Replacing Air Filter

Today is my day to replace air filter in my home and I want to share the trick that I've been doing for years and it seem to worked out very well.

Majority of us forget to change the filter as recommended by the manufacturer. A clogged air filter make system fan works harder to push all the air around the house. Changing air filter make air conditioning or heater works more efficient, the air in the house circulate better, and save you money since the house get cool or warm faster.
However, most often, we usually forgot when the last time we change the filter so by marking the filter with the date, it's easy to tell when it need to be replaced.

Many people write the date somewhere to remind them. However, I found it more convenient to just write the date on the filter itself since most of the filter is paper and easy to write on. Another advantage is it is right where it is, I don't have to remember where I write down the information.

First, before replacing the new filter, I used a marker to write down the current month year around the edges of the filter. I find that month is good enough for me but you can also write down the day if you prefer.

That way, after installation, I can easily see the date through the vent.
This way, I can easily check when the last time I change the filter and replacing it accordingly.

In additional to replacing the filter. Before putting in the filter, I put a few air freshener bottle.
Therefore, when the A/C or Heater is running, while the air is circulating, the air freshener will help clean the air in my home.

There you have it. Hope this small trick will help the air in your home is cleaner and in turn make you healthier.

As always, thanks for reading.

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See you in the next Weekend DIYer tip.

Staining both sides of wood

One of the problem with weekend DIY is you only have weekend to do your work and if you don't finish it in the same weekend, you have to wait for the next.
Painting or staining is the process that you need to have to wait for it to dry. If you find yourself doing something that required painting/staining both sides, you have to paint one side, wait a day for it to dry, then come back the next day to paint the other side. So it's very difficult to finish painting on one weekend.
However, if you try to paint the other side right after painting one side, you end up with unwanted paint lines on the product.



To allow me to paint both side of the piece of wood in the same day, I came up with this idea to allow me to stain both sides of my piece of wood.










How did I make it?


First I measure the length and the diameter of my push pins.

My push pin is 1/2 in for length and 3/8 in for diameter.
Next, I take 3/8 in drill bit and use a painter tape to tape about 1/2 in from the tip (the length of my pin) as my cue to stop drilling.










Then I drill holes in the piece of scrap wood about 3 inches apart. They don't have to be exact measurement. I use painter's tape to make my depth but you can you the stop guide to do the samething.

Next, I just place my push pins in with the pointing tip up. 

Be careful when handling these pin to avoid hurting yourself, use glove if necessary.

And when I finish staining one side, I can you turn it over and put it on top of the push pin stand I just made.

As you can see in the picture below, your material will lay on top of the needle point so it doesn't ruin your new stained surface.

There you have it, now you can paint or stain one side and flip it over, put it on this and paint, stain another side without ruining the new painted stained surface.

Worse case you get are a few needle holes on your surface but it will barely visible, especially on wood surface.

Happy painting/staining and thank you for reading.

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See you in the next Weekend DIYer tip.