesses to visit. Small, one of a kind corner stores with interesting specialties and distinct characters have the opportunity to grow and thrive when you shop with them!

Create competition for larger corporations
It’s important to create valid competition for large franchises like mega stores and multinational companies. The way to do this is to buy from local businesses, which is an effective way of encouraging innovation and lower prices across the board. It also results in a broader range of product choices available for customers, as each business tries to find its own niche.

Rather than spending money on multinational corporations, imported products, or stock-standard mainstream items, support your local businesses and do your shopping with them instead. When more people do this, you boost the potential to transform and enrich entire communities and regional growth.

My Allergies Are Acting Up, What Should I Do?
Enjoying the comfort of your home never comes easy for those with allergies. The air in the room may be filled with dust mites, pet dander, mold and other allergens that cause your allergies to act up. Such an environment does not favor people suffering from asthma. The difficulty to breath becomes intense and it may seem like the end of days. As if that is not enough, summer allergies like the common hay fever, thrive when the air is stuffy particularly with pollen. The sneezing, itchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes become more severe and in the extreme cases, headaches, sweats, loss of taste pile up to the previous symptoms.

The solution
Most are familiar with the situations and despite being seasonal, allergies interrupt your normal mood and your abilities to attend to your activities. This is why we bring you the best air conditioning filters to alleviate allergies. OTC drugs and decongestants still help with allergies but you have to eliminate the allergens first. Air filters do this for you.

Air conditioning filters are not just for regulating the temperatures. Our filters get rid of dust particles, pollen, and bacteria in the air by trapping these allergens in the filters while recycling the air. The filters control the humidity levels as well, taking care of algae and mold problems. It is the safest way to treat hay fever and allergy symptoms.

Air filters will continue serving you but after a while, you will need to do some maintenance to ensure it does not become the source of your allergies. The trapped dust and allergens may clog up the filter and instead of purifying the air, they get released back in the room during the recycling process. You do not want that now, do you?

Maintenance
To start with, keep your house allergen-free by wiping the dust off the appliances, countertops, tables, and other surfaces. You can also vacuum the furniture and carpets more often and avoid leaving the doors and windows open to prevent external allergens such as pollen from entering the house.

Alternatively, you should purchase high-quality air filters from AC Filters 4 Less (we have quite the selection) which will offer prolonged service life trapping the most allergens. On that note, you should regularly replace your air filter to renew its efficiency. Scheduling a routine inspection is also part of the required maintenance procedures.

Let allergies and hay fever bother you no more. With our quality air filters, you will solve the problem from its roots ensuring you breathe fresh air in your home all the time.

When Should You Repair or Replace Your HVAC?
It's summer and the air conditioning is on, yet it is still very hot, your energy bills are higher than usual and the cause of this is the HVAC system. Do you get it repaired or just replace it? Most homeowners find themselves struggling to make the decision and they turn to the experts to help them make the decision. When you keep replacing clogged filters or fixing leaks, it is a sign that you need to repair or replace the system and here is how to settle which option is best for you.

Consider the units age
On average, Air Conditioning units can last for 10 to 15 years after which they start to become sluggish and frequently break down. This life expectancy is less for those who live in areas with high salt concentration in the atmosphere such as near the ocean. Once it hits this age bracket, it starts acting out and the only option, in this case, would be to replace. It had a good run but its time to get a new one.


The condition of the unit
A new HVAC is silent and 100% efficient. You barely think of it. But when it is noisy and has some minor issues, consider repairing. However, repairing does not always fix the issues, it is clear what you have to do, contact a dealer and buy a better system.


Maintenance cost
After evaluating the repair vs. replacing cost, the decision becomes easier. HVAC systems that are relatively new and under warranty should be repaired. This is cost-efficient. On the other hand, if year after year the repair cost keep rising, you might end up spending almost the same amount as buying a new system.

The expert's opinion
It is advisable to have your air conditioning system regularly inspected. This helps to point out faults before they become worse and cause more damage. If the technician takes a look at your HVAC system and advice you to replace or repair, trust their opinion as they have the experience to evaluate what the air conditioning system needs.

The decision comes easy when you take into account these factors. If the repair cost is close to buying a new system, replace it. If the efficiency of the unit has decreased over the years, seek out repair options and if it does not work, replace it. It's quite simple when you have a professional to guide you.

How do I find my AC Filters or Furnace Filter Dimensions?
Every brand of filters has a different exact size. Most AC Filters and Furnace Filters have two sizes: Standard and Actual. If your AC Filter or Furnace Filter actually measures 15-½ x 19-½ x ¾ then the standard size would be 16x20x1. When determining the size of your AC Filter or Furnace Filter, it is best to measure your existing Filter. You do not want your AC Filter or Furnace Filter to fit too tight, having to force it into place could damage the Filter. If the Filter is too small, it can get sucked up into the return and will not Filter the air properly. Brand name Filters are probably the least important thing to consider in your buying decision and most brands are you are replacing (Length, Width and Thickness). Often custom size Filters are required due to a wide range of factors. Unfortunately, you can’t buy custom sized AC or Furnace Filters at your local hardware store, but they are available from us at AC Filters 4 Less. We can custom make any size AC or Furnace Filters, in any brand that you are looking for.

How is the air in buildings, particularly in relation to the comfort and health of its occupants?
When residents understand and control common indoor pollutants, they reduce their health risk levels by a great deal.

Effects of indoor air pollution may be experienced almost immediately after exposure or, after a number of years.

Immediate Effects
A few effects to health could come up after a few or just one exposure to a pollutant. Such short-term effects are the likes of throat, nose and eye irritation, fatigue, headache, and dizziness. Good thing is that most of these are often treatable.

At times, treatment can simply be eliminating an identified source of pollution. When exposures to some indoor air quality pollutants occur, symptoms of conditions like asthma may show up, get aggravated or worsen.

Several factors such as age and pre-existing medical conditions dictate the likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants. Observations show that individual sensitivity determines whether a person reacts to a pollutant. Some people gradually develop sensitivity to chemical or biological contaminants after repetitive exposures.

Some immediate effects to health resemble those caused by viral infections such as cold, which makes it difficult to pinpoint whether the symptoms are resulting from exposure to indoor air pollution.

Paying consideration to the symptoms and the time they occur is very important. If a tenant finds that the symptoms go away or fade when they are in a particular area, an attempt to identify the possible indoor air pollutant should be made.

Things that could worsen the effects include an insufficient supply of air from outside, and heating and cooling of air inside.

Long-term effects
These are the health effects that begin to show up after long exposure to pollutants. Heart diseases, respiratory diseases, and cancer can be fatal.

Even when no symptoms are noticed, it is still good to upkeep indoor air quality in homes. Though indoor air pollutants are known to cause a lot of effects, it is still not very well known the concentration or exposure period required to bring about specific health problems.

Every individual reacts differently to indoor air contaminant exposure. Some research to help clear health concerns would be helpful. This is because it is still unclear what health effects result from average concentrations of pollutants found in homes and those that result from higher concentrations that people get exposed to in relatively short periods of time.

Identifying problems in internal environments
Problems can be identified by looking at the activities and lifestyle of the rooms. Indicators of poor ventilation include; Stuffy air, Condensed moisture on walls and windows, Mold on storage areas for books, Dirty cooling and heating devices.

Why is my electric bill so high during the summer?
As the grass turns green and the snow begins melting away, we can all pack up our winter quilts and put away the heaters. But, homeowners who were hoping to save on their electric bill come the warmer months may have been met with a surprise.

What’s Cheaper Heating or Cooling?
When considering the efficiency of an air conditioner compared to a furnace or boiler, it’s actually easier to transfer heat (i.e., cool down a room with an air conditioner) than it is to generate heat (or warm up an area with a furnace/boiler).

So, why do you have such a high energy bill during the summer? While the air conditioning unit itself may be more efficient at controlling your home’s climate than a heating unit is, there are a lot of other factors to consider.

Keeping Cool During Summer
During the winter months, you can keep your house warmer by letting the sunlight in and keeping doors closed. You may have a nicely insulated upper crawl space or attic, which helps to keep the rising heat inside too. All of that makes for a more efficient winter home.

However, during the summer, letting in the sunlight is going to heat your house up quickly, meaning your air conditioner has to work harder (and longer) to keep the house cool. You may also have your air conditioning unit turned down quite a bit to keep your home in the icy 60s. This requires your air conditioner to be on almost constantly, especially if outdoor temperatures are in the 80s or higher.


How To Lower Your Bill Without Boiling
If you want some tips and tricks to keep your house comfortable during the summer without letting your electricity bill get out of hand, follow this advice:

Close it off. On a hot day, let your air conditioner run better by blocking out the hot sun. Close doors to rooms that aren’t used so the unit doesn’t have to cool as many square feet.

Get new curtains. Blackout curtains will help keep out the heat, and they’ll also help keep the cool in by providing an extra layer of insulation.

Check for drafts. In the wintertime, you probably go around your house looking for places where cool air can get in. Now, look for places where it can get out. Insulation is just as important during the summer.

If you can stand it, a final tip is to turn your air conditioner up a few more degrees. When you’ll be gone for a while, do the same thing (rather than turning it all the way off) to keep your house comfortable. When you want to cool down again, the air conditioner will have to work less to get it back to your ideal temperature but, in the meantime, you’ll be saving energy.

On cooler days, consider foregoing the A/C all together and turning on some fans to circulate the fresh air in from outside. Fans can also be used to move the cool A/C air around the house more effectively.

Spring Is Here, Why Are My Allergies Getting Worse?
Spring brings cool afternoon rain showers, blooming flower buds, and a nice breeze that’s only getting warmer as summer begins moving into full swing. But, if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you might find yourself hiding inside rather than enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors.

Seasonal allergies can be particularly frustrating because they seem to come at just about the worst times of the year. Who doesn’t want to get out and enjoy the spring time after a long and cold winter? But, allergies can become so irritating that you’ll do anything just to keep away from all of that irritating pollen.

Pollen may look like pretty white fluff to most people, but to allergy sufferers, it’s just another thing on the long list of frustrating elements that worsen their nasal congestion. If you’re one of those sufferers, you might be even more irritated to discover that pollen isn’t the only thing you should be staying away from.

In reality, if you have nasal congestion already, many other “everyday” things can make your seasonal allergies even worse. These things include pet dander, mold spores, and even dust.

Unfortunately, many of these things can already be found inside your home. So, what are you supposed to do?

If you own pets, keeping them out of your bedroom and keeping your bedding nice and clean (by washing it frequently in hot water) is the fastest way to making your home a bit more welcoming to your stuffy nose. This also means keeping them off the sofa and keeping their own bedding washed and clean.

It’s also important that you keep surfaces dusted and clean throughout your home, but don’t just pull out your vacuum cleaner. You should opt for a HEPA filter equipped vacuum cleaner to help lessen your allergies. Otherwise, you’re only going to be making them worse.

That’s because a normal vacuum cleaner will only work to stir up dust and allergens, and even spread them across your home into other areas. When it comes to dusting, always use a wet cloth to help capture and trap dust (and other allergens) rather than brushing it up off the surface and into the air.

Finally, while you should keep your windows closed to prevent the free flow of unfiltered air in from outside, you should not allow your house to just remain closed up and stagnant. Using an air filter will help bring in filtered fresh air into your home, allowing you to breathe better.

How Do I Find The Best Deals For AC Filters and Furnace Filters?
You know you can find almost anything you want online. Most people like shopping in the comfort of their home. They know when searching for a product, they can find the best deals because of the array of businesses trying to sell the same product. They are also looking at reviews on the company before making their final purchase, which is important to know that the company you will buy from has many satisfied customers like AC Filters 4 Less.

Why Is Indoor Air Quality So Bad?
Most people naturally tend to think of their home as a safe haven. When the air quality is bad outside, stay in where it’s better. But, is it? In reality, indoor air quality in many cases is actually worse than outdoor air quality, and the reasons are plentiful. The number one reason is that your home is a closed environment. While this lets you control the climate (temperature and humidity) of rooms inside your home, it also means that you’re trapping in the pollution that’s brought in from the outdoors.

If your home doesn’t have a filtration system in place, this air pollution will continue building up as air quality continues to degrade. You’ll be inside feeling as though you’re trapping the pollution out, but in reality, the air you’re breathing is likely just as bad if not worse than what’s outside in the environment where there’s more fresh air and a natural filtration process going on.

So, if you really want to keep away from poor quality air, you need to get a filtration system for the inside of your home. This system will keep the air inside your home clean and free of allergens, which makes it that much more comfortable.

What Type Of Air Conditioning Filter Do I Need For My Home?
Most people stick with the same air conditioning filter that they have been using. In most cases using the same air filer is okay. If they have a fiberglass filter Merv 3-4 in their HVAC system for at least a year or more, but want better air filtration. We would recommend our polyester flat panel filter which has a Merv rating of 5-6. Our polyester filters protect the evaporator coil better than a fiberglass filter, while still giving you good airflow.

How To Clean A Return Air Vent Grille?
Remove the screws and take the vent off and see if there is any dust and dirt inside the wall. We recommend that you vacuum all of the dust around the opening and then wipe it down with a damp cloth, if necessary. If the grille is starting to rust or the paint is chipping away, you can spray paint it with Rustoleum white gloss spray paint or an equivalent rust protection paint. Install a new filter, if that is where the filter goes. Make sure you change the air filter regularly to prevent any dust build-up to maintain good air flow.

How Do I Maintain My A/C Unit?
You never want to have the AC Filter or Furnace Filter left in for too long. Leaving a filter in too long will increase the electric bill. This will guarantee that there will be problems with the air conditioning unit. Almost half of all air conditioning service calls are water leak related and a good portion of those calls are because the customer didn't change the air filter in a timely manner. Most HVAC companies do not carry air filters on their trucks, so save time money and gas by ordering air-filters along with free shipping and everyday low prices online from Mark and Michelle, owners of AC Filters 4 Less.

Where Do You Buy Your AC Filters From?
Buying online can save you time money and gas. We specialize in custom hard to find sizes. We can custom make any size air conditioning filter you are looking for, in a verity of different brands to choose from, like Glasfloss, Trane, Carrier, Flanders, and Purolator.

Do You Always See A Lot of Dust in the House?
Is your air conditioner or furnace unit over 10 years old?
What type of AC or Furnace filter do I need for my unit? We recommend our Glasfloss Polyester blend, flat panel - non-pleated filter - Merv 5-6. This filter has a honeycomb mesh on both sides of the filter to keep it sturdy. This filter allows for better airflow and higher filtration than a pleated filter, ultimately doing a better job for the air conditioning or furnace system.


Are More People Ordering Products Online?
Yes! More people are ordering products and services online because they know they can save time, money and gas, which makes the internet more competitive to the seller, passing the savings on to the consumer. These days you can find almost anything on the internet. More and more people are taking advantage of the savings, shopping online. For example, our AC Filters and Furnace Filters have free shipping and everyday low prices. We serve thousands of customers throughout the United States which allows us to be very competitive with other companies passing the savings onto our happy customers. With our superior customer service, why would anyone want to go anywhere else? We make sure all of our customers are completely satisfied! It brings us such joy knowing our customer's shopping experience was very pleasant. Click the link below to read more on people ordering products online: Yahoo Questions and Answers.