Diary Entry #6 – Your Air Filter is Not a Vibe

If you just bought your first house—congrats! You’ve leveled up to responsible adulting (whether you feel like one or not).

But here’s the deal: owning a home means maintaining it. And if you’re ignoring your HVAC filter… you’re basically asking your AC to run a Tough Mudder every day.

🚨 First-Time Homeowner Tip: Check. Your. Filter.

I can’t count how many calls I get from new homeowners wondering why their “brand new system” is acting up. 80% of the time? The filter hasn’t been changed since Lizzo dropped Truth Hurts.

Here’s what you need to know—short and sweet:

• 🔁 Change it every 30–90 days. Got pets? Cranky allergies? You’re in the 30-day club.
• 📏 Size matters. Look at the old one before you buy. It’s written on the side like a secret code. Example: 16x25x1.
• 💨 Buy quality, not just quantity. MERV 8 or MERV 11 is a solid start. Don't go full MERV 16 unless your system was built for NASA.

🛒 Riley Recommends:

Save yourself time and subscribe for replacements—future you will be grateful.

• MERV 11 Filters – Good balance of airflow and filtration
• Air Filter Subscriptions – Set it and forget it
• Smart Thermostat – For the forgetful Millennials and Gen Z-ers among us

🎶 Quick Playlist for Filter Swapping Vibes:

Because everything’s better with music.

• No Scrubs – TLC (because you don’t want a scrub air filter)
• B.O.B – Outkast (blast it while you do the thing)
• As It Was – Harry Styles (nostalgia + modern = perfect balance)

You don’t need to know how to rebuild a compressor to take care of your HVAC system. Start with the filter. It’s the avocado toast of HVAC maintenance—simple, overlooked, and totally worth it.

— Riley

Diary Entry #5 – The Gap Between Posts

Okay, let’s not pretend this update isn’t overdue.

It’s been two weeks since I touched the blog. The Twitter account? July 22nd. Not exactly a strong performance from someone who promised to “keep the updates coming.”

But here’s what happened: August happened.
Peak cooling season doesn’t ask for your attention—it demands it. I’ve been chasing down refrigerant leaks, system resets, and the occasional “mystery smell,” all while summer temperatures broke records—again. Colorado is bracing for another severe summer, marked by heat domes and triple-digit days that strain both people and electrical grids (ColoradoBiz article).

Meanwhile, outside the field, headlines are shifting: Gen Z is increasingly seeking out careers they know won't be outsourced or replaced by AI—like HVAC and other skilled trades (Axios, New York Post). And it’s not just talk—cities like Tampa are launching hands-on programs to bring teens into these trades early (City of Tampa).

That’s what I’m trying to catch here—the gap between what people think the trades are (dirty, outdated, last-resort) and what they really are: future-proofed careers with impact, human connection, and a paycheck you can build on.

So I’m back—blurry-eyed, dusty, but still full of stories worth telling. Thanks for sticking around. More posts soon, because trust me—the summer heat isn’t taking a break, and neither am I.

— Riley