Fremont sits between the bay and the hills, and some years the smoke from fires hundreds of miles away settles over the whole valley for days. A typical one-inch filter does little against those fine particles. The good news: your furnace or air handler can become a whole-home air cleaner with the right filter and a few upgrades.
Options we install
- MERV 13 four-inch media filter cabinets, sized so they do not choke airflow
- Whole-home electronic or polarized air cleaners
- UV lights for the indoor coil to control mold and odors
- Fresh-air ventilation (ERV) for tight newer homes
- Humidifiers and dehumidifiers where comfort calls for it
- Indoor air quality monitors so you can see the difference
Smoke season plan
On smoke days, close windows, run the HVAC fan on circulate with a MERV 13 filter, and set the system to recirculate rather than draw outside air. Our wildfire smoke guide for Fremont homes covers what to do before, during and after a smoke event.
Start with the basics
Dirty ducts, a leaky return in the garage and a skipped tune-up all undermine air quality. We check those first during HVAC maintenance, and recommend duct cleaning only when the ducts actually need it.
Typical costs in Fremont
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| MERV 13 media filter cabinet | $500–$1,200 |
| Whole-home air cleaner | $1,000–$2,500 |
| UV coil light | $500–$1,000 |
| Energy recovery ventilator (ERV) | $2,500–$5,500 |
Ranges reflect recent Fremont-area jobs and change with equipment, access and parts. You get an exact, written price before any work starts.
Looking for more than one fix? ComfortFlow is a full-service HVAC company in Fremont, so one call covers heating, cooling and hot water.