01 What filter should I use during wildfire smoke season?
The highest-efficiency media filter your system can actually pull air through — and that qualifier is the important part. Dropping a very restrictive filter into a system with an undersized return raises static pressure and cuts airflow, which can overheat the blower or freeze the coil. You end up with worse comfort and no filtration benefit. The correct approach is usually a deeper media filter cabinet, which offers far more filter surface area at lower resistance. We take a static-pressure reading before recommending a filter, rather than guessing.
02 Can I keep smoke out of the house with my HVAC system?
You can substantially reduce it. The combination that works is adequate filtration sized to your airflow, a sealed duct system so filtered air is what actually reaches your rooms, and a ventilation strategy that stops pulling outdoor air in when the outdoor air is worse than the indoor air. Duct leakage is the most commonly overlooked piece — a leaky return in a crawlspace or attic pulls unfiltered air in downstream of your filter.
03 Do I need a whole-home humidifier in the foothills?
Many homes here benefit from one. A long heating season combined with cold, dry outdoor air drives indoor relative humidity well below the comfortable range, which shows up as static shocks, dry skin and sinuses, and gaps opening in wood floors and trim. A properly controlled whole-home humidifier treats the cause, rather than chasing it room by room with portable units.
04 Are UV lights and air purifiers worth the money?
Sometimes, and we will tell you when they are not. UV in the air handler can help control microbial growth on a wet cooling coil. It does very little for the fine particulate that matters most during a smoke event — that is a filtration and duct-sealing problem. If your actual complaint is smoke or dust, we would rather sell you the right filter cabinet and seal your ducts than an accessory that does not address it.
