Monthly Topic: Best Furnace Filter & Google Street View Blurring

June '22 Home Insights

==> We’re recommending the best furnace filter for protecting your home, while also ensuring your furnace doesn’t work too hard.

==> We’re showing you how to protect your privacy by removing your home from Google Street View.

THE BEST FURNACE FILTER

● Furnace filters serve one purpose: to filter out harmful particles, thereby protecting your furnace and improving home air quality.There are four types of filters, shown from least to most effective in filtering air: fiberglass, pleated, electrostatic, and HEPA filters.

● In addition to being the most effective in filtering air toxins, the HEPA filter is also the most expensive. HOWEVER, whereas you might think a HEPA filter is the best filter for your home, it is important to consider that the HEPA has such a strong filter that your furnace has to work extremely hard to pull air through the filter, thus potentially reducing its useful life with long-term HEPA filter use.

● If someone in your home has respiratory issues or high sensitivity to pet hair, dust, or other allergens, then an electrostatic or HEPA filter might be your best option. If so, I highly recommend replacing your filter often to reduce extra long-term wear to your furnace.

● If members in your household have an “average” reaction to normal allergens, I recommend purchasing a pleated filter with a MERV 8 rating and replacing every 1-2 months, depending upon how often you run your furnace and air conditioner.

● Pleated, MERV 8 filters have the perfect balance of reasonable cost, filter performance, and not being “too hard” on your furnace. The best furnace filter I have found for my own home is this FilterBuy MERV 8 filter on Amazon Link*. I purchase this as a 6-pack and they last a full year. They are roughly $6.50/filter, which is a great value and I have the peace of mind that not only will my air quality be great inside my home, but also that my furnace will not be overworked distributing air supply throughout my home.

*Note, the above Amazon link is for your convenience.

We do not earn any money off orders placed through the link.

GOOGLE STREET VIEW BLURRING

● Google Maps Street View allows people to virtually “drive by” almost any home or building in the US.

● To protect your right to privacy, Google allows you to request that your home be blurred, thereby adding a layer of security to your personal information.

● Before requesting a blur, please note:

∙ Blurring is permanent and cannot be undone.

∙ Blurring your home may make nearby items, such as vehicles or recreational equipment, stand out more (though you can request to blur those too).

∙ If you plan to sell your home, blurring may make it harder for potential buyers to virtually view the property and surrounding neighborhood.

● Blurring Step by Step:

1. Open Google Maps.

2. Search for your home address.

3. Click or tap the Street View image of your home.

4. Move the view until your home is clearly visible.

5. Click “Report a problem” in the bottom-right corner of the Street View image.

6. In the form, adjust the red box so it covers the part of the image you want blurred, choose "My home," and add a short explanation: “I am requesting that my home be blurred for privacy reasons.”

7. Enter your email address.

8. Complete the verification/security check.

9. Submit.

That’s it! Google Street View privacy is yours.

We are Greenwood Estates Realty,

"The best real estate experience you've ever had."