Maintenance, Resources + Tips

Furnace Filter Basics

Your furnace filter is an important part of your home’s heating system. Its main purpose is to remove particles and debris from the air entering your furnace in order to protect the mechanical components of your furnace, such as the motor.

Here are some basic tips to make sure that your filter is doing its job:

  1. Check & change your filter regularly – This is typically every 3 months, but more often if conditions require (ex. if you live in an area with a lot of dust, if you have pets who shed, or if you run your furnace fan continuously.
  2. Never try to clean a disposable filter – the materials break down over time and are not meant to be reused or cleaned. Looking for a permanent filter? Find out more about our exclusive Air Renew Electrostatic washable filters.
  3. If your filter doesn’t fit, it doesn’t filter – Air takes the path of least resistance so it is important that your filter fits in as closely as possible. It needs to reach right to the end of the filter track, and there should not be a visible gap on either the plenum or the furnace side. If your furnace needs a specialty size, you should get one, or, get your filter slot changed to fit a standard size. If there is a gap to the sides of the filter and there is not a snug fitting door, using a piece of duct tape down the slot to seal the gaps is a good idea.
  4. More “Merv” is not always better – A good Merv rating for residential use to balance particle trapping with air flow is between 5 and 8. You should consult with an HVAC professional before using a very high Merv filter, as your system may not be able to handle the air drop (decrease in airflow) caused by a very high efficiency filter. If you have a 2” or a 4” filter slot, using a filter with a higher Merv rating will be less of a concern, as the higher surface area of a thicker filter causes less resistance to air.
  5. Consider Running Your Furnace Fan Continuously – To encourage continuous air flow and filtration, run your fan continuously. Keep in mind that if you have not done this before, you will need to check your furnace filter more regularly, as running the fan will pull more air through the filter and cause it to become full quicker.

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Alberta Furnace Cleaning Reviews

We had Edison and Roberto out to our home to clean our furnace vents and dryer. They were extremely polite, professional, thorough and efficient! They explained the entire process before they got started and even as they were working. I really appreciated the care they took to wear boot covers, lay down mats, and seal the front door. I couldn't have asked for a better customer experience! Alberta Furnace also offers competitive pricing and I was really pleased with the communication provided before and after our service. All around, a great experience with wonderful people every step of the way! Oh yeah, and clean vents too 😉

- Aimee Canepa

This company knows their stuff, provides great customer service and excellent work. I’m totally happy with how the two very friendly and knowledgeable associates cleaned my furnace, vents, dryer vent and AC coil. I will certainly book my next appointment with them.

- Mark

Fantastic TEAM of office admin & cleaning professionals! Excellent service from the moment the estimate was confirmed, the appointment time was arranged and the reminder texts were sent prior to their arrival. The service teams were punctual, polite and SUPER professional! Protective floor mats were placed, shoe guards were used and the Furnace & carpets were thoroughly cleaned and completed in a timely manner. Thank you again for the excellent service :-)

- Alixe Regan

Glad we got Alberta Furnace. The price was reasonable for a thorough job. Tic & Roberto did an amazing job today! They worked hard even pointing out things on the furnace to look out for. They were kind and polite and when we get our furnace cleaned again, I would certainly hope for these 2 gentlemen.

- Sandra Crabtree

The guys called to inform us that they will arrive early which was great. They were friendly, respectful, professional, explained what they were about to do, clean, placed protectors on the floor and around furnitures. Overall we are 100% satisfied with their service.

- Rosalia Giralao

The technicians were efficient and very friendly. They explained what they how and what they were doing. The only thing was there was some sort of residue left on the concrete from their truck all the way to our front door that was not there before they arrived. (Dark stains on our driveway, walkway and front steps leading into the house).

- Maureen Miyagishima

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