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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

I had a good visit! Used their service 2 years ago for furnace cleaning and dryer vent cleaning. Did a second cleaning with them just recently. Both times the men where very polite, informative and quick. I appreciate the call before hand to know when to expect them. Also during Covid they followed all appropriate health standards to make keep me and them safe. Thanks for a job well done!

- Candace Van Gaalen

Very impressed. I have never had this done before and was apprehensive about getting our ducts cleaned because we have a timid cat and I’m not thrilled about strangers coming in our home.The two men, Andrew and Hensly were great. Friendly, professional, they put booties on to cover their footwear. I appreciated they were careful and respectful while in my home and also patient and helpful while we moved our cat to other rooms while they worked.And their truck was as clean a fire truck.Would definitely recommend.Service: HVAC duct & vent cleaning

- Mark

They came early and did an amazing job cleaning all of our vents, making our dryer vent clean as a whistle and making our home safe and clean again! I had my 10 month old at home at time and they were so kind about making sure he was okay with the noise. Cannot thank them enough for their work! Get your services done by them everytime!

- Karen Sarsiat

Their team was professional, arrived on time and was very quick to get the work done. They were also able to work around me and my spouse while we were working from home. I had a duct, furnace and dryer vent cleaning. The staff was courteous and professional and followed all public health directives. They were able to complete the work in question, they also advised of some additional work I may need on my furnace (which was something their team couldn't do) - I appreciated this as it certainly wasn't a money-grab on their end as they advised they wouldn't be able to fix the issue, just that they noticed it and suggested I get it looked at. That's above and beyond! They even allowed me to rebook my appointment 3 different times due to the pandemic and still have me the deal they were offering in November. On top of providing great service and pricing, they also followed up with a call the next day to ensure I was still happy with everything. I will definitely use these guys again and would highly recommend to friends and family.Service: HVAC duct & vent cleaning

- Jackie Strohschein