dirty filter and everything" - yeah that's usually the culprit lol. Pro tip from someone who learned the hard way: set a phone reminder every 30 days to check your filter. I know it sounds extra but seriously it takes 2 minutes and saves you from waking up in a sweat puddle. Also don't forget about the outside unit if you have one. Give it a hose down a couple times during summer especially if you got trees nearby. Leaves and grass clippings clog those fins up fast. Another thing nobody tells you - make sure nothing is stacked against the air handler in the basement or closet. People pile boxes right up against the intake and wonder why their system is gasping for air. Small stuff but it adds up to way fewer breakdowns.

Huh, I mean is it really that serious though? I get the mineral thing but my tap water starter in another hard water city did fine for years. Feels like @elizabethwhite might be overthinking it a bit, no offense.

$0.80 per board adds up fast but so does 3 extra days of labor and sticky finishes. Funny how we always think the "saving money now" option is the smart move until the hidden costs pop up everywhere from fence projects to grocery runs.

3mm off on a first cut? I'd be returning that thing so fast the store clerk wouldn't even have time to breathe lol.

60% of your time for just $8k? That math is brutal when you break it down per hour. What did the smaller clients pay that made the switch worth it?