Most systems here were never set up for the smoke weeks
Heating, cooling, ventilation and filtration for Boulder County — including the part almost nobody plans for until the sky goes orange and everyone tries to buy a filter at once.
What a first visit establishes
- What the system is, what it is rated for, and what it is actually delivering.
- The static pressure — the number that decides what filter it can carry.
- Where outside air gets in, deliberately and otherwise.
- What it would take to improve any of the three.
Three things we are called for
- It has stoppedNo heat, no cool, or a system tripping out. Diagnosed with instruments, priced in writing, and explained afterwards so you know what caused it.
- It is not doing enoughA room that will not hold temperature, a floor that never agrees with itself, a system that runs all day. Measured before anything is recommended.
- It needs to be betterFiltration, ventilation and controls — the work people ask about after a bad summer, and the work that is far cheaper done in April.
The filter you can fit is decided by a number nobody measured
Every forced-air system has a static pressure it can work against. Put a denser filter in than it can carry and airflow falls, the equipment works harder, and in winter a furnace can start tripping on its limit. That is why "just buy the highest rating" is bad advice.
The smoke plan asks what you have and sorts the answers into what to do during an event and what to sort out before the next season. It also lists what not to do, which is the part that saves equipment.
The work, in full
- Service and repair
Furnaces, air conditioning, heat pumps and rooftop units. Measured, priced before the work, and written up so the next visit starts from a record rather than a guess.
- Planned maintenance
Annually for houses, once or twice a year for workplaces, with a report against each unit rather than a sticker on the side.
- Filtration
Static pressure measured first, then a filter or a cabinet chosen to suit it. We will tell you when your system cannot take what you were planning to buy.
- Ventilation
Fresh-air intakes, ERV and HRV systems, extract, and dampers you can actually reach when you need to close them.
- Controls
Schedules, sensors and the recirculation switch that matters twice a year and is unreachable the rest of the time.
- Replacement
Sized from the building, quoted with the duct work included, and planned rather than bought in an emergency.
Houses and workplaces, both properly
- Houses
Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior and Niwot — furnaces, air conditioning, heat pumps, duct work, filtration and ventilation. The houses page covers it.
- Workplaces
Labs, offices, studios, light industrial units and community buildings, on planned schedules with a record per unit. The workplaces page covers it.
Before you call
Can I just fit the highest-rated filter I can buy?
Not safely, on most systems. A denser filter resists airflow more, and if your system cannot carry it the air moving through the house drops — which means less air gets filtered at all, and a furnace can start tripping on its high limit. The answer comes from measuring static pressure.
What is static pressure and why do you keep mentioning it?
It is the resistance the fan is working against, measured in inches of water column. It decides what filter a system can carry, and it is the number that turns the filter question from an opinion into an answer.
Does a better filter help with wildfire smoke?
It reduces how much of the outdoor particulate reaches the rooms the system serves, provided airflow is maintained and the building is not leaking heavily. What that means for anybody's health is a question for public health guidance, not for us.
Should I close the fresh-air intake during a smoke event?
Usually yes while smoke is outside, and it has to be opened again afterwards. In a tight house a ventilation system left closed causes its own problems. The smoke plan covers both halves.
Do you work on commercial buildings?
Yes — labs, offices, studios, light industrial units and community buildings, with planned maintenance and a written record per unit.
Which areas do you cover?
Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior, Niwot, Erie and Gunbarrel.
Boulder County
643 S Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305
Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Superior, Niwot, Erie and Gunbarrel.