Alberta Furnace & Heating Services | Air Filtration
Providing Quality Residential Air Filtration
The Alberta Furnace & Heating Services team provides quality humidification and air filtration services to homes across the Calgary area, improving residents’ personal wellness within our dry, fluctuating climate, smokey seasons, and more.
Our services include (but are not limited to):
- High Efficiency Air Cleaners
- Air Cleaner Installations
- Air Cleaner Servicing
- Annual Service Option
- Parts Supply & Filter Replacements (Large Selection)
- Custom Air Filtration Design
If you don’t see your specific service needs listed above, please feel free to ask in a contact form query.
Choosing The Right Air Cleaner For You
In your search for a quality air cleaner to fit your budget, you will encounter enormous amounts of complex information on different testing methods, efficiencies and ratings, most of which is misunderstood. In the following, we hope you find some basic information with which to make an informed decision without being weighed down by pages of seemingly incomprehensible data.
Introducing “MERV”…
Air filtration is any one of a number of methods to remove particulates (dust, pollen, spores, pet dander, smoke and smudge particles, etc.) from the air within your home. M.E.R.V. is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, the end result of a test called Standard 52.2-1999 that was developed by A.S.H.R.A.E. (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) to address an air cleaner’s ability to remove different sized particles from the air.
While we would like to give you some basic understanding of this reporting value, please keep in mind that MERV was never intended to be used as a rating system. Unfortunately, many have latched onto it as an “easy” means of choosing one filter over another.
The new ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-1999 is a test that basically gives information on a filter’s ability to remove particles of different sizes. This test doesn’t completely replace the older ASHRAE Standard 52.1, commonly known as the “Dust Spot Test,” but is to be used together to give as much information as possible about a filter.
How do MERV tests work?
Simply put, in the new test, a (completely new) filter is put at the end of a test duct built to ASHRAE standards.
There are 5 main components to the test; the test duct, a blower, a manometer (instrument to measure airflow), a device to feed dust into the duct, and finally the filter being tested which is placed at the end.
Different sized particles are fed into the test duct and the filter is analyzed each time to see which particles were missed. This is done 5 times. Initial readings are taken before dust loading and comparative readings are taken after each test. The lowest number in each of the 12 particle sizes is recorded. Initial readings, of course, are the lowest as most filters gain in efficiency as they load. These minimum numbers are the basis for assigning a MERV number.
Understanding MERV ratings…
MERV ratings range from 1 to 20 with 20 being the best possible rating.
The following gives you a basic idea of what to expect from filters with different ratings:
“1 to 4” (Throw-Away or Electrostatic):
Ability to capture particles 10.0 microns or larger.
Ex. pollen, dust mites, carpet fibers.
“5 to 8 ” (Good residential filters/industrial workplaces):
Ability to capture particles from 3.0 to 10.0 microns.
Ex. mold, hair spray, cement dust
“9 – 12” ( Superior residential filter/hospital labs):
Ability to capture particles from 1.0 to 3.0 microns.
Ex. lead dust, milled flour, auto emissions
MERV is NOT the sole indicator of a filter’s performance!
MERV numbers do not provide an all-encompassing story, and the problem comes in the numbers used. For example, MERV 1 to 8 filters only use numbers recorded for particle sizes from 3.0 to 10.0 microns compared to MERV 9 to 12 filters which use numbers recorded for particle sizes 1.0 to 10.0, and MERV 13 to 16 take all particle sizes into account. Yet, MERV 1 to 8 filters account for about 75% of the filters used in most homes so the other figures not used should also be considered. So, while the 52.2 test is an improvement over the 52.1 by providing more detailed information on a filter, it only measures (1) what the filter can do in a specific range and (2) how the filter performs at a single point in time.
Also, not every filter will have a MERV rating. This may not mean the filter is not good! It only means that it has not been tested using the ASHRAE standard.
Beyond MERV, we must consider a few more questions…
- How does filter perform from minimum to maximum dust holding capacity?
- How does filter perform on the other particle sizes not included in its MERV?
- How long is the expected life of the filter and, realistically, how long in your area?
To learn more…
Please scroll down to our FAQ below read more about common particles and their sizes, as well as to see a breakdown of other factors—beyond filter performance—that can help determine the right air cleaner for you!
The Alberta Furnace & Heating Services team is knowledgeable on all that goes into choosing the right air cleaner for you and skilled with a variety of air cleaner types. We are here to help! Please feel free to contact us with any further questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common particles and their associated sizes?
| COMMON PARTICLES | PARTICLE SIZES (MICRONS) |
| Viruses | 0.3 and smaller |
| Dust | 0.01 to 100.0 |
| Smudging | 0.01 to 5.0 |
| Tobacco Smoke | 0.01 to 1.0 |
| Bacteria | 0.3 to 1.0 |
| Pet Dander | 0.1 to 10.0 |
| Mold | 3.0 to 10.0 |
| Pollen | 10 to 100.0 |
| Spores | 10 to 100.0 |
What are some important considerations when it comes to air cleaners?
MERV
M.E.R.V. is an acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, the end result of a test called Standard 52.2-1999 that was developed by A.S.H.R.A.E. (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) to address an air cleaner’s ability to remove different sized particles from the air.
Important Notes:
- MERV was never intended to be used as a rating system. Although MERV is important, it is not the only factor.
- Also, make sure you check results from both tests , 52.1 and 52.2, as well as any other detailed data the manufacturer can supply to give you a better idea on how the filter will perform on all particle sizes and in all phases of testing.
Filter Specifications
Look beyond a MERV rating by checking for more detailed specifications. For example, 2 filters can be MERV 6 – one can be an oiled fibreglass filter and another a pleated filter but the pleated filter could offer much higher efficiencies on smaller particle sizes. With a MERV rating as the only source of information, this would tend to be overlooked.
Particulate Type
Consider what type of particulates or contaminants you’re trying to remove. Consider their particle size(s). For example, spores are much larger than pollen, which is larger than dust, which is larger than a virus, and so on. Different filters can filter different size rangers.
Maintenance Frequency
What type of maintenance do you wish to do?
Do you have time for semi-monthly or bi-monthly maintenance or do you need something relatively low maintenance like once/year?
Cost-Benefit Analysis
How much is upfront cost and maintenance cost?
For example, low capacity pleated filters are low cost and have to be replaced more often but high capacity pleated filters have better DHC (dust holding capacity) and therefore a longer life.
Your Location
What area do you live in (downtown, industrial, area under construction)?
In these areas, your filter may need to be replaced more often.
What type(s) of air filter do you suggest?
Our preferred choice of air cleaner is the Lennox Healthy Climate High Efficiency Media Air Cleaner – Merv 11 as it rates above the others in good construction, ease of maintenance and cost of maintenance.
What air cleaners do you carry?
Although there are a wide range of air cleaners on the market today, we carry furnace air cleaners only and those we do carry are the ones that have, over and over again, proven their reliability and effectiveness.
The air cleaners below address the most common areas of concern for most homeowners (dust, pollen, spores,etc.). If you have a special concern that might warrant a need for a germicidal air cleaner or a UV air cleaner, please contact us. As a rule, we do not carry these because of cost and some negative aspects of these units; however, we do offer custom design services.
Lennox Healthy Climate High Efficiency HC10 & HC16
- Media Air Cleaners
- MERV 11 ($595.00 installed + gst*) OR MERV 16 ($695 installed + gst*)
- .3 and higher. Expandable MERV 16 and MERV 10 high-efficiency filter removes over 95% of indoor allergens, such as dust, pollen, mold spores down to 0.3 microns.
- Parts: 5-year limited warranty on frame and spacers.
- Labour: 1-Year labour warranty from installation date.**
- Maintenance: Filter media must be replaced once per year in Calgary (more often if in downtown or in an area under or near construction).
- No ozone as no electricity is used.
- Will fit most competitors’ cabinets.
*Prices subject to change without notice.
**This does not include annual filter media replacement.
Lennox PureAire System
For a very good all-in-one system with a UV light, MERV 16 filter with activated charcoal layer, and a Titanium dioxide anti-bacterial insert integrated into one package.
Other?
In some instances, such as homes with infloor heating, a typical air cleaner that relies on the movement of forced air cannot be utilized. In these cases, a custom design is needed.
Please phone us at 403-289-0089 for a free consultation.
Do you offer parts delivery?
In Calgary, we offer free delivery of air cleaner filters and parts on orders over $20.00.
For smaller orders in Calgary and any orders for areas outside Calgary , we ship by regular mail and add a shipping/handling charge.
Do you offer annual service?
As with humidifiers and furnaces, for those of our clients who do not wish to tackle their own mechanical equipment maintenance, we offer an annual reminder & service where the client is phoned at the same time every year to book their once/year service.
What does air filter maintenance entail?
Media Air Cleaners
The filter media must be disposed of and replaced once per year in Calgary (and more often if you’re located downtown or in an area under/near construction).
Electronic Air Cleaners
The collection plates (air cells) must be cleaned at least once every 2 months. The recommended process is to wash them with a power wash either at home or at a carwash due to the delicate nature of the ionizing wires and plates in the air cells. Please note that cleaning in a dishwasher is sometimes suggested; however, some dishwasher manufacturers now advise against this.
Similarly, if in the downtown area, or if you are living in an area close to/under construction, you may have to replace the filter or perform maintenance more often.
Please Note…
Some filters’ efficiency go down as they continue to load up or “get dirty,” while others actually go up as they load up with dust, etc. In either case, there is a point where the filter is so dirty that it blocks airflow to the furnace motor which then necessitates replacement immediately (hopefully before that). Most manufacturers will give you a guide to go by for time of replacement, but an experienced installer will give you the guideline for your area and suggest that you monitor it every few months (or weeks, depending on the air filter) for the first year to determine your replacement timeframe.
ALBERTA FURNACE & HEATING SERVICES