Cleaner Indoor Air for smoke season and every season
Wildfire smoke, pollen, dust from remodels and stuffy closed-up rooms. Your HVAC system can do a lot more to clean the air, and we can help it get there.
Call 650-460-3483438 Cambridge Ave, 94306
Indoor air quality upgrades in Palo Alto focus on three things: filtration that captures wildfire smoke particles (MERV 13 or better in a properly sized filter cabinet), fresh air ventilation such as an ERV for tight homes, and sealing duct leaks that pull dust from attics and crawlspaces. ComfortFlow tests your system first so upgrades don’t choke airflow.
Wildfire smoke and the Peninsula
In recent years, smoke from Northern California wildfires has pushed Bay Area air quality into unhealthy ranges for days or weeks at a time. Fine particles (PM2.5) get inside even with windows closed. A central system with good filtration can run the fan to clean the whole house, but only if the filter is good enough and the system can handle it.
Filtration upgrades
Most systems ship with a thin 1-inch filter that does little against smoke. A media filter cabinet with a 4 or 5-inch MERV 13 filter captures far more fine particles with less airflow restriction. We check static pressure before and after so the upgrade doesn’t starve the blower.
Ventilation
Newer and remodeled homes are tighter, which is great for efficiency but can trap moisture, cooking pollutants and CO2. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) brings in filtered outdoor air while recovering most of the heating or cooling energy from the outgoing air.
Sealing the sources
Leaky return ducts in a crawlspace or attic pull in dust, insulation fibers and musty air. Sealing them is often the single best IAQ improvement, and it improves comfort and efficiency too. See ductwork repair.
Going electric helps too
Removing combustion appliances from the home eliminates a source of indoor pollutants. Switching a gas furnace to a heat pump is an indoor air quality upgrade as much as an efficiency one.
Our IAQ options
- MERV 13 media filter cabinets
- ERV fresh air ventilation
- Return duct sealing and crawlspace duct repair
- Mini-split blower wheel and coil cleaning for musty smells
- Smart thermostats that circulate air on a schedule during smoke events
Indoor air quality upgrades compared
| Upgrade | Helps with | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MERV 13 media filter cabinet | Wildfire smoke, dust, pollen | Deeper filter keeps airflow healthy |
| Duct sealing | Dust, musty crawlspace air | Also improves comfort and efficiency |
| ERV ventilation | Stale air, cooking odors, CO2 | Best in tight or remodeled homes |
| Mini-split deep cleaning | Musty smells, weak airflow | Cleans blower wheel and coil |
| Heat pump conversion | Combustion byproducts | Removes gas appliance from the home |
Why Palo Alto homeowners choose ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto for indoor air quality
ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto has served Palo Alto homes for over 10 years from our shop at 438 Cambridge Ave. We test static pressure before and after any filtration upgrade so cleaner air never comes at the cost of a strained blower motor.
- Diagnosis before recommendations. We measure first, then explain what we found in plain language.
- Repair prices up front. You see the cost before any work begins, and replacement only comes up when it makes sense.
- Local know-how. CPAU rebates, the City heat pump instant permit, Eichler radiant systems and Palo Alto’s older housing stock.
- Respect for your home. Drop cloths, protected floors and trim, and a clean work area at the end of every day.
Indoor Air Quality, step by step
- ListenSmoke, allergies, dust, odors or stuffiness.
- TestStatic pressure, filter fit and duct leakage.
- RecommendThe upgrade that fits your system and budget.
- InstallClean install and fan schedule setup.
Often paired with indoor air quality
Indoor Air Quality across Palo Alto and nearby
We’re based at 438 Cambridge Ave and work in every Palo Alto neighborhood. Local notes for each area:
New to us? Start with our overview of HVAC in Palo Alto.
Indoor Air Quality questions,
answered.
Answers from the ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto team about indoor air quality in Palo Alto homes.
What filter is best for wildfire smoke?
A MERV 13 filter captures a large share of fine smoke particles. A deeper 4 or 5-inch media filter does it with less airflow restriction than a thin 1-inch MERV 13. Wildfire smoke contains fine particles (PM2.5) that slip through basic filters. A MERV 13 media filter in a properly sized cabinet captures most of them while keeping airflow healthy. ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto measures static pressure before and after an upgrade so the better filter does not strain your blower motor.
Should I run my HVAC fan during smoke events?
With a good filter and outdoor air dampers closed, running the fan continuously helps clean indoor air. Make sure your system doesn’t pull in outside air during smoke. Set the thermostat fan to “on” so air circulates through the filter continuously, keep windows and doors closed, and check the filter more often because it loads up faster. If your system has a fresh air intake or economizer, close it during smoke events. A portable HEPA purifier in the bedroom adds another layer.
Are UV lights or ionizers worth it?
For most homes, better filtration and duct sealing deliver more measurable benefit. We’re cautious with ozone-producing devices. UV lights can help keep a cooling coil free of biological growth, but they do little for smoke or dust in the air. Some ionizers and electronic air cleaners produce ozone, which is a respiratory irritant. For most Palo Alto homes, better filtration, sealed ducts and proper ventilation give more measurable results.
What is an ERV?
An energy recovery ventilator exchanges stale indoor air with filtered outdoor air while transferring heat and moisture between the streams, so you get fresh air without a big energy penalty. ERVs make sense in tight, newer or heavily remodeled homes where stale air, cooking odors or humidity build up. They run quietly, filter incoming air, and can be ducted into your existing system or installed as a standalone unit. During wildfire smoke events, you can reduce or pause fresh air intake.
Why does my mini-split smell musty?
Usually mold or biofilm on the blower wheel and coil. A deep cleaning with the right equipment fixes it. Moisture collects on the indoor coil when the system cools, and dust feeds mold and bacteria on the blower wheel. Regular filter cleaning helps, but the blower wheel needs a professional deep clean, often with a bag kit that catches the runoff. ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto includes this in ductless maintenance.
Let’s make home
feel better.
Tell ComfortFlow HVAC Palo Alto what’s happening with your heating or cooling, and we’ll start with the right questions. Serving Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Los Altos, Stanford and the Peninsula.