Man, I totally get the MERV 13 struggle—those things are like trying to breathe through a pillow. I actually went back to a MERV 8 after my system started whining at me. Here’s what’s worked for me: every spring and fall, I pop off the vent covers, vacuum what I can reach, and wipe down the inside with a damp cloth. Not glamorous, but it keeps the dust bunnies at bay and my old unit humming along. Old plaster walls definitely don’t help... seems like they just shed dust for fun.
I hear you on the MERV 13 filters—tried those once and my blower sounded like it was begging for mercy. Honestly, regular cleaning like you’re doing is underrated. Plaster walls are a dust factory, but as long as you’re keeping up with it, that old HVAC will probably outlive us both... or at least give it a good run.
You nailed it about the filters—high MERV ratings are great on paper, but most older blowers just aren’t built for that kind of resistance. I’ve seen more than one unit get overworked and burn out early just from “upgrading” filters. Here’s what’s worked for me across properties: stick to the manufacturer’s recommended filter, keep up with regular cleaning (especially vents and returns), and get an annual tune-up. That combo seems to squeeze every last year out of these old systems. Plaster dust is a pain, but as long as you’re not letting it pile up in the ducts, you’re probably ahead of the curve.
Yeah, totally agree on the filter thing—seen too many folks slap in a “super filter” and then wonder why their blower’s wheezing like it ran a marathon.
Couple extra things I’ve learned the hard way:
- Don’t forget to check the condensate drain. Clogged mine once and got a mini indoor pool.
- If you’re doing drywall or demo, cover those returns with something. Plaster dust is like glitter... it finds its way everywhere.
- “Annual tune-up” is key, but I’ll admit, I sometimes stretch it to 18 months. Hasn’t bitten me yet, but maybe I’m pushing my luck.
“as long as you’re not letting it pile up in the ducts, you’re probably ahead of the curve.”
Couldn’t agree more. A little prevention goes a long way—plus, who wants to crawl around in dusty ducts anyway?
Not sure I’d push the “annual tune-up” out to 18 months, honestly. I get the temptation—life gets busy, and if it ain’t broke, why fix it? But from what I’ve seen, skipping those regular check-ins can mean you miss small stuff that snowballs into expensive repairs or wasted energy. Especially with older systems, a little neglect can add up fast.
And about this:
“as long as you’re not letting it pile up in the ducts, you’re probably ahead of the curve.”
I’d argue that’s only half the story. Ducts are sneaky—just because you don’t see buildup doesn’t mean your air quality’s great. I had a place where we thought everything was fine until we pulled a vent cover and found a mini ecosystem growing in there. Out of sight, out of mind... until allergies kick in.
Also, if you’re remodeling, covering returns is smart, but I’d go further and just shut the system off during heavy dust work. Otherwise, you’re basically vacuuming all that junk straight into your HVAC.
Just my two cents—sometimes “good enough” maintenance comes back to bite you when you least expect it.
