Frequently Asked Questions

A typical 1" pleated filter as shown in front should be replaced every 1-3 months. The 2" pleated filters shown in the middle should be replaced every 2-4 months. The Larger 4"-5" pleated air filters shown in the back should be replaced every 6-12 months. Every home is different so in order to be sure your filter is being change at the right time you will need to first inspect your air filter, monthly to see when it has become "loaded" and begin replacing the filter before it is "fully loaded" which will block system airflow and negatively affect your HVAC equipment performance. You can hold your filter up to a light to visually check it's condition. A fully loaded air filter will not allow very much light to pass through it. You want to replace your filter BEFORE it becomes this dirty.​​​​​​​

Yes, you can usually upgrade to a 5" filter, as long as there is enough available space at the equipment to install a new 5" filter rack box which holds the new 5" filter inside. Although these filters are typically around 4.5-inches and not truly 5-inches, don't be surprised because the air filters you've been referring to as 1-inch are in fact 3/4-inch. Don't overthink it, this means the new 5-inch filter is still more than 5-times bigger than a "1-inch" filter, which is most likely the math you wanted to see. It's one of those things like how you've probably always referred to framing members as 2x4s and 2x6s and not 1.75x3.75s or 1.75x5.75s even though those are the actual dimensions.

MERV stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value which ranges from MERV 1 - 20 which represents filter performance removing particles 0.3 to 10 microns in size. A higher MERV rating means fewer dust particles and other contaminants can pass through it. Of course, a higher MERV rated filter is also more restrictive to airflow and could cause performance issues with your HVAC system if not properly designed for your system, so be careful before you grab the highest MERV rated filter at the store and throw it in your filter rack box at home. Looking at the chart above, you can see MERV 11 is the beginning of filter performance that captures particles 0.3 - 1.0 microns in size which are the particles small enough to not only land on the surface of your lungs, but can actually travel inside your lungs which is more harmful to occupant's health. MERV 17-20 is referred to as HEPA filters and are typically found in hospitals and general surgery settings.

Maintenance keeps your HVAC equipment running properly and extends the life expectancy of your equipment. It's also the only way to prevent your system(s) from breaking down on the hottest or coldest day of the year leaving you desperate for same day service at the mercy of a service provider's tight schedule. Another benefit to regular maintenance is to have a qualified professional visually inspect important places like your attic, or crawlspace and alert you to other issues like water leaks, busted pipes, insulation deficiencies, or pest intrusions or associated damages which would otherwise go unnoticed until you go there for whatever reason, maybe to get your Christmas tree out of storage. ​​​​

Bigger HVAC equipment is not better for you, your home, or the equipment. An HVAC system requires at least 10 minutes of constant run time before the first drop of water is removed from the home. Bigger systems have shorter run cycles and will not operate long enough for dehumidification to occur. Bigger equipment will also start and stop more frequently which is called "short cycling"; start up causes much more wear and tear on the system and uses much more electricity than when the system is already running. When a bigger system is installed and the ductwork system is not also increased to match the larger airflow, even more issues arise.

A Load Calculation gathers all of the building dynamics like the building materials, windows, square footage, ceiling height, insulation values, and building tightness and orientation to calculate the heating, cooling, dehumidification, and ventilation demands of the home. Without this data, there is no way to know what size equipment a building needs, or how much airflow a room needs in order to affectively heat, cool, and dehumidify while also providing clean fresh air to the occupants. This takes the guess work out of our work!

The ideal humidity level to maintain inside your home is between 30% - 50% for comfort and health. If your humidity level rises above 60% actions should be taken to lower the humidity inside the home to prevent microbial growth and other health related issues. If your humidity level drops below 30% indoors, you should take action to prevent dry or cracking skin, buckling floors, and viruses which thrive in dry environments.

The International Energy Codes (IECC) remind us that we are to complete a Manual J Load Calculation and design the HVAC equipment to provide a 75*F indoor temperature at 50% relative humidity on a 92*F outdoor temperature day in Georgia (Climate Zone 3). This allows the HVAC equipment to be properly sized for 99% of the days in the year, instead of being OVERSIZED for 99% of that time. Admittingly, there will be some days hotter than 92*F outside, but most of those days are only hotter than 92*F for a few hours. You may set the thermostat a few degrees lower at night to get through a heat wave, giving you a good fighting chance at keeping the temperature inside below your usual thermostat setpoint during a heatwave.​ This is a comfort issue that money can fix, with "Variable Capacity" equipment (excluding mini-splits) that can be more oversized (and still be code compliant!) to handle these hotter days and still maintain proper humidity levels due to having special "boost-mode", dehumidification capabilities, and humidity setpoints the thermostat will maintain.

You have probably seen water forming and collecting on windows before and wondered why that occurs. The condensation is the result of warm air coming into contact with a surface colder than its "Dew-Point", much like the warm morning air touching the still-cool grass in the morning creating dew. It's very common to have temperatures at 80*F and above 80% humidity outdoors in Georgia, which has a corresponding "dew-point" of 73.3*F meaning any surfaces at or below 73.3*F will start to condensate and sweat. That includes the surfaces inside your home that come into contact with outdoor air, or attic air. We design indoor temperatures to be set at 75*F to avoid these condensation and resulting microbial growth issues inside your home. An easy way to test to see if your home is currently below the dew-point of the outside air is to take an item from inside (glass or metal) and set it outside (in shade) and see if it starts to sweat. If the item starts to sweat, then rest assured all the surfaces in your home are cold enough to do the same thing if given the opportunity. Of course, a supply vent blowing directly onto a surface in your home like a wall, or window can easily cause that surface to reach dew point and condensate.