5 Ways to Improve Air Quality in Your Chicago Home

1. Upgrade Your Air Filter

Replacing a basic fiberglass filter with a MERV 8–11 pleated filter is the single easiest improvement. Higher-rated filters capture finer particles including pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and some bacteria. Change it every 60–90 days.

2. Install a Whole-Home UV Purifier

UV germicidal lights installed inside your air handler destroy biological contaminants — bacteria, viruses, and mold spores — as air passes through. These are particularly effective at eliminating mold growth on evaporator coils, which is a significant source of musty odors and health issues.

3. Add a Whole-Home Humidifier

Chicago winters drop indoor humidity below 20%, causing dry skin, static electricity, cracked woodwork, and increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. A whole-home bypass humidifier maintains 35–50% relative humidity automatically, integrating directly with your furnace.

4. Ventilate with an ERV or HRV

Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) and Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) bring fresh outdoor air into your home while recovering 70–80% of the energy in the outgoing air. This solves the "tight home" problem — modern well-insulated homes have very little natural air exchange, causing pollutant buildup.

5. Schedule Duct Cleaning

Over years, dust, debris, pet dander, and even mold accumulate inside your ductwork and recirculate through your home every time the system runs. Professional duct cleaning removes these contaminants and is recommended every 3–5 years, or after any home renovation.