Houses collect dust - there really is no way of stopping it. Dust constantly finds its way around our homes. But what's in house dust? The answer is a bit disgusting. House dust is a mix of sloughed-off skin cells, pet hair, bacteria, dust mites, soil particles, and pollen, just to name a few. These particles also soak up contaminants originally imbedded in consumer products that we brought into our homes or tracked in on the soles of our shoes. When disturbed, it recirculates before landing somewhere else in the home.

This is why one of the most important maintenance steps is to change your air filters on a regular basis, as their purpose is to capture as much of these dust particles as they can. Once the filter is full (dirty or clogged), it can't capture any more particles and they pass right through the filter and back into the air we breathe. Bad for us in many ways - poorer air quality and a harder working HVAC system trying to push air through a clogged filter. This in turn, results in higher utility bills and a potentially shorter life span for the HVAC system.

If there is one important maintenance task you should be diligent about, it is changing your air filters on a timely basis.