Well, I finally did it. I changed my air filter! It took Rachel standing at the top of the stairs with me on Thursday night for me to get brave enough to open the door to the unit, but once I discovered it was varmint free, I broke down and went and bought air filters. For everyone that kept telling me it was really easy, I beg to differ! Getting it out wasn’t to bad, but not as easy as one would assume. Putting the new one in was another story. When I went to Wal-Mart Friday night, they didn’t have the size I needed, so I had to wait and go to Lowe’s Saturday morning. I didn’t want to make a lot of racket, so I had to wait till I heard my roommate up and around (because it’s right outside her bedroom).
Here is the play by play:
- Open closet door and manage to get the cover off the unit. Meanwhile, door to closet keeps closing on me causing much frustration.
-Pull old air filter out (which took some maneuvering).
-Open new air filter and proceed to put back in place. Not as easy as I thought it would be because it kept slipping out of the guides.
-In addition to the guide problem, something kept catching hold of the air filter and making it even harder to keep on the guides.
-Frustration begins. A faint “ugh” was verbally expressed.
-Pull air filter out. Try again. Still keeps slipping out of the guide and catching on something in the closet. Door to closet begins closing on me again. Louder “ugh” expressed.
-Something jams in between my finger and fingernail (it HURT). Air filter still won’t stay on the guides and something is still catching it. Air filer is now starting to come apart. Louder “ugh” is expressed.
-After several more attempts at this, the air filter is in serious shape. I’m not VERY hacked that I might have to go buy another air filter. This is when the “dabnabits” started. Verbal frustrations getting louder. (Note: no cussing ever took place, but it was tempting!)
-Now REALLY irritated, I get up and go looking for tape. I think I hit the door to my room when I tried to open it.
-Proceed to tape the air filter back together and making mental note to purchase heaviest dutiest air filter on the market next time around.
-After 10-15 more attempts (and several verbal outbursts of frustration) air filter is finally in place. Dreading the need to replace again in three months.
“Changing Air Filter” has officially become “man’s work” in my book. My definition of “man’s work” is anything that I could do if I tried, but have no desire to do.
And, by the way, I didn't just change one air filter, I changed three. I was advised by a fellow female homeowner that there were too other locations that I should also have air filters. One of the locations was a peice of cake to change. The other one, well - it was in my ceiling and it's a good thing I'm tall because I had to hold the grate in place with my head while I tried to put the screws back into the ceiling. It took some serious talent on my part.
6 days ago
2 comments:
Having previously declared myself as 'not an expert' on air filters, take this with as much salt as you like. Perhaps the trouble you had replacing your filter was a result of some previous owner forcing in a wrong sized filter. You might consider taking a measuring tape, or a yard stick and double checking the dimensions of your filter space, if possible. Just a thought. Oh, and well done overcoming your fears!
Actually, the heat & air guy replaced the last filter. It is the right size, it's the way the area was built. It's hard to describe, but about half way through, the opening gets larger and the filer slips off the track, but a wider filter wouldn't fit into the opening. It's weird - but it's not the only thing about this house that is weird. The guy who built it didn't frame it correctly either and my floors aren't level upstairs. I thought it was a foundation problem, but a construction friend said it's the framing. Got to love it! =o)
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