FilterWatch: Save Energy for Heating and Cooling
If your home has a heating and cooling system, you might be shocked to know that it’s probably not functioning at its best. 
FilterWatch is a revolutionary way to ensure that your heating and cooling systems are running their best, keeping your air clean and being the most energy efficient.
FilterWatch, a small device created by Mike Mayer from SIma Engineering and John Pollock from Innovation Play, is currently on Kickstarter with a campaign to get their product out to the mass market. After years in the heating and cooling industry, these guys knows the importance of a properly functioning heating and cooling system. As founder Pollack says, “an HVAC system is the primary method for filtering the air that we breathe AND it is the #1 source of energy usage in our homes. With something so important in our lives, it makes sense that we should pay extra attention to make sure that it is working as efficiently as possible.”
FilterWatch helps homeowners by relieving them from having to pay attention to the air filters in the home. FilterWatch monitors the airflow going into your filter and when the airflow gets to be too slow, an alarm will sound. Slow airflow means less filtering and longer run times! Even if your filter says “30 day filter” or “90 day filter”, this number might not be correct as our homes, energy usage and air quality may differ.
eeeewwww. Don’t breathe this in your home!
Even if your HVAC controller alerts you to filter changing needs, FilterWatch is different because it looks at peak airflow changes over time. If your peak airflow does not change for months, there is no reason to change your filter, despite the time listed on the package. Best of all, FilterWatch is easy to use. Simply attach to a vent in your house (return vent is best), press the start button and wait for FilterWatch to alert you when your filter needs changing. Additionally, FilterWatch is Smart as it includes the ability to determine whether the HVAC system has a possible refrigerant leak; along with dirty filters, this is another major source of waste. Finally, FilterWatch monitors whether or not the coils are clogged. If your airflow starts to degrade over time, it could be a sign of the coils getting clogged, as your vents are the vacuum for your home. And of course, FilterWatch is supported by existing Home automation software, including SmartThings, WigWag, and the Almond+. Future versions will support direct interaction with your mobile device.
To learn more check out FilterWatch on Kickstarter.
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