Questions
Answered honestly.
How often should ducts actually be cleaned?
For most homes: every 5–7 years, or once after any major renovation, or if anyone in the house has a new allergy or asthma diagnosis. Annual cleaning is overkill for most and is a common upsell — we won't recommend it unless you have specific reason.
Does an HRV work in a 1950s house with no existing vent?
Yes. We install them in older homes regularly — typically mounted in the basement, connected to your return-air plenum. Install takes about a 4 hours from start to finish.
Will a better filter hurt my furnace?
Not if it's installed right. A MERV-17 media filter has 4–5× the surface area of a 1" filter, so airflow is actually better. Dropping a MERV-17 pleated filter into a 1" slot is what ruins blower motors — we'd never do that.
How do I know if my indoor air is actually bad?
We bring a professional air-quality meter to every IAQ consult — measures PM2.5, VOCs, CO2, humidity, and temperature at multiple points. You'll get a written report before we quote anything.
