So even though we live in Florida, we do have a furnace.  Of course attached to that furnace is our air conditioner.  Down here the air conditioner gets used way more than the furnace.  As a matter of fact, we have only turned on our furnace once since we bought the place and that was just to make sure it worked :).  But you still have to do the same maintenance that you would on your furnace as if it were up north.  So we replace the filters ever few months.

Our furnace has the filters behind this slotted thingie

Here is where we replace our furnace filter

(And no, those aren’t big dust bunnies, they are cat toys 🙂 )

We have purchased several replacement filters since we  have been here.  The first time, we didn’t know what size it was because we forgot to measure it before we left.  We ended up buying one that was way to big and Gary had to cut it to size.  But that was OK, the filters are pretty cheap, right?

The next time we needed a filter, Gary took some measurements.  We needed 19 1/2 by 19 1/2.  Great!  Now we know what size to get.  Off to the store we go.  Hmmmm.  They don’t have any that are 19 1/2 by 19 1/2.  Well, let’s try a 20 X 20, that’s pretty close.  We got it home and Gary was able to trim it again to size.  Humph!  Still not the right size.

Next time we needed one we asked someone at the store.  They said to check the actual size that is usually listed somewhere on the filter.  Well that will help, goodie!  So we find one that is 19 1/2 X 19 1/2, according to the actual size listed on the filter, we get it home and it still doesn’t fit.  Gary again trims a little off so it finally fits.  What the heck?  These stupid filters.  I know our place is old but come on!  There has to be a filter that fits.

So the other day we went to a little hardware store down the road from us called Family Hardware.  Gary figures if nothing else, he’ll order filters to the right size.  So we go in the hardware store and asks if they will order furnace filters?  The guys that helps us, who is obviously from New York, kind of snickers and says “Ya mean air conditioner filters?  They don’t call them furnace filters down here”  Yah, yah. Whatever!  So Gary tells him his dilemma.  “Oh”, the guy says, “You want a grille filter”.   Huh?  He takes us back to the filters and takes out a regular 20 X 20 filter and a Grill 20 X 20 filter.  Low and behold the Grill filter is just a smidge smaller.  Very nice!  We buy one and run home to try it.

Perfect fit

Would you look at that, a perfect fit.  Who’d a thunk?  Back to the hardware store to order a case ;).