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9 Ways to Improve Your Resident Experience

Resident experience is the sum total of interactions and experiences a resident has with their property manager and the rental property itself – from the initial lease signing to the eventual move-out and all the day-to-day living moments in between. It encompasses everything from the quality of services provided, like timely maintenance and communication, to the overall livability and enjoyment of the property. In essence, it's how a resident perceives their rental journey in its entirety. Excellent resident experience management is the mark of a top-tier property management company. It boosts resident retention, satisfaction, and outcomes. In this article, we delve into nine actionable ways to enhance the resident experience in your single-family rental properties, fostering stronger relationships and, ultimately, achieving greater success in property management. Read the full report! If you haven’t already heard, we recently published our first-ever State of Resident Experience Report, which explores resident experience management: the pivotal touchpoints between a resident and a property manager. The report draws fresh insights from the SFR property management industry and explores the three top factors impacting resident experience right now. 1. A Seamless Move-In Experience Ah, the move-in process – the start of a beautiful friendship between the resident and the property manager. It's a bit like a first date – you're setting impressions that could make or break the relationship. A seamless move-in experience is your chance to roll out the red carpet for your new residents, showing them they've made the right choice (and have definitely swiped right on the best property around). And guess what? A resident who's had a great move-in experience is a happier one. Happier residents stay longer, pay on time, take care of the property, and make positive recommendations. Resident experience examples: How to build a perfect resident move-in experience Here's how to ensure your move-in experience hits all the right notes. Clear Communication: Provide detailed information about the new home and move-in process, including key collection, utility setup, and property rules. Who's handling utilities? Where's the best pizza joint nearby? Share all the important details. Welcome Packet: Roll out the resident red carpet with a welcome packet. Not only does it have all the must-know info, but it also says, "Hey, we're glad you're here." Include essential information such as garbage collection days, rules, important contact numbers, and a neighborhood guide. Property Readiness: Nothing dampens spirits like a flickering light on the first day. Ensure the property is thoroughly cleaned, all appliances are working, and any previous damages are repaired before the move-in date. Efficient Paperwork: Let's face it, nobody loves paperwork. Make it painless with easy online forms and digital sign-offs. Personal Touch: A little welcome gift can go a long way. It's like saying, "Welcome home, neighbor. We're going to rock this thing." Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package includes a Move-in Concierge to ensure the process is seamless and personal. 2. Responsive Communication In the symphony of successful property management, responsive communication is your melody. It's the backbone of a harmonious resident experience, and when done right, it can elevate your property management status from “forgettable” to “virtuoso.” The sooner you respond to your resident’s queries or concerns, the more they'll feel valued. And a valued resident is a happier resident. Remember, good communication isn’t just about speed—it’s about clarity too. It's like being a great tour guide in the bustling city of property management—clear, informative, and always ready to help. Ways to improve communication with your residents Let's explore some best practices: Multiple Channels: Embrace the digital age! Offer various communication channels like emails, text messages, phone calls, and even a resident portal. Variety is the spice of life, right? Be Proactive: Don’t wait for your residents to reach out with issues. Regularly check in and ask if they need anything. Set Expectations: Be clear about your communication protocols. Let your residents know when and how they can reach you and when they can expect a response. No one likes to be left on read! Listen Actively: When your residents speak, lend them your ears! Show understanding and work collaboratively towards solutions. It's a two-way street, after all. Be Respectful: Always communicate with respect and professionalism. Treat your residents the way you’d want to be treated – it’s the golden rule, even in property management! 3. Better Maintenance Services with Quick Response Times Think of maintenance services as the superheroes of the property management world. When done right, they swoop in to save the day, ensuring minor issues don't escalate into supervillain-sized problems. Quick response times? That's your superhero's super speed. The quicker the response, the happier your resident, and the safer the day. How to improve maintenance services and response times Here's how to get your property management cape (sorry) flapping in the wind: 24/7 Maintenance Line: Offer a dedicated line for maintenance requests. To belabor our superhero analogy, it’s like having a bat signal for your tenants – they know help is just a call away. Online Reporting: Make it easy for tenants to report issues. An online system can keep things organized and ensures no request gets lost in the shuffle. Prompt Follow-up: Act swiftly on maintenance requests. Even if you can't fix the issue immediately, acknowledging the request and providing a timeline can ease the resident's mind. Regular Inspections: Regular property inspections can help you catch potential issues before they become major headaches. It's all about that ounce of prevention! Trusted Vendors: Work with reliable and professional vendors who provide quality work in a timely manner. They're your sidekicks in maintaining property harmony. 4. Resident Surveys and Active Feedback Gathering Resident surveys and feedback gathering are your property's annual check-up, a key health indicator for your relationship with residents. These invaluable tools allow you to take the pulse of resident satisfaction, uncover hidden issues, and celebrate what's working well. When residents see their feedback being valued and acted upon, it creates a sense of involvement and community, enhancing their overall living experience and driving resident retention. Importantly, active feedback gathering shows your residents that their voices matter. It instills a sense of ownership and care that can often lead to better property care and longer tenancies. How to turn resident feedback into a better resident experience Here are some ways to champion feedback in your property management: Regular Surveys: Don't just wait for the annual survey. Keep the feedback coming in regularly, like a monthly check-in or a quick poll after a service call. It's like catching up over a virtual cup of coffee – relaxed and informative. Feedback Boxes: Consider setting up a digital feedback box where residents can drop their thoughts, ideas, or concerns anonymously. Think of it as your modern suggestion box. Act on Feedback: Here's the real deal – taking action. Show your residents that their feedback isn't just being heard, it's being actioned. 5. Resident Rewards Resident Rewards are a huge factor in resident retention and satisfaction. Rewards make residents feel appreciated and have proven to incentivize habits like on-time payments and better care for the property. Perks like this can significantly boost resident satisfaction, increase lease renewals, and even stimulate referrals. It's a win-win all around! For multifamily and apartment community managers, that might look like community-focused programs. For single-family property managers, we’ve got some other tips. Second Nature’s Resident Benefits Package includes a robust resident rewards program. How to improve the resident experience with resident rewards Here's how you can sprinkle some rewarding magic into your resident experience: On-Time Rent Rewards: Create a system that rewards residents for consistently paying their rent on time. It could be a small discount or a gift card to a local coffee shop. Longevity Rewards: Celebrate lease renewals or long-term residents. A gift, a discount, or even a personalized note can make your residents feel valued for their loyalty. Referral Rewards: Turn your residents into ambassadors! Offer a discount or a bonus for any referral they make that signs a lease. Surprise Rewards: Keep the excitement alive with occasional surprise rewards. It could be as simple as a movie ticket or a voucher for a free car wash. 6. Incentive Programs Incentive programs are the next level of resident engagement that professional PMs offer. They can positively influence resident behavior, promote a sense of belonging, and even enhance your property's appeal to prospective residents. When residents feel that their good habits (like timely rent payments) are being recognized or they're being offered valuable services (like credit reporting or identity protection), it builds loyalty and satisfaction. It's like saying, "We're in this together, and we've got your back!" How incentive programs can boost the resident experience Here's how to serve up a great menu of incentives for your residents: Credit Reporting: Offer a program that reports timely rent payments to credit bureaus. It's a win-win: they pay their rent on time, and they build their credit! Identity Protection: In a world where digital safety is paramount, offering identity protection services can be a powerful incentive. It's like providing an invisible, protective bubble around your residents. Rent Discount for Referrals: Encourage residents to become your ambassadors. Offer a rent discount or a gift for successful referrals. It's like having your very own fan club. Early Payment Incentives: Reward residents who pay their rent well before the due date. It could be a small discount or a token gift, but it makes them feel appreciated. Rewards for Green Habits: Encourage residents to adopt environmentally friendly habits, like recycling or energy conservation, and offer incentives for their green efforts. This can really help in SFR when you don’t have the same level of control as PMs managing an apartment building. 7. Support Tools Support services work behind the scenes, often unnoticed, but they play a crucial role in streamlining the resident experience. From filter delivery subscriptions to online payments, these services add a layer of convenience and assurance for your residents. Integrating support services into your property management strategy can not only elevate resident satisfaction but also reduce your workload. It's like having a friendly assistant who's always ready to lend a hand, both to you and your residents. How to create support services that add convenience to your resident experience Here are a few ways you can amplify your resident experience through support services: Filter Delivery Subscription: Offering a filter delivery service for your residents ensures their HVAC system is always protected. It reduces your maintenance issues and costs and ensures they have a safe living environment. Second Nature’s filter delivery reduces resident and PM costs by hundreds of dollars a year. Online Rent Payment: Providing an easy-to-use online portal to process and automate rent payments and lease renewals adds a layer of convenience for you and your residents. Maintenance Request Portal: An online system for maintenance requests helps keep track of issues and ensures timely response. It's like having a 24/7 maintenance desk at their fingertips. Digital Notifications: Use email or SMS notifications to keep residents updated about important things like maintenance schedules, community events, or changes in property rules. Proptech solutions can help with digital support. Resident Portal: A comprehensive resident portal where tenants can access services, find information, and connect with management can significantly enhance the overall resident experience. 8. Concierge Services Concierge services are the above-and-beyond offerings that can truly set your property apart from the rest. This personalized attention can transform the often stressful processes into a smooth and enjoyable experience. How concierge services help with resident experience Here are some other examples of concierge services: Move-in Concierge: Who doesn’t want a personal assistant during the often chaotic time of moving? A move-in concierge helps with utility setup and pricing comparisons and provides local area information. Learn more about Second Nature’s Move-in Concierge in our Resident Benefits Package. Cleaning Services: Offering access to trusted cleaning services, whether for regular use or during the move-out process, can be a huge convenience. Maintenance Scheduling: A service to help residents schedule routine maintenance can keep their homes running smoothly without them having to worry about coordination. 9. Insurance While, as a property manager, you carry insurance for the physical property, it's equally important for your residents to have renter's insurance. Your coverage protects your owners' real estate investment. Renter’s insurance protects residents’ personal belongings and covers them for liability, and it's a small investment for significant protection. Plus, in case of a mishap, it can help the recovery process go much more smoothly. Resident experience examples: How to leverage a renter’s insurance program Here's how you can integrate insurance into your resident experience: Educate Residents: Make sure your residents understand the importance of renter's insurance, what it covers, and what it doesn't. This is critical information that every renter should know. Insurance Requirements in Lease: Include a clause about renter's insurance in your lease agreement. This helps to set the expectation right from the start. Annual Reminders: Send out annual reminders for policy renewals. It's a small step, but it ensures continuous protection for your residents. Renter’s Insurance Program: While most property managers require insurance, less than half of renters maintain coverage. Second Nature has developed a renter’s insurance program that has 100% compliance and leaves residents – and you – with the coverage they need. How SecondNature Improves Resident Experience Resident experience – those pivotal touchpoints between a resident and a property manager – can significantly shape the success of a single-family rental home. At Second Nature, we’ve built our entire company on the idea that resident experience can change the game in property management. Our Resident Benefits Package wraps up each of these strategies into an all-in-one resource for property management companies. It saves money for you and your residents and delivers the best in convenience and resident experience. Learn more about the Resident Benefits Package or read our State of Resident Experience Report.

Calendar icon July 18, 2023

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Property Management FAQs about Resident Experience

Resident expectations are changing. In today’s “experience economy,” residents and consumers alike are looking for experiences that make them feel taken care of, bring more ease into their lives, and set businesses apart. With these changes in mind, property management companies are developing innovative strategies to build better resident experiences – experiences residents will pay and stay for. Today we’re sharing a Q&A about the resident experience with Melissa Gillispie, the Director of Leasing & Property Management at JWB Real Estate Capital. Here’s what you’ll find in the article. ‍ Key Learning Objectives: Core tenants of resident experience Steps to improve resident experience How improving resident experience can save money for property managers Resident experience examples that have worked Resident experience examples that haven’t worked How to monitor resident experience ‍ Meet the Expert: Melissa Gillispie, Director of Leasing & Property Management at JWB Real Estate Capital Melissa started her career with JWB in 2013 and is currently the Director of Property Management. She is the licensed real estate broker for JWB and plays an integral role that has led JWB to manage over 4,900 single-family homes in Jacksonville FL, being the largest local rental management company in Northeast FL. Under her purview, JWB has delivered over 26 million dollars in cash flow to its current clients through exceptional management services. Melissa also sits on the Board for NARPM Northeast FL as the Membership Co-Chair. She won the 2022 NARPM Rocky Maxwell award for dedicated service and contribution to NARPM. She is married to her husband of 14 years and has three sons aged 11, 9, and 6. When she is not working, she can be found at the football and soccer fields cheering her sons on! Related: State of Resident Experience Study Why should property managers pay attention to the resident experience? What steps can property managers take to improve the resident experience? Happy residents stay longer, take better care of the home, and provide better long-term stability and return on investment for clients. They also spread the good word locally and refer more renters to you. And happy residents are usually nicer, leading to happier staff! Residents (and customers in general) are increasingly driven by instant gratification. They expect immediate communication, results, and benefit. Due to this, we have to increase our speed to outcome for them and set great expectations so that we can "under promise and over deliver" – one of our JWB core values! Some key steps to improving resident experience include: A great lease signing experience with impeccable expectation setting. If everyone knows from day one, who is responsible for what, we can avoid tough conversations down the road. Timely communication. Knowing the type of communication each resident prefers. We have a field in our system called "preferred contact method" – if it is via phone, pick up the phone. If it is text, text away. It helps the resident feel like you're willing to customize their experience. Answer the phone! Like any place open for business, you need to be reachable during office hours. Solve their maintenance issues. Make it easy for them to report those issues to you. If I had to give just one: Clear communication is EVERYTHING. Clear expectations, timely responses, and thoughtful and respectful interactions make us a professional industry vs. a mom-and-pop one. How can improving the resident experience save property managers money? Do you recommend hiring a dedicated resident experience specialist, resident manager, or separate team? Improved experience saves TIME. Time is money. Fewer tough conversations, supervisor calls, upset people impacting employee satisfaction, etc. Great experience leads to retention, which saves money and increases revenue for the business. I think the idea of a dedicated specialist or team is great in theory, but many places want to scale back on staffing (employees are expensive!). I also think that putting the responsibility on one person/group of people in the organization is a mistake to some degree. This limits creativity and reach. At JWB, our approach is that it is every teammate’s responsibility to dedicate effort and time to a great client/resident experience. This allows a wide range of ideas to generate and gives the feeling of impact and satisfaction to every teammate for their contribution. Do you recommend using software or tools to help improve resident retention? Here are some of the best tools we’ve used. Automation: Implementing things that don't require a ton of person-hours will allow you to scale your business at a lower cost. The automation/technology investment is worth it in the long run. The Resident Benefits Package (RBP) by Second Nature: DO IT! Find a mail fulfillment house in your city and rely on them to send mass communications via snail mail. Partner with local businesses for discount codes. Text Magic and Call Fire are great automation tools for communication via phone and text. What are examples of resident experience initiatives that have proved effective? On the flip side, what doesn’t work? Residents need to see the value in any initiative. Knowing your audience/clientele and what matters most to them is important. Is it time savings? Money saving? RBP from Second Nature has been a game-changer. It meets a real need and serves a purpose. We also do a monthly resident newsletter. We send out automatic happy birthday emails to every resident on their birthday (we have been able to automate this completely, so 0 time for staff and 100% feel-good for residents). We do "get to know your city" marketing for new residents with mural maps, restaurants and grocery stores near them, etc. We include a magnet at move-in on their fridge with our contact information and after-hours information. These all create moments that show care and concern, and we sprinkle in love for our city. When you miss the mark on providing value or miss the need the resident actually has, that experience moment may fall flat. So we constantly focus on who our residents are and what will fill their cups. How do you monitor or measure the resident experience? We love surveys! We have maintenance and resident net promoter score (NPS) surveys. Every time a work order closes, the resident receives a survey to give feedback on the experience. We review that weekly. For positive surveys, we ask for reviews. Supervisors reach out for low scores to see how we can improve. For the NPS surveys: If they leave a high score, we ask for a positive review on one of our online platforms (Google, Facebook, BBB). If they leave a low score, supervisors seek feedback to improve. The key is DOING SOMETHING with the information you receive; otherwise, there is no value. Don't just let a low score come through and then do nothing. Reaching out shows the resident you pay attention, value the feedback, and want to improve. Reviews online are also a good way to gauge experience. Take those with a grain of salt, however. People are much more likely to leave a bad review than a good one, so it is a lot of work to win here! We ask for positive reviews anytime we have a great interaction with a resident – a phone call where we solve a problem, an email where they say thank you, or anytime someone pays on time or renews their lease – we ask. You don't get positive reviews you don't ask for! How do you use the information you receive in resident feedback or surveys? There is value to it. You can gather a lot of good information and start to identify trends in the data. We can pinpoint areas as a team to improve and celebrate the things we do well. I do think you have to take some of the responses with a grain of salt. You can't make everyone happy even when you try. View it as information to help make decisions vs. the end-all-be-all to measure your worth as a company. We survey on maintenance every time a work order closes, and we get about a 3-5% completion rate. For the NPS surveys, we survey 60 days after move-in and then every six months. We get a 10% completion rate on those. What questions should you ask if you are considering a resident experience survey? What’s a good sample size for a survey? Are there other tips and tricks to keep in mind? For our NPS survey, it is one question: “How likely are you to refer your friends and family to rent from us?” They score us 1-10, and then we allow an open text response field that is optional if they have more to say. For the maintenance surveys, we ask: “On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied were you with 1. the work order submission process; 2. Your maintenance coordinator, 3. The vendor who performed the work, 4. The amount of time it took to complete the work; 5. The overall experience?” Each star scale also allows for open-text responses (again, not required). I think a good sample size is when at least ¼ of your customers have had the opportunity to review. Until that point, the results seem to be all over the place. We track results monthly, quarterly, and annually, as well as by the property manager and maintenance coordinator, work order category, and property type (multi-family, single-family, condo, townhome, etc.). All of this helps us put together a comprehensive picture of where we stack up against ourselves over time. I think it is important to benchmark against yourself. Each business runs in a unique way, so I get less caught up in how other people are doing compared to me and more caught up in how I am doing compared to myself/my business three, six, or 12 months prior. Perspective is important when you are being vulnerable and asking for feedback! Easily Manage and Improving Resident Experience With Second Nature RBP As Melissa mentioned, the Resident Benefits Package (RBP) by Second Nature goes a long way to creating premier resident experiences. And as the country’s only fully managed RBP, it doesn’t take up your team’s time or bandwidth. We designed the RBP to solve headaches for property managers and help them deliver world-class resident experiences that delight residents and build long-term retention. Happy residents = happy clients = happy PMC teams. A triple win! At Second Nature, we’re all about building experiences that residents will pay for and stay for.

Calendar icon June 28, 2023

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Do I Need to Clean My Home's Air Ducts?

Is duct cleaning worth it & something you should do for your home? Do you need to have the air ducts in your home cleaned? It’s an age-old question, okay well not really, but it is a question that many homeowners probably don’t even remember to ask. Even still, we’re going to give you the answer. So, is air duct cleaning worth it? Keep reading to find out. What is duct cleaning? Duct cleaning is exactly what it sounds like, which is the cleaning of the inside of the air ducts that carry air to and from the heating and cooling components of your HVAC system. It involves physically removing dust, debris, and other contaminants from heat-ventilated systems, including any associated ducts. Sounds nice, but is air duct cleaning necessary? Is air duct cleaning necessary? It’s true that clean ducts can provide some health benefits and increase the quality of the air you breathe, but it’s not always a smart or necessary practice. There are certain situations where it’s necessary, but the EPA has clarified that there is no evidence that a light buildup of dust or particulate matter in the ducts has any impact on indoor air quality. This is because buildup usually remains in the duct and doesn’t get carried out of the ducts once it’s become stationary inside. Thus, duct cleaning is only really necessary if there is an excessive amount of buildup, or some other concern such as substantial mold growth or an insect infestation. Is air duct cleaning worth it on a regular basis? According to the EPA, there is no reason for regular duct cleanings. Duct cleanings should be scheduled only as necessary. For reasons described above, there are simply no proven negative effects of slightly dirty ducts. Is there a risk to not cleaning your ducts? There is very little risk to not cleaning your ducts on a regular basis. As stated, minor particulate buildup is not proven to have health effects or result in any increase in particulate matter in the air. Significant duct issues such as mold growth or infestation are typically the result of uncommon problems somewhere else in the home that need addressing, and certainly do not occur at a regular cadence that would require regular duct cleanings. Can I clean ducts myself? It is possible to clean your ducts yourself, but it is not recommended. It is an extensive job best done by a professional with professional level equipment. You simply cannot achieve the same level of cleanliness without professional level tools. You may also encounter mold, vermin, or other issues that are best dealt with by a professional. If I wish to have my ducts clean, what can I expect? You can expect a professional duct cleaning service to provide a thorough and complete clean in a manner safe for you, your HVAC system, and the rest of the home. This involves inspecting the system prior to beginning for any dangers. Next comes a vacuuming and brushing of the inside of the duct system, as well as HVAC system components, followed by a resealing of any access points used in the duct system. The price for a professional duct cleaning service will depend on the size of your home, but it’s typically between $300 and $500 Am I posing a risk to my indoor air quality if I don’t have my ducts cleaned? If you’re experiencing issues with indoor air quality, it’s unlikely that duct cleaning will present a long-term fix. Dirty ducts are the result of some other contributing issue that must be addressed, and even if dirty ducts are contributing to allergies or some other consequence of poor IAQ, clean ducts will only serve as a temporary fix until the root cause is addressed. So, Is Air Duct Cleaning Needed on a Regular Basis? No–you don’t need to have your air ducts cleaned regularly to maintain healthy air quality inside your home. Instead, reach out to a duct cleaning service if you suspect there is excessive buildup or mold impacting your ducts. If Clean Ducts Aren’t the Answer to Clean Air, What Is? Air filters. Replacing your air filters every three months helps improve the air quality in your home. If you have allergies or asthma or live near smoke or smog pollution, you may benefit from air filters with high MERV ratings and more frequent replacements. Not sure which size air filter you need? Learn about the different air filter sizes to make sure you choose the best option for your home.

Calendar icon June 21, 2023

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Tips for an Efficient Home: Change Your Air Filter

Change your filters already! Learn how to change air filters and do it already! You had to know this one was coming. For our fifth and final installment of Second Nature’s Tips for an Efficient Home, we want to remind you to change your air filters. There aren’t many routine home maintenance practices that are forgotten with more regularity than the air filter change. You should replace air filters in your home at regular intervals multiple times a year, but we all know someone who hasn’t even looked at their air filters in years (that's been us too, once upon a time). ‍ How to Change an Air Filter in Your House Changing air filters is one of the easiest ways to keep your home efficient. It’s probably the easiest of any practices highlighted in this series. That’s because home air filter installation is as simple as opening your vent, taking out the old one, and putting in the new one, or at least it’s that simple (shameless plug inbound) when you use Second Nature. ‍ Why Changing Air Filters is Important Air filters do two things. They clean the air that circulates through your HVAC system, allowing you to breathe fresh air inside your home, and they preserve the health of said system by keeping particles and gunk from building up on it. Your system runs more efficiently with a quality air filter installed and will last longer as the result of reduced stress. ‍ ‍How to Choose the Best Air Filter for Your Home First, you need the right air filter. Skip the fiberglass and go straight to pleated. Fiberglass air filters is a bit of a misnomer since they are horrible at filtration. They do virtually nothing to keep pollutants out of your air. It’s better for air flow immediately, because it offers so little resistance, but detrimental to the long-term health of your system (and you!), as all the particles that pass through can build up on your HVAC coils and shorten the lifespan. This can result in costly repairs and even replacement. ‍ Pleated air filters are the best option for your health and your HVAC’s health. Their construction allows for much more effective and efficient filtration, which keeps that nasty stuff out of your lungs and off your system. Unless your HVAC is quite old (like really old), the more tightly wound construction of a pleated air filter won’t starve your unit of air flow. You've heard that last bit before. We're here to dispel that myth. You ready? ‍ Pleated air filters do not restrict airflow to your HVAC system! ‍ How does changing an air filter save you money? Great question. It does so in two ways. Efficient air flow through your vents minimizes the work your HVAC has to do to keep your home the desired temperature. An air starved system must run harder and longer to do so, which drives up your energy usage and ultimately your electrical bill. ‍ As your air filter catches pollutants, it begins to lose air flow efficiency as it becomes filled with dust, pollen, and any other clean air assailants it has vanquished from your home. It’s good that it’s catching these, but if you leave the filter in too long, the buildup of particle matter starts forcing the HVAC unit to work harder to get air. Now you have a system that’s struggling, thus producing higher energy costs. Learning how to change an air filter that’s dirty for a new one provides an immediate remedy to that and, as a continued practice, can boost the efficiency of your HVAC system by 15%. ‍ This boosted efficiency can extend the lifespan of your system as well, which will save you money years down the line in addition to the immediate benefits. ‍ How often is regularly? Glad you asked. The answer depends on many factors. Typically, we would recommend you do a new home air filter installation every three months, but certain elements can push this number down. If you live in a heavily polluted area, that filter will get dirty faster. Simply put, a dirty filter does a terrible job of filtering and needs to be changed. Add pets to the equation, and you might need to replace the air filter in your home every one or two months. It will depend entirely on your specific situation. Choosing air filters with higher MERV ratings is also beneficial for keeping your indoor air quality at a healthy level. Not sure which size air filter you need? Learn about the different air filter sizes to make sure you choose the best option for your home. ‍ If you want our opinion on your particular case, you can always ask! Tweet us Facebook Message us Email us ‍ And that’s how you can save 15% on your heating and cooling costs. Just swap out your air filters four times a year! If you’re interested in not having to remember this (another shameless plug coming in hot), we’ll ship high-quality, USA-made air filters right to your door when it’s time to change them.

Calendar icon June 21, 2023

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Resident Experience Management: How to Meet Expectations

Resident experience management is improving every resident touchpoint – from application to move-out – to drive an experience so good your residents never want to leave. Today, the role of the property manager is to proactively identify and meet residents’ needs, often before the resident knows they need it. It’s a new world, but it’s exciting, allowing enterprising PMs to stand out in a crowded industry. Solutions that drive value, like a resident benefits package or an investor benefits package, are taking a lead. At Second Nature, we build tools with those enterprising property managers leading the way, and we’ve put together a report on the latest trends and innovations in the space. In this article, we’re diving deep into how to improve the resident experience, why it matters, and the best practices in resident experience right now. For more details and insights from leading PMs, check out the 2023 State of Resident Experience Report. Why is Resident Experience Important? Related: State of Resident Experience Study The “experience economy” has changed both customer and resident expectations. Particularly after the pandemic, the modern consumer is accustomed to the ease of apps like Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon, and they respond to ease and convenience. The question that single-family and multifamily PMCs are asking now isn’t “What’s the most I can get out of residents for the least I can do?” Rather it's: “How do I create an experience so good that residents never want to leave?” Property management companies are redefining resident experiences to improve occupancy rates and help residents, investors, and their companies get a win. Investing in resident experience management strategies is one of the most direct ways to yield positive ROI and reduce turnover costs. According to DD Lee, owner of Skyline Properties Group in Atlanta: “The number one thing (our residents) look for is ease and convenience. They don't want complicated instructions. They just want simple; they want right now. They want contact-free; they don't want to talk to people. So everything we do from showings to moving in to the experience after they move in is all revolved around design for that expectation.” How to Improve Resident Experience Resident experience management is about identifying every unique touchpoint along the resident’s journey – from application to move-out. Property managers are now expected to make each touchpoint painless and convenient. Our 2023 State of Resident Experience Report discusses changing consumer expectations and the key steps to resident satisfaction. Here, let’s expand on each key resident touchpoint where PMs can focus on improvement. Move-In Move-in is the perfect opportunity to design experiences that make new residents say, “Wow” – to make them feel delighted, welcome, and truly at home. Our guide explores some of the best innovations for cultivating a unique move-in experience. One of the best is to offer a Resident Benefits Package (RBP) that folds in services like a move-in concierge, insurance, incentives, and more. Rent Payments Second Nature’s RBP has a credit-building service that reports on-time payments to every credit bureau, giving value to residents and helping them become more financially stable. Another service is the resident rewards program, which incentivizes on-time payments and supports great residents. Maintenance Requests Using an online resident portal for real-time maintenance requests has become a baseline expectation. PMs are going beyond that to ensure they use preventative maintenance and deploying strategies to improve functionality. One such resident experience strategy is an air filter delivery service. Changing filters on time can reduce HVAC requests by 38%, saving the property manager and investor hundreds of dollars a year. Pet Registration Property managers can proactively offer pet registrations or guarantees and even use that as a form of ancillary income. You get the extra pet fees to drive income, the investor gets an assurance that they won’t suffer because of pet damage, and the resident gets to keep their pet! Resident Concierge Services Concierge services are a top way to provide a VIP experience. Second Nature’s RBP includes a move-in concierge who can confidently guide multiple people daily to set up their utilities properly. Residents don’t have to deal with the headache of setting up new utilities – instead, in one phone call, they find out their best options and can even get help simplifying setup. Renewal Process PMs can proactively set up the renewal process, so it’s as easy for the resident as a click of a button. Assuming each touchpoint along the way has anticipated and delivered on residents’ needs – and surpassed their expectations – lease renewal should be straightforward and quick. Resident Communication Property managers aiming to improve the resident experience have found creative ways to improve and streamline resident communication. Great communication is necessary, whether through digital apps and automation, social media, on-site messaging, proactive team members, etc. Move Out When a resident is moving out – whether they chose to move or are delinquent – property managers can help make the process as smooth as possible. Anticipating the resident’s needs, keeping communication open, and deploying motivated team members all help deliver the final touch for residents. The move-out experience is their last impression and can impact your referrals, reputation, etc. Resident Experience Ideas and Examples Resident retention is a key success metric in the current economic climate. Keeping residents engaged and happy can go a long way to delivering a triple win: hitting your goals, their goals, and your investor’s goals. Our State of Resident Experience Report explores how resident experience management can deliver ROI, company growth, and happier investors. We also talk to several experts in the property management field to hear their best and most successful ideas. Here are a few key resident experience ideas that residents will pay for and stay for. Post-maintenance surveys and follow-ups Quick complaint responses and preventive maintenance Pet-friendly property management and insurance Resident engagement programs like a recycling drive, helping minimize waste productions, sourcing local, etc. Prioritizing safety and security and engaging residents in a proactive way to achieve that Each of these strategies helps deliver what “totally taken care of” feels like. Which is exactly what residents are looking for. How to Handle Difficult Residents Every property manager we’ve talked to has dealt with difficult residents at some point in their career. The best property management strategies prevent many of these issues through better resident experiences. The right strategy can help incentivize residents to cooperate, keep a property well-maintained, and make on-time payments. When you are facing a difficult resident situation, here’s how leading property managers advise proceeding. Make sure service promises are fulfilled One of the most important things that sets professional PMs apart from hobbyists or amateur landlords is the delivery of promises. Because you have a team and a plan, you can ensure that what you promise is what residents get. Being courteous, kind, and professional A lot of this is about hiring the right people. Get your core values in place and ensure that anyone you hire is bought in on those values. Finding people that the rest of your team enjoys working with is also important. Cultivating an environment of courtesy and respect goes a long way to ensuring residents are treated fairly. By not taking it personally Improving the resident living experience is all about seeing the human at the other end. When unhappy or troublesome residents aren’t taken personally, it puts us in a better position to take reasonable, effective steps to deal with them. Professional PMs can approach challenging situations without judgment but with clear boundaries and proactive solutions. Delegating This comes back to having the right team in place. If you trust your team, you can delegate specific complex tasks to them without spending all your time on every issue. Peter Lohmann, CEO of RL Property Management, shared that he keeps a delegation cheat sheet printed out at his desk. The steps to successfully delegating are: Outline the vision - “Comannder’s Intent.” Share resources. Describe your definition of done. Give a deadline or interval. Explain how and when they should keep you updated. Having paperwork to back your arguments Ensuring you have documentation of each issue with the resident is critical. Documenting interactions along the way helps protect you and your team. Setting and maintaining expectations Again, professional PMs know that setting and maintaining expectations is one of the top priorities for a happy and successful resident relationship. Knowing that today’s residents expect a certain level of convenience can put professional PMs ahead of the game. Building a Resident Experience Strategy with Second Nature We’ve only scratched the surface of resident experience management and the innovative and exciting ways we’ve seen property managers change the game in that space. The next step might be to explore our Resident Benefits Package and why property managers love it. Or, if you’d like to learn more about property management trends for 2023 – and the changing state of resident experience – you can download our free State of Resident Experience Report. The in-depth report includes advice and insights from some of the most innovative property managers in the biz, data on resident expectations, and key trends for 2023.

Calendar icon May 18, 2023

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Benefits of Outsourcing Property Management Services

Property management services have changed in leaps and bounds over the past 5-10 years. And property management outsourcing services have grown along with it. While the traditional approach to property management simply provided the basics – maintenance, rent collection, etc. – entrepreneurial PMs saw a massive gap in that value proposition and have transformed the real estate industry. Now, property management services are increasingly seen as a way to generate value for residents, real estate investors, and property management companies. PMCs are delivering resident benefits like credit reporting, renter’s insurance programs, pet guarantees, and more. And each of these services acts as a value add for everyone involved. But that can also add extra burden and cost to your property management business when your team is already spread thin. One of the best ways to offer value without overextending your team is to outsource some of those PM services to PropTech products, contractors, or a fully managed solution. Today we’re going to talk about this option in more detail. Whether you’re just getting started in property management or a seasoned pro, we hope you’ll find something here to help. Key Learning Objectives: What is outsourced property management? What services add the most value to the resident experience? What property management services are most easily outsourced? What are the costs associated with outsourcing PM services? What are the benefits of outsourcing PM services? What is outsourced property management? Outsourced property management refers to the practice of paying for a third-party company or product to handle certain tasks or operations for your property management company. This could include tasks such as tenant screening, resident benefits, renters insurance programs, rent collection, maintenance and repair coordination, lease enforcement, financial reporting, and more. Property management is in itself an outsourced service for real estate investors/property owners. Just as property owners often choose to outsource their property management to save time, reduce stress, and ensure they stay profitable – property management companies may outsource several of their services for the same reasons. Property management outsourcing services, whether PropTech products or fully managed solutions, allow property management companies to build efficiencies and focus on quality and growth. Outsourcing certain services can give residents more of what they need and investors more value for their dollar. What property management services can property management companies outsource? Advances in technology and innovation within the property management industry have given PMCs greater flexibility in terms of outsourcing key services. As a property manager, you may outsource for a range of reasons. Maybe you’re still building up your team and need cost-effective expertise in a certain area. Maybe you have core products you want to focus on and want certain services to take less of your time. Maybe your investors or residents are asking for out-of-scope services that you can offer for an additional fee. Overall, outsourced property management services can help PMCs save time, reduce stress, and maximize the profitability of their company. So, what are some of the most commonly outsourced property management services? They can be grouped into a few categories: A property management tech stack with property management software and integrations that enable all kinds of business operations. Maintenance and repair. Many PMs outsource things like plumbing, HVAC, and other contractor work. Resident benefits and ancillary services. Property managers often outsource value-driving products like an RBP and other services that investors want, and residents will pay for. Let’s dig into the services that might be included within each of those larger categories. Rent collection Third-party payment processing companies can handle the actual collection and processing of rent payments for the PMC. The property management company will provide the payment processing company with the necessary information and details about the residents and the property, including lease terms, payment due dates, and amounts owed. The process may involve various payment methods, such as online payments, credit card payments, ACH transfers, or other payment options. Some popular outsourcing solutions that help collect rent include Buildium, Propertyware, and AppFolio. Second Nature provides a fully managed service that helps ensure your residents pay rent on time. Repair and maintenance Many PMCs outsource repairs and property maintenance. We’ve spoken with experts like Bob Preston, who run their own maintenance companies separately as another source of income and an added value to their clients. When a property management company outsources repair and maintenance, it typically involves hiring third-party contractors or service providers to handle the actual repair, upkeep, and maintenance tasks required for the property. Outsourcing repair and maintenance can offer several benefits for property management companies. You can access a broader range of specialized skills and high-quality expertise, which may not be available in-house, and save time and resources by avoiding the need to recruit and manage in-house staff to handle repair and maintenance tasks. Marketing and advertising Marketing isn’t everyone’s strong suit, and that’s okay! When a property management company outsources marketing and advertising, it typically involves hiring a third-party marketing or advertising agency to handle the promotion and advertising of the rental properties. The agency will work closely with the PMC to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that aligns with the property's unique selling points and target audience. The marketing agency may use a variety of advertising channels and mediums to promote the property, including social media marketing, search engine marketing, online advertising, email marketing, print advertising, and other marketing channels. They may also create engaging content and visuals, such as videos, images, and virtual tours, to showcase the property's features and amenities. Legal Most PMCs outsource their legal services to a third-party law firm or attorney to provide legal advice and representation on various matters related to the property or properties. Legal services that may be outsourced can include lease agreements, evictions, compliance with local and federal laws and regulations, dispute resolution, and other legal matters that may arise in the course of managing the property. Outsourcing legal services helps minimize legal risks and liabilities, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and protect the property investor’s interests. Accounts and finance Many PMCs outsource to an accounting firm or financial service provider to handle the financial management and reporting. The outsourced firm will work with you to manage financial records, provide financial reporting, and ensure compliance with accounting standards and regulations. The accounting and financial services that may be outsourced can include bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, tax planning and compliance, budgeting and forecasting, and other financial reporting and analysis. Overall, outsourcing accounts and finance can help property management companies to operate more effectively and efficiently and achieve their financial objectives while minimizing financial risks. Insurance PMCs often work with a third-party insurance broker or agent to provide insurance coverage and manage insurance-related issues for the property or properties. The insurance coverage that may be outsourced can include property insurance, liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, and other types of insurance coverage that may be necessary or recommended for the property. Another way to outsource insurance is to find a service that provides a renters insurance program like Second Nature’s. Ensuring that residents have insurance coverage is a priority for 90% of property managers, but only 41% of residents maintain compliant coverage. At Second Nature, our renters insurance program has 100% compliance. You can learn more about our coverage and fully managed Resident Benefits Package in our 2023 Resident Experience Report. Safety and security Many PMCs outsource to a security company to provide safety and security services. The security company will work closely with the property management company to assess safety and security needs, design and implement safety and security protocols, and provide safety and security personnel and equipment as needed. Security services that may be outsourced can include security personnel, security systems and equipment, safety training and education, emergency response planning and execution, and other safety and security-related services. What are the costs associated with outsourcing PM services The cost for a PMC to outsource some property management services can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the scope of services required, the complexity of the work, the location of the service provider, and the level of expertise required. Some service providers may charge a flat fee, while others may charge an hourly rate or a percentage of the property's rental income. The cost for outsourcing property management services can range from as low at $1 per property per month to much as hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, depending on whether it’s a full-service tech solution, simple maintenance services, a Resident Benefits Package, etc. It's important to note that while outsourcing property management services can come with a cost, it can also provide benefits such as increased efficiency, reduced workload, and access to specialized expertise. Before outsourcing any services, it's important to carefully consider the potential costs and benefits and to choose a service provider that offers high-quality services at a reasonable price. How outsourcing property management services benefits you Outsourcing property management services can have a massive impact on your return on investment per door and per client. Outsourcing also helps with scaling when you can’t afford to run every service in-house. With the ability to outsource, you can offer more value to your clients without skyrocketing your operating costs. You can also drive secondary sources of revenue through outsourcing. Not convinced? Let’s go over some of the real-life benefits we’ve seen PMCs leverage with outsourcing select services. Cost savings Outsourcing property management services can save property management companies significant costs associated with hiring and managing in-house staff, as well as investing in technology and infrastructure. Outsourcing can also help to minimize overhead costs, such as office space, equipment, and supplies. Let’s think even bigger. Outsourcing value-generating services like a Resident Benefits Package has multiple benefits: boosting resident satisfaction, incentivizing on-time payments, and reducing vacancy rates. Talk about a cost-saving win! Increased efficiency We’ve seen PMCs use outsourcing to streamline their operations, reduce administrative property management tasks, and increase productivity. This can free up time and resources for property management companies to focus on core business functions and strategic planning. Instead of using your own team for time-consuming tasks, you can outsource them. Access to expertise Outsourcing property management services allows PMCs to access specialized expertise and skills that may not be available in-house. This can include legal, accounting, marketing, and maintenance expertise, among others. Outsourcing can also provide access to the latest technology and software, which can improve efficiency and effectiveness. Better risk management Property management inherently involves risk. You’re managing people’s lives on the one hand (residents) and investments on the other (owners/investors). Outsourcing can help better manage risks associated with property management, such as legal liabilities, compliance issues, and safety and security concerns. This can help to protect your company from financial and reputational damage. Improved resident satisfaction You can more seamlessly and reliably improve resident satisfaction by providing better maintenance and repair services, more efficient rent collection, and faster response times to tenant concerns and requests. This can help to increase tenant retention and attract new tenants. Higher employee satisfaction Outsourcing services to a third party is a direct way to impact your employees’ satisfaction. How? Outsourcing helps reduce workload, gives access to better training and development, improves working conditions, and provides a better work-life balance. Often, outsourcing means that your employees get to focus on the core functions that they love instead of getting bogged down in tasks they don’t love or don’t feel equipped for. How thousands of PMCs are outsourcing services for better resident experiences Property management companies are always looking for new ways to generate value for themselves, their residents, and their investors. One of the quickest ways to scale and increase return on investment can be outsourcing property management services. At Second Nature, we’ve pioneered the first-ever fully managed Resident Benefits Package in order to support PMCs with just that goal. Our RBP provides services that residents are proven to pay and stay for – and our team manages every part of the process so property managers can focus on strategy, growth, or work-life balance. We’ve helped thousands of property managers transform their services and their operations with a customized RBP providing services they couldn’t do alone. Our goal is to make property management easier for PMs, residents, and investors – and drive value that benefits all three. We call it the Triple Win.

Calendar icon May 17, 2023

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How to Get Rid of Indoor Odors & Bad Smells

Got a foul odor in your home? You've come to the right place. Do you ever walk into your home and get hit by an extremely unpleasant scent? If you do, and you don't have a pet skunk, you can look to indoor odors as the source. We promise you there are SAFE ways to reduce or eliminate odors in your home. It's essential to attack the odors head on, rather than mask them with candles or spray. If you need a quick fix to make your home smell fresher, here are some tips: Change your air filter(s) on a regular schedule. The air in your home cycles through your air filter(s) multiple times per day. If your filter is not clogged or saturated, it will do a great job of capturing contaminants and pollutants that can make your home stink. Simmer a bowl of vinegar on the stove. This neutralizes odors rather than masking them, like burning vanilla or cinnamon do. Steam clean soft surfaces like drapes, curtains, and sofas. These items often get neglected in the cleaning process. Steam cleaning them is effective at eliminating dirt, dust, and, most importantly, odors. Deodorize your stinkiest rooms by placing a mixture of 3-parts water, 10 drops of citrus oil, and 1-part vodka in a decorative bowl. This is especially effective in rooms with strong foot or body odors like mudrooms and laundry rooms. If you, anyone that lives in your home, or any of your guests/visitors smoke, do so outdoors. We cannot stress this enough. Do. Not. Smoke. In. Your. Home. Cigarette smoke clings to all porous surfaces, including walls. Pets can add all sorts of smells to a home. Keeping up with their hygiene will go a long way in keeping your house smelling fresh. If you have a garbage disposal, avoid discarding carrot, onion, or potato peelings down it. Not only can they block up your disposal, but they cause a horrible stink when they begin to decay. Often times, your garbage can will begin to stink. A simple fix for this is washing it out with white vinegar and water to eliminate any leftover odors. If your laundry basket is filled with stinky clothes, consider sprinkling some washing soda onto the pile until you get around to doing the laundry, as this will neutralize the smells. Those are some of the basic things you can do to freshen up the scent in your home. Now, if you feel like you may need even more information on how to eliminate home odors, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a complete guide to all things indoor odors and how to deodorize your home: What is an indoor odor? Dangerous odors Why does my room smell? How to get rid of home odors Clean your cleaning supplies Using an odor eliminator Maintain your pet’s hygiene Wash laundry Ventilate Keep flooring and surfaces clean Clean your kitchen Keep your bathroom clean Change your air filter ‍ What is an indoor odor? An odor that's inside, duh. Ok, this is a true statement, but there's actually more to it because science, ya know. Some odors are caused by low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air that humans can detect. A VOC is a chemical that can turn into vapor in room temperature conditions, and can potentially be harmful at certain levels. ‍ Dangerous odors First things first, if you notice any of these smells, it may be a sign of something more serious: ‍ Fishy smell or burning rubber smell This could be a sign of an electrical wiring malfunction somewhere in your home. The first place to look would either be appliances, a wall switch, or an outlet. If you do find that the smell is coming from your home's electrical wiring, it would be best to call an electrician. If the burning smell is strong and you can't find the source, we would recommend leaving the house and calling 911 in case there is an electrical fire in your home. ‍ Sulfur or rotten egg smell Typically, if you're smelling either of these odors, it's a sign of a gas leak in your home. The best thing to do in this situation is to leave your home, call 911, and then call your gas provider so that they can send someone over to fix the leak ASAP. ‍ Musty smell Mold is usually the culprit behind musty smells in your home. Most of the time, you should be able to handle mold on your own, but if it does turn out to be more of a problem, professional help may be necessary. How do you get rid of the musty smell in the house? Tackle the mold, of course. If you're looking for ideas on how to remove mold from carpet, look no further than this link right here. ‍ Why does my room smell? There are a lot of different reasons to ask "why does my room smell?" Here are a few different sources or indoor odors that you should investigate first: Pets Mold Dirty clothes Carpets Kitchen Bathroom ‍ How to get rid of home odors How are we going to get rid of these odors? Well, the answer isn't buying several different air fresheners and setting out a huge bowl of potpourri, although a little potpourri never hurts. Instead of deodorizing a room using air fresheners that release chemicals into the air and only mask odors, we want to remove odors at the source. You might ask, how do we do that? Look no further, we've got nine tips coming right at you to help remove indoor odors in your home. ‍ Clean your cleaning supplies Before you tackle those odors, make sure the supplies you use are free from odors themselves. ‍ If the same sponge you used in February is still sitting beside your sink, it's probably a good idea to find a replacement. Depending on usage, sponges should be replaced at a minimum of once a month to ensure that you're not cleaning your dishes with unwanted bacteria. To make sponges last longer, run them through the sanitize cycle in your dishwasher to temporary stop bacterial growth. ‍ Biodegradable sponges are also a more environmentally-friendly option! ‍ Towels can also smell pretty bad if they're left damp for too long. Make sure towels are laid out to dry after use, so mildew doesn't have a chance to grow. If your towels do smell like mildew, throw them in the washing machine with either one cup of white vinegar or one cup of baking soda, no detergent necessary. We recommend washing towels once a week to make sure they always smell fresh and never need to go through the vinegar or baking soda treatment. ‍ Lastly, keep regularly replacing the bag or emptying out the canister in your vacuum cleaner to keep it on the nice smell list. Rinsing it out with soap and water should also help remove some of the dirt that it has been collecting over time. Blockages from hair or fur should also be cleared out. If your vacuum has an air filter, make sure to follow the manufacturer's cleaning guidelines! ‍ Use an odor eliminator There are plenty of things you probably already have in your home that can naturally clear odors from the air. Some of the best odor eliminators are coffee grounds, tea, vinegar, oats, and baking soda. Leaving a bowl of any of these odor absorbers out in a room that's due for a little freshening up will help clear out the less-than-pleasant smells from the air. ‍ Baking soda is probably one of the most useful tools in eliminating odors from your home. Instead of masking odors like air fresheners and candles, baking soda absorbs and neutralizes them. It has a reputation for being one of the best carpet deodorizers. Sprinkling it across any carpeted areas and allowing it to sit there for a few hours will have your carpet smelling fresher in no time. ‍ Another place you should put baking soda? On your mattress! Your mattress is a trap for sweat, dirt, and dead skin. Definitely not the ideal things to sniff while trying to fall asleep. Just let it sit for several hours, then vacuum it up, and voila, you have many future better smelling nights of sleep ahead of you. Mattress covers are also great at keeping your mattress from collecting all of that nasty stuff. Especially if you have allergies, mattress covers can be a savior. ‍ Pet accidents? Baking soda's got your back there too. Here's how to eliminate urine odor from your carpet: First, place a layer of paper towels down on top of the wet spot. Then add a layer of newspaper to absorb as much of the urine as possible. Next, sprinkle about ¼ cup of baking soda evenly over the affected area, and let it sit out for awhile. Overnight or around 8 hours would work, but the longer it's left out, the more effective it will be. After the baking soda has had time to neutralize the odor, vacuum it all up. ‍ Baking soda and vacuuming is also effective in neutralizing odors from your pet’s bed. ‍ An alternative to this method would be to mix together one cup of vinegar, one cup of water, and two tablespoons of baking soda. If you have a spray bottle, use that to spritz the urine stain with this mixture. Bam! Odor removed. ‍ Maintain your pet’s hygiene We know you love your fur babies, but their odors? Not so much. It's important to maintain your pet's hygiene to keep them and your home smelling fresh. Bathing your pets once a month should be the minimum, but a more ideal timeline would involve scheduling a bath for every one or two weeks. Yes, if they cooperate, cats too (*shudder*). If you need help with this, consult our blog about reducing cat dander for some kitty bathing tips. Other grooming techniques include regular brushing and nail clipping. Especially if your pet spends time outdoors, their fur and nails can harbor dirt and other unpleasant things from the outside world that can contribute to home odors. ‍ Your cat's litter box can also be the source of a less than pleasant stench. Make sure that you're scooping it out at least once a day. About once a month, you should more thoroughly clean the litter box. Soap and water should do the trick as the scent of harsher chemicals can cause your kitty to avoid using the litter box altogether. Since litter boxes are often scratched, creating an ideal home for bacterial colonies, aim to replace them annually. ‍ Keep your cat’s litter box in a place in your home that is well-ventilated so that odors don’t intensify and can naturally dissipate. ‍ Last but not least, don't forget about your small animals! Your guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils need their cage cleaned out at least once a week to keep their living environment clean and odor-free. ‍ Wash laundry Do you have a hamper overflowing with sweaty clothes somewhere in your home? If you do, it's probably time to get a load of laundry going. That hamper is a breeding ground for bacteria and all the unpleasant smells that come along with it. ‍ Since there is a lot of moisture concentrated in laundry rooms, it is very easy for odors to become trapped in the room. To keep your washing machine smelling fresh and free from mildew and mold, keep the door open between uses. This is especially true for front-loading washing machines. When the door is closed, the humid and airtight environment is the ideal environment for mold growth. So, to clean out your washing machine, pour either one cup of white vinegar or one cup of bleach into it, and then run it for one full cycle. ‍ A lot of newer washing machines will do the work for you with a self-cleaning function, but the vinegar or bleach still help. Be sure to pick one or the other and never mix vinegar and bleach, this creates a toxic chlorine gas. Never mix vinegar with any chlorine product to avoid creating this toxic gas, or actually just never mix chlorine with anything. That's probably your best bet. ‍ We're also just going to go ahead and mention those shoes. You know the ones we're talking about, the shoes that you've worn every single day for the last 6 years and are practically glued to your feet at this point. We've all got 'em, and odors? They've all got 'em. ‍ Even though shoes bring in dirt, allergens, and yes, even C. Diff and E. Coli, only half of Americans will take their shoes off inside their homes, and less than 25% will ask their guests to take them off. Leaving your shoes at the door will for sure help leave odors at the door as well. ‍ A trip through the washing machine should be enough to have your shoes smelling fresh again, but first, a little baking soda might come in handy. Three tablespoons of baking soda in each shoe overnight should help to neutralize odors before washing them the next day. If your shoes are made from materials like leather or suede, or have embellishments, machine-washing them most likely isn't the best idea. We'd recommend spot cleaning these shoes with a damp cloth instead. Always use your best judgment, but we'd say most sneakers are typically safe to be thrown into the wash! ‍ Wash shoes inside of a pillowcase so that laces don't get tangled, and throw in a load of towels as well to muffle any loud noises. Only air-dry sneakers, however, as the heat from a dryer could cause damage. ‍ Try to limit wearing your shoes to every other day, and stuff newspaper inside to absorb any lingering moisture or odors. ‍ Ventilate Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate. Proper ventilation is vital in ensuring that odors don't intensify. Make sure that you're opening windows and using fans generously so that any odors don't remain stagnant in one place and can naturally dissipate. If it's pollen season or if you live in an area that has a lot of smog, windows should remain closed. Other than that, outdoor air quality is typically better than indoor air quality. That's why letting in outdoor air will improve both the air in your home and circulation. Special attention should be paid to the ventilation of the kitchen and the bathroom where odors have a tendency to accumulate. ‍ Keep flooring and surfaces clean Start off by dusting the surfaces in your home from the top down. For harder surfaces like shelves and cabinets, a damp cloth or duster works better to actually remove the dust instead of just moving it around to a different place. For walls and painted surfaces, a dry sponge will be more effective. ‍ Next, make sure that you vacuum your home thoroughly. Vacuum it again. And again and again. Keep vacuuming. Vacuum until you can vacuum no more. How do you deodorize carpet? You vacuum. This is because carpets are a magnet for pet hair, dander, mold, dirt, and dust, none of which smell particularly rosy. ‍ For hardwood floors, regular sweeping and mopping should be enough to keep them odor-free. If you do notice any particularly strong odors, mopping with one part vinegar and one part water should do the job. ‍ Clean your kitchen Kitchens are a major source of all the smells. Smells like bacon, freshly-baked cookies, oooh and homemade pizza...sorry got a little carried away there. Unfortunately, your kitchen doesn't always smell this good. Cooking smoke, spoiled food, an iffy-smelling dishwasher, and the garbage disposal could all be contributing to kitchen odors. So, how do you keep kitchen odors at bay? ‍ The first place you'll want to keep an eye on is the fridge. Often times, food can spoil without you even knowing it! Make sure that you're keeping tabs on expiration dates and throwing out food accordingly to avoid discovering last Thanksgiving's mashed potatoes in January. Your nose will thank you. If your fridge smells, but there's no rotten food in sight, keeping an open container of baking soda in your fridge will do wonders to absorb the odor. ‍ Leaving the exhaust fan on while cooking is a good way to keep the space well-ventilated and as odor-free as possible. Grease from cooking will typically spread to the stovetop, counters, floors, cupboards, lights, and other surfaces nearby. A good wipe-down with a natural cleaning solution should be enough to reduce grease buildup and resulting odors. Vinegar, like baking soda, is one of those products that just about cleans anything. ‍ If you notice a funky scent coming from your dishwasher, the culprit is probably the food that can get trapped in your dishwasher's filter, causing odors to occur over time. Cleaning out the filter regularly with hot water and soap is one way to prevent this from happening. Now for the odor? Place one cup of white vinegar on the top shelf of the dishwasher and run it once on the hottest setting. Then leave the dishwasher open to air dry and minimize the scent of vinegar afterward. Adding a drop of your favorite essential oil into the vinegar before sending it through the dishwasher can also keep your dishwasher smelling fresher. ‍ Now, on to the garbage disposal. Garbage disposal odors can be the result of food scraps that didn't grind properly and are starting to rot or even a buildup of bacteria. Don't worry, this is typical and pretty simple to get rid of. Just cut up a few lemon or orange slices and put them through the disposal. This also works with a cup full of baking soda and a cup full of vinegar as well. ‍ If you find that your trash can also doesn’t emit the most pleasant odor out there, baking soda will be your savior once again. Among other things, baking soda holds the title for best trash can deodorizer. Just sprinkle some in either the can itself, or the liner, and a fragrance improvement will be well on its way. Washing your trash can with water and vinegar is also an alternative method. ‍ Keep your bathroom clean Some hot spots to hit here are toilets, sinks, and showers. Where there's water residue, there's always a chance of mold. Keep your toilet clean by cleaning it at least once a week with toilet bowl cleaner. Pouring half a cup of bleach or vinegar into the toilet, then letting it sit for around 30 minutes before flushing is another way to keep your toilet odor-free. You can clean sinks and showers with bleach, or to keep things more natural, you can use a paste made from baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar. ‍ Around once a month, pour a mixture of half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda down all drains. This will help to both neutralize odors and reduce clogging. ‍ So how do you keep your home odor-free? Basically clean. Shouldn't be too hard. That's what kids are for, right? ‍ Oh, wait. One more thing. ‍ Change your air filter Have you ever smelled an air filter before? AMAZING, better than lavender. Just kidding, we've actually never smelled an air filter before. Hold on one second. ‍ ok, after further research, air filters smell like... air? Do with that tidbit what you will. ‍ Anywho, regular air filter replacements are a necessity in keeping your home smelling nice and pretty. Your air filter traps all kinds of particles like dust, mold spores, and dander that would otherwise contribute to an unpleasant odor in your home. To keep your filter working as efficiently as possible, you should replace it at least every three months. If you think it's time for a replacement, we happen to deliver some super cool filters straight to your door. Well, there you have it, our guide to indoor odor busting. Now go grab that baking soda and a bottle of vinegar, no odor will stand a chance against you. Oh, and don't forget to sign up and get your first shipment free!

Calendar icon February 6, 2023

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How Will Dirty Air Filters Impact My HVAC System?

These are things every homeowner should know. Dirty and clogged air filters reign havoc on your HVAC system. They will not only waste money on energy costs, but they will cause damage (sometimes irreparable damage!) to your HVAC system. Here are some ways a dirty or clogged air filter impacts your heating and cooling system: ‍ A dirty air filter is one of the most common reasons for HVAC system failure. A dirty filter restricts the air flow into your HVAC systems air handler. This restricted air flow places additional strain on the air handler fan motor and could, over time, burn out the motor and cause your system to overheat and ultimately fail. Filter replacement is a small price to pay to extend to life of one of the biggest financial investments in your home. A dirty air filter makes your fan motor work harder and consume more energy. One of the easiest and quickest ways to reduce your energy bill is to replace your air filter. A dirty air filter makes your heating and air-conditioning systems and your ducts get dirty faster. This can lead to costly HVAC cleaning expenses or a need to replace your HVAC unit or HVAC components sooner than you expected. If the heating and cooling coils are caked with dirt and particles that would normally be trapped by the air filter, the system will work harder and be more prone to freezing over or burning out. ‍ Your air filters are a vital part of your heating and cooling system. An HVAC repair STARTS at around $600 and an exhaustive repair (short of a replacement) can easily reach $7,000. A new system, if the damage is irreparable, starts at around $10,000. Air filters are a nominal cost when compared to the cost of repairing or replacing your home's heating and cooling system.

Calendar icon February 6, 2023

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How Do I Know What Air Filter To Buy?

Pleated filter? Fiberglass filter? Electrostatic filter? Which one is for me? Pop quiz. What is the best way to rid your indoor air of pollutants like mold, pollen, and bacteria? Napalm your entire home Walk around the house waving a disinfecting wipe through the air Vacuum the air with a shop vac Purchase the right air filter ‍ If you chose D, you are correct. If you chose any other option, then we need to have a separate conversation. ‍ An air filter plays a critical role in keeping the air in your home clean. In fact, it’s the most important item to your home’s air that you can purchase, and since your indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside (and no one likes breathing pollutants), you need a high-quality air filter. ‍ There are a lot of different varieties of air filters that you can purchase. Given that the average person ranks air filters right around different types of cement and how cardboard is made on the list of things that interest them, it’s not surprising that many don’t know what makes a quality air filter “quality.” ‍ Luckily, all you have to do is read this one article, and you’ll have the answer to that question. Then all you have to do is sign up for Second Nature once, and you’ll never have to think about some air filters ever again. ‍ What type of air filter should I get? Filters can only be made so many ways. For home filters, you have three options. You can buy a pleated filter, you can buy a fiberglass filter, or you can buy a washable reusable filter. Each type has its disadvantages, and two of them have their advantages, so let’s take a closer look at what those are. ‍ Pleated Pleated filters get their name from their filter media, which is the material inside the frame that is responsible for the actual filtering. A pleated filter’s media is folded like an accordion to maximize surface area. Previously made of cotton, the pleated filters of today are built with synthetic polymers that allow for effective filtering while minimizing the impact on airflow. ‍ The advantages of pleated filters include their high filtering efficiency. High MERV filters are almost always of the pleated variety. The pleated filters work to capture an extremely high percentage of large particles and a much higher number of small particles than competing filter types. ‍ Pleated filters are low effort and high functionality. The only thing you ever have to do is remember to change them out, and they’ll keep pulling gunk out of your air. ‍ Fiberglass Fiberglass air filters are the cheapest on the market, sometimes costing less than a single dollar. There is a reason they are so cheap, and it is because they are garbage. Yes, fiberglass filters are garbage. Fiberglass filters are the weakest option and are recommended by the National Air Filtration Association only as “prefiltering” devices because of how ineffective they are. Simply put, they are bad at their job. ‍ There’s a myth that fiberglass filters are better for your HVAC system because they allow for more airflow. While they do allow for that, advancements in HVAC and filter technology have made the difference immaterial. The extensive amount of pollutants they allow to flow through can actually make them more dangerous to your system than the pleated variety. ‍ The reason why fiberglass is often recommended is that people don’t remember to change their filter. As a pleated filter loads with pollutants, it can eventually decrease airflow to a critically low amount. Fiberglass doesn’t do this because of how woefully ineffective it is at actually catching particles. So as long as you’re regularly changing your filters, there is not a single advantage to the fiberglass option. ‍ Washable Electrostatic Washable electrostatic filters are metal-frame filters that are designed to be washed and reused instead of replaced. The price range for these is wide, with the most expensive ones entering the $90 range. ‍ The advantage with these filters is their longevity. While they do eventually wear out, they can be reused for multiple years before that happens. The disadvantage is that you do need to wash them routinely and let them dry completely before reinserting. This can eat into your busy schedule as they don’t dry instantly, and if your washable filter doesn’t fully dry, mold growth can be a real issue. ‍ Washable filters also do a poor job collecting large particles. Because static electricity is really the only filtering mechanism they use, they struggle to attract the larger particles that are more difficult to pull with a charge. Thus, washable filters tend to work in reverse of fiberglass as they let larger particles through and filter out smaller ones. ‍ What quality of filter should I get? After you know what type of filter is right for you, you need to know what rating is right for you. Filters can be rated on three separate scales. The scale used by us at Second Nature and the official folks at the National Air Filtration Association is the MERV scale, which stands for minimum efficiency reporting value. ‍ The MERV scale runs from 1-16. Second Nature offers filters rated at MERV 8, MERV 11, and MERV 13, which are our Essential, Essential+, and Health Shield, respectively. Anything below an 8 is something that probably shouldn’t be in your home. Anything above a 13 is not necessary except for maybe in an extreme case, which is why we offer the range we do. ‍ Other filter scales include FPR and MPR, which stand for Filter Performance Rating and Microparticle Performance Rating. FPR was a scale developed by The Home Depot for the brands that it sells. The scale ranges from 4-10 and includes a color code for each range. MPR was developed by 3M and, it ranges from 300 to 2800. The scale is based on the filter’s ability to capture particles under 1 micron in diameter and is only found on 3M Filtrete filters. Here we have provided a conversion chart with MERV vs. FPR vs. MPR so you can understand what you’re getting if you decide to purchase from somewhere that rates their filters with one of those less popular scales. Deciding on what MERV rating is right for your home is a decision that must be made based on a handful of personal factors. ‍ Are you an allergy sufferer? More than 50 million Americans have some type of allergy. Allergies are everywhere, and if you’re among the millions of Americans who suffer from them, your filter can help you keep those nasty allergens out of your home. ‍ The severity of your allergies will help determine just how critical filtration is for your home. If you have a significant allergy to something that is prominent in your area, you’re going to want to increase your indoor air quality with a Second Nature Health Shield filter (MERV 13) or equivalent level. More minor allergies or allergies to something that doesn’t exist in massive quantities around your home may allow for a drop down to a Essential+ filter (MERV 11). ‍ Do you own pets? Owning a dog or a cat introduces a whole new threat to your indoor air quality: dander. Dander is small flakes or bits of skin that fall off your furry friend when they shed, and some people are violently allergic to it. ‍ If you are among that group, a Health Shield air filter is a must. Pet dander is small, and a MERV 8 filter is likely not sufficient for you allergy sufferers out there, and that fiberglass nonsense certainly is not. Essential+ and Health Shield will both be effective versus pet dander. If you’re allergic, get the MERV 13 Health Shield. If you’re not allergic, but you own pets, the Essential+ will work well for you. ‍ Do you live in a polluted area? Air outside your home will become air inside your home. It is inevitable. No matter how much weatherstripping you install or how well-sealed your home is, there will be particles floating around outside that will get inside. This is particularly important to remember if you live in areas that see a lot of air pollution from things like smog. Those of you in California, as you certainly know already, can get hit pretty heavily with photochemical smog in the summer. The state is often also hit with smoke pollution during wildfire season, which also runs through the summer and fall. ‍ The particles that make up smoke are itty-bitty, smaller than a tenth of a micron. For perspective, you would need at least 3,000,000 of those particles lined end to end to equal one foot. If you frequently encounter smoke or smog around your home, a Health Shield (MERV 13) is recommended. ‍ Still not sure what filter to get? Take our short quiz! Do you have allergies to pollen, dust, mold, or dust mites? A. Yes, severe allergies (add 2) Yes, mild allergies (add 1) No (add 0) Do you own a dog or cat? Yes (add 1) No (add 0) Are you allergic to pet dander? Yes (add 1 if answer to #2 is A, 0 if B) No (Add 0) Do you live in a polluted area? Yes, very polluted (Add 2) Yes, slightly polluted and no smoke or smog pollution (Add 1) No (Add 0) Answers 0 = Essential pleated air filter (MERV 8) 1 = Essential+ pleated air filter (MERV 11) More than 1 = Health Shield pleated air filter (MERV 13) ‍ What size air filter should I get? As the saying goes, there are three things you can’t pick: your parents, your name, and your filter size. That’s a real saying that we did not just make up eight seconds ago. ‍ Simply, you need the filter size that fits in your air return. You can typically find that size on the side of the air filter that you already have in use. This size will be the nominal size, which means it is rounded from its actual size. This is the size you click on at secondnature.com. ‍ If you don’t have a reference point from an old filter, you’ll need to use a tape measure and measure your vent. These measurements will be the exact size, and you’ll need to add ¼” to both length and width to get the nominal size. ‍ If you have a filter that is four inches thick or thicker, you have a whole house filter. There is no rhyme or reason to how these filter sizes are rounded. Luckily, all you’ll need at secondnature.com is the actual size of the filter. ‍ Buying an air filter isn’t always easy, and knowing what air filter to buy is the hardest part. However, if you have read this far, you’re good. So congratulations! Here’s an air filter gold star. You can print it out and tape it to your shirt if you want. You’ll probably get a lot of strange looks, but that’s not your problem.

Calendar icon February 6, 2023

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The Indoor Air Quality Benefits of Plants

Did you know that certain plants actually help filter out toxins from your home? Your next breath of fresh air is no farther than your nearest house plant—depending on the kind of plant and how many you have. The science behind it is solid: we know plants clean the air. We also know Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside is often worse than the air outdoors. One reason? Modern, airtight construction that saves energy also allows indoor air pollution to build up. That means Americans spend a lot of time breathing potentially unhealthy air, even though there are ways to filter it. House plants are an underutilized way to make your indoor air healthy again. Here are some of the indoor air quality benefits of plants and how it works. ‍ Photosynthesis Let's go back to fourth-grade science class for a refresher on photosynthesis. It's the process by which plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Using sunshine, water, and the green pigment chlorophyll, the plants strip the carbon from the air to produce glucose, leaving oxygen as a waste product expelled back into the air. What plants consider waste is vital to us. Our atmosphere is about 21 percent oxygen. If it drops below 19.5 percent oxygen, we can't breathe. This is why America’s obsession with green lawns is actually environmentally friendly! Think of it as suburbia's version of the Amazon rainforest. We need plants all over the world to continually release oxygen for us to live. But oxygen production is not the only way plants clean up the air we breathe. They also remove poisons from the air, and scientists have spent decades studying this process. ‍ The Landmark Study When you think about scientific breakthroughs, you might think about the discovery of penicillin or the polio vaccine. Thirty years ago, scientists at NASA made another discovery. They found common plants cleaned up poisons such as benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene. These volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are common to indoor spaces and can cause anything from skin irritation to cancer. ‍ Common daily items that contain formaldehyde include: Insulation Particle board Paper bags Carpet backing Natural gas ‍ Benzene is found in: Gasoline Ink Paint Plastic Rubber ‍ You’ll find trichloroethylene in: Dry cleaning chemicals Printing ink Varnishes Lacquers Adhesives ‍ So basically, one or more of these chemicals are present in just about every indoor environment you encounter. That's a lot of VOCs that you're breathing in, unaware of dangers they may pose. ‍ At the time of the 1989 study, NASA was trying to mitigate these chemicals so they could one day seal astronauts in a space station without killing them. The study called plants a "promising, economical solution to indoor air pollution." (And for the record, there have been no deaths onboard the International Space Station, so they clearly figured it out.) ‍ Getting Into The Weeds The gerbera daisy is the pleated air filter of the plant world when it comes to cleaning trichloroethylene and benzene from the air. The plant removed most of both chemicals out of all the plant species tested in the original study. The NASA study lists how each of the plant species performed during research. The pot mum and peace lily ranked second and third on the list of plants that remove the most benzene. Marginata (aka dragon tree) and peace lily ranked similarly on the list of plants that best remove trichloroethylene. ‍ The top three formaldehyde removers, in order of how many micrograms each plant removed from the air, are: Bamboo palm, which cleaned about 76,700 mg of the chemical per plant Janet Craig Mother-in-law’s tongue, also known as the snake plant ‍ Newer Studies Twenty years after the first indoor plant study, the American Society For Horticultural Science (ASHA) published a follow-up study. Researchers tested 28 plant species for their ability to cleanse the air of dangerous chemicals such as benzene, toluene, octane, trichloroethylene, and terpene. The CDC says toluene, an ingredient in paints, nail polish, and gasoline, has adverse impacts on the brain and nervous system. Octane is an eye and respiratory irritant. ‍ This newer study also found that indoor ornamental plants remove these harmful chemicals. But there are a lot of variables. For example, are the plant and chemical in a sealed container or in an open room? Researchers behind the ASHS study concluded: "Plants also have the potential to significantly improve the quality of indoor air." ‍ Here are the top five chemical removing house plants, according to the ASHS study: Waffle plant English, or common, ivy Purple heart Asparagus, or foxtail, fern Wax plant ‍ More studies need to be done to figure out what combination and how many house plants you need to remove any given amount of indoor pollutants. If the past studies hold true, plants, in general, are an excellent idea. ‍ The year after the ASHS study was published, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NACR), found plants and trees absorb more air pollution than initially thought. About one third more, in fact. NCAR's outdoor study found that the denser the vegetation, the more volatile organic compounds are absorbed. There is some controversy around applying this study to the indoors. Still, it at least emphasizes the point that plants do indeed clean the air. The more plants there are to absorb the poisons, the more significant the effect. ‍ A Breath of Fresh Air The consensus right now is that you'll need a LOT of indoor plants to make a big difference in the quality of the indoor air you breathe. You could live or work in a greenhouse, and the plants still wouldn't replace modern ventilation or HVAC systems. But if you use indoor plants in conjunction with air cleaning technology, you'll get the most out of nature and innovation. A review published in Trends In Plant Science suggests house plants, combined with air filters and smart technology, clean the air. ‍ Consider creative ways to incorporate plants into your indoor space—such as a boxwood hedge wall, or a container garden of gerbera daisies. If you have the room, think about bringing in a banana plant to frame the room with its graceful, chemical-eating leaves. Or consider a vertical garden, where you can arrange English ivy and purple heart along with gerbera daisies from top to bottom. ‍ How Clean Is Your Air? There are still questions about how much indoor ornamental plants clean up the air. Some of the variables include the dimensions of your environment and how many chemicals are in the air. That can fluctuate, depending on how the space is used. You also need to take into account how close it is to industrial sites or heavy traffic, or even how many people in the room are wearing dry cleaned clothes. These are all things to consider if you're using plants to purify the air in your office or your home. ‍ Modern technology leads to more air pollution and less time to spend outdoors. With the right plants and the right air filters, you can take control over what you breathe. Think of it as breathing right. Most people try to eat right, minimizing the bad stuff and trying to eat more natural foods. So why wouldn't you watch what you breathe too? Those house plants in your window or your office space remove harmful toxins from the air. If you increase the number of plants you have, add plants that remove bad chemicals, and change your air filters regularly, then you and your family will breathe easier.

Calendar icon February 6, 2023

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What Type Of Air Filter Should I Order?

There's a lot of options out there, not all of them good. There's a bewildering range of different air filter types out there and it's easy to get confused. We have done the homework for you and simplified the process so you can make the right choice. ‍ First things first: Economy fiberglass filters compared to pleated filters. ‍ There really is no comparison to be made. Cheap fiberglass filters are usually sold in multi-packs for a few bucks and, in this case you definitely get what you pay for... very little quality. They are not efficient for two reasons. ‍ The relatively open weave of the fiberglass mesh does not filter out much dirt at all and the micro-particles and contaminates present in your home just get sucked through the filter and into your HVAC system. Over time, the inside components of your HVAC equipment and the air ducts get coated with crud and your system can't work at peak efficiency. This means higher energy bills and expensive sanitizing and repair bills. ‍ In short, this cheap type of filter doesn't filter very well at all and you won't find them here at Second Nature. If you are in the habit of buying them it's a habit you should break! ‍ Pleated filters are the only way to go. We only offer reliable, good quality pleated filters, which are made right here in the USA. They are up to 60% more efficient than fiberglass and have a denser, larger surface area (imagine the pleats ironed out flat) that ensures better filtration. But remember, these higher grade filters are more efficient at capturing the bad stuff and by doing a better job they get dirty quicker. That's good news … not bad news. They are both more efficient and faster at doing what they are supposed to do. ‍ Picking the grade of filter. Much of the information in the 'How often should I change my filter?' section also applies to the grade of filter you should choose. The number of people, pets, and any allergies will need to be considered. Also, the possible presence of smoke, smog, and microscopic contaminants that may carry odor usually call for a higher grade of filter to trap the smaller stuff. ‍ We have simplified your filter choice. Good, Better. Best. Our three grades of filter, Essential, Essential+ and Health Shield are simply categorized as 'Good', 'Better' and 'Best'. They each do a great job in different home environments. One of them is just right for you. ‍ Essential. Good. This filter easily takes care of the basics such as dust, pollen, pet dander and virus carriers whilst allowing a good airflow through the HVAC system. ‍ Essential+. Better. Our most popular filter also offers good airflow but better filtration than the Essential. In addition to the basics, it captures smaller particles, smoke and smog. If anyone smokes tobacco in the home or the kitchen is a busy cooking area (are your smoke detectors always sounding off?), Essential+ is the right filter for you. ‍ Health Shield. Best. This is the most powerful and efficient filter in our line-up. The Health Shield traps all the contaminates the other two filters do, but also snags lead dust, oil smoke, and most importantly, microscopic allergens … some of which are 20 times smaller than a grain of salt! If anyone in the home suffers from allergies or serious respiratory problems such as asthma, this filter is a 'must.' ‍ The denser filter media and more efficient filtration mean slightly less airflow than the other two grades and it will need to be changed more frequently. In return, you will be rewarded with the reassurance of sustained, super-fresh indoor air quality similar to hospital standards. If you want the best, definitely go Health Shield.

Calendar icon February 6, 2023

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