This podcast episode (Derek Cole Podcast — "303. Allergy Filters & Frozen Unit") features Q&A-style advice about indoor air quality and HVAC systems. Key takeaways: use better filters than the cheapest disposable ones but avoid over-restrictive filters that reduce airflow (test by seeing if small particles pass through or if the filter frame caves in); change filters regularly; frozen units are typically caused by restricted airflow or low refrigerant; manufactured/mobile homes can often have AC added using the existing furnace plus an outdoor unit or a heat pump to create a dual-fuel system. The episode includes promotional material for the Healthy Home Challenge and calls to action to share, rate, and visit simmons1hour.com.
Foreign.
I'm Derek Cole, host of the Derek Cole Podcast and we believe in taking the time to explain how things work for your air at home or your business. And we also believe you deserve clean air in that home. And that is why we founded the Healthy Home Challenge. It's a five day online video series with daily emails, worksheets and even quick action steps you can take to protect you, your family and your co workers. If you haven't joined us yet, you can sign up. It's free to free five day access. You can go to Simmons One Hour Comm. You'll see a link to learn more about indoor air. You've probably known for a while that you need better indoor air at home or at work. After all, we spend 90% of our.
Time indoors these days.
Your breakthrough awaits at Simmons One Hour Comm. Now let's get into today's episode. Please listen closely and maybe even take some notes so you can remember these insights of home comfort and energy savings. And share this episode with three of your friends. Because we all need to share better ways to be more comfortable at home. Be sure to tag me or DM me on Instagram Derek Mcole so I can say hi. Thanks again for listening and let's begin.
Filters Worth the Extra money?
I know the answer to this question, but really, I mean, I hate to say it, but it kind of depends on what you have at your house and what the situation is. The better filter is helping, but you can go a little too far and get too good of a filter and then you have an airflow problem which will cause the unit to freeze and cause some other issues. So it kind of depends on your situation. When our techs go out to the house, they can recommend what's better for you, but I would. Yes, you need a better filter than the 69 cent Home Depot see through filter. I mean, if you can, if you can lay it on your table, take salt, pour it over it and the salt gets through. That's not a good filter. That makes sense because you're trying. I mean, the big filter is stopping or the cheap filter is stopping things like sandwiches and chickens and any kind of furry pits from coming through. But it's not stopping the small particles that you need to be stopping. And that is 98% of your problem is the small ones, not the big ones. So that's what you need to be focused on. So the better filter is better for you, but you do have to walk a fine line of restricting airflow and stopping the particles. Now There are air cleaners on the market. They can handle both. We have them, but you just have to be careful about knob. I'll tell you a good sign. So when you put the filter in the return and the unit's running, if it starts to cave in a little bit and the corners cave in a little bit, the filter is too much for that unit. It is too tight, because now you're caving it in a little bit, and the air is still going around the corners. So, I mean, you defeat the purpose. It's not. It's not going into the filter anymore. It's going around the filter to get to where it's going. So, you know, you should give a gentle little tug to get it out. You shouldn't have that much force to get it out. So that's kind of a rule of thumb. I kind of hate roll thumbs, but there you go. There's one of them. So if you have. I mean, if you have to, like, you know, lean against the wall to get it out, that is a problem. But if you have to just. Just pull a little bit, you're good to go. Okay, so the answer is it kind of depends on your system. I really hate that kind of an answer, but sometimes that happens. It depends on your duct system. It depends on your setup. It depends on all those. Sure, you have the right filter, but regardless of the filter, the most important thing you can do is change that on a regular basis. If you go 30, 45 days and there's no dirt or anything on that.
Filter.
That is the indication to know the air is bypassing that filter because it's not even dirty a little bit. And it's getting to the unit. And we have another problem.
My manufactured home has gas heat, and I'm wondering if installing air can use the same system or if it needs to be a completely different system.
So. Good question. What usually happens on a mobile home is you have a gas furnace or a leisure furnace in the closet. You open a little closet, and you're like, hey, there it is. So what you can do is actually add air conditioning to that with a coil and with an outdoor unit. So you could use that existing furnace, most likely, and just add AC to it. Or you can do what we do, a lot of which is add AC to it. But instead of an air conditioner outside, you have a heat pump outside. So now you're actually creating a dual fuel system. You have a heat pump outside, and you have a heat pump gas furnace inside as your backup source. So instead of electricity you're using gas as backup. So it's really the best of both worlds. So yes, you can add ac. I would go ahead and kick it up a little bit more and make it dual fuel.
Is that, is that mainly for here in the like in North Carolina where we're at or is that in general? Because I know the person that asked that question lives in Wyoming.
You don't see too many gas furnaces here. You see a lot of electric furnaces. But it should be the same in Wyoming. I was just curious if it's the same kind of manufactured home.
Say like we use more heat pumps here than like.
Yeah, I mean we run into a few of the gas furnaces in the mobile homes. It's just not, it's just kind of rare for this part of the area country state turn to a gas furnace on mobile home. But it does happen and when it does happen, we have, you know, converted those over to a dual fuel system which saves you a ton of money because they use whatever if it's electricity or gas depending on temperature outside, it switches between the two. So it's really efficient as to using the best source of heat for what the weather calls for. So if you have a 50 degree day in Wyoming you will use heat pump heat. If you got a 20 degree day in Wyoming you probably use the gas. So it's going to use the best of both.
Why does my unit freeze?
Unit freezes because you bought that expensive algae filter and now it can't breathe. No, I'm just kidding. But no, that could be, that could be one of the situations. You could have too good of a filter and the air can't get back to the unit. If airflow is a challenge, it will freeze over because airflow is a challenge. Also it will do it because of low refrigerant. Those are really the two big reasons you have a freezing problem. If you low refrigerant it will freeze. Airflow problem, it will freeze. Those are really the two main things. Could be a, you know, some, some minor things inside of that. But those are really the two biggest things. We saw a lot of that in the summertime, a lot of freezing units and it was because of stopped up coils filters and it was just lack of maintenance. So again important to do the maintenance on the system and change your filter because the service calls could have been prevented with that happening. That's it. That was a good one. All right. Episode 45 done. So yeah. Appreciate all the sharing, man. Facebook has been lighting up with people tagging other people on the little post and sharing really appreciate that. So keep it going and we will see you next time.
Okay? I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Derek Cole Podcast. Tell some people about this episode. It's on each of us really to spread the better ways to be healthier and more comfortable in our homes and workspaces. I'm asking you to be the dealer of positive and life changing messages in your circle of influence. Take a screenshot right now and share the screenshot and the link to this episode with three of your friends today. Share on social Media Use the hashtag Healthy Home. That's hashtag Healthy Home. We are always giving away shout outs prizes to our community. If you would like to help me personally then please rate and review on Apple podcast. Give us some stars. Leave a review because that stuff actually does help and I read all the comments. So my last thought for today, please remember you deserve better air at home and greater comfort at home. Don't settle for being uncomfortable for your heating air every single month. We are so thankful for having you here in our community and be sure to go deeper with us at simmons1hour.com.
