How often should I change my HVAC filter in Spokane?

Change your HVAC filter every 1-3 months under normal conditions. During wildfire season, change it monthly. Check your filter every month — if it looks dirty, swap it out immediately. Use MERV 11-13 rated filters for best results against Spokane's dust, pollen, and wildfire smoke particles.

Do I really need professional duct cleaning in Spokane?

Yes, most Spokane homes benefit from professional duct cleaning every 3-5 years. Spokane's unique conditions — volcanic soil dust, wildfire smoke, agricultural debris, and wet spring mold — mean contaminants build up faster than in milder climates. Professional cleaning removes what your filter misses, especially microscopic wildfire particles that lodge in ductwork and keep circulating months after fire season ends.

Should I open windows during wildfire season in Spokane?

No. Check the Air Quality Index (AQI) every morning during summer. When it hits 100 or higher, keep windows and doors closed and run air purifiers with HEPA filters instead. Open windows only on clear spring and fall days when outdoor air quality is good. During winter inversions, also keep everything sealed as trapped pollutants build up in the valley.

What is the right indoor humidity level for Spokane homes?

Keep indoor humidity between 30-50%. Spokane's wet springs can push humidity higher, encouraging mold growth especially in basements. Run dehumidifiers during wet spring months and keep bathroom fans running 20-30 minutes after showers. In dry winters, add a humidifier to prevent overly dry air. Fix leaky pipes immediately to prevent moisture buildup.

Are gas stoves a problem for indoor air quality?

Yes, gas stoves, fireplaces, and wood stoves release carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into your home. In Spokane's sealed winter homes, these gases accumulate quickly. Always run kitchen exhaust fans while cooking, ensure proper ventilation for all gas appliances, and consider switching to electric appliances where possible. Have gas appliances inspected and adjusted regularly to minimize emissions.

Indoor Air Quality Guide for Spokane Homeowners

Why Indoor Air Quality Matters Here

Indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. That’s a problem when you’re spending most of your time inside.

Spokane homes deal with stuff most places don’t. Wildfire smoke seeps in every summer. Winter inversions trap everything in the valley. Dust blows in from Cheney and the Palouse. Those cottonwoods along the Spokane River? They’re beautiful until allergy season hits. And because we heat our homes for half the year, everything stays sealed up tight.

What’s Actually in Your Air

Dust here isn’t like dust everywhere else. You’ve got volcanic soil from Mount Spokane, farm debris, old wildfire smoke. If you’re near the new builds in Liberty Lake or Airway Heights, add construction dust to the list.

Mold loves our wet springs, especially in basements. Older homes around Browne’s Addition and South Hill often have moisture problems. Pet hair, dust mites, mouse droppings—it all ends up in your ducts.

VOCs come from paint, cleaners, air fresheners, new furniture. Gas stoves, fireplaces, and wood stoves put carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide into your house. In winter, that adds up.

How This Affects You

Bad air gives you headaches. Makes your eyes itch, throat scratchy, leaves you tired for no reason. Stick with it long enough and asthma gets worse, allergies act up more. Kids and older folks feel it first.

How to Fix It

Stop It at the Source

Remove or encapsulate asbestos in pre-1980 Spokane homes
Adjust gas appliances or switch to electric
Choose low-VOC paints and cleaning products
Maintain 30-50% humidity to prevent mold
Groom pets regularly and limit bedroom access
Implement a no-shoes policy

Get Fresh Air Moving

Open windows spring and fall when the air’s clean
Run bathroom and kitchen fans when you’re cooking or showering
Don’t block vents with furniture

Check the Air Quality Index before opening windows. When wildfire smoke rolls in or we’re stuck in an inversion, keep everything closed.

Take Care of Your HVAC

Change filters every 1-3 months (monthly during wildfire season)
Use MERV 11-13 filters
Get your ducts cleaned every 3-5 years
Have your furnace serviced before winter hits
Clean your dryer vent yearly—lint fires are real

Clean Smarter

Vacuum twice a week with a HEPA filter
Use damp cloths for dusting (dry ones just move it around)
Wash bedding weekly in hot water
Mop regularly
Fix water leaks right away

Watch Your Humidity

Run dehumidifiers in basements during wet springs
Keep bathroom fans running 20-30 minutes after showers
Fix leaky pipes fast
Add a humidifier in dry winters
Keep it between 30-50%

Air Purifiers

Get one with a real HEPA filter
Match the size to your room
Put them in bedrooms and where you spend time
Run them nonstop during fire season
Skip the ozone generators—they’re garbage

What to Do Each Season

Spring: Crack those windows on clear days. Watch for mold as snow melts. Good time to get your ducts cleaned before you start running AC.

Summer: Check AQI every morning. When it hits 100, close up and run purifiers. Change your filter more often. Skip the candles on smoky days.

Fall: Fresh air while it lasts. Get your heating system checked. New filter before you fire up the furnace. Fix any leaks now.

Winter: Inversions trap everything. You’re sealed up for months. Stay on top of filter changes. Run those exhaust fans.

How to Tell If You Have a Problem

Musty smell that won’t go away. Mold you can see. Condensation on windows. Dust everywhere even after you just cleaned.
Allergies are worse inside than out.

You can test for radon with a cheap kit from the hardware store. Spokane’s got spots with high radon. If you’re seeing mold, smelling weird stuff, or everyone’s getting sick, call someone who actually knows what they’re doing.

Different Homes, Different Problems

Old Houses: Those craftsmen around Browne’s Addition are gorgeous. They also might have lead paint, asbestos, and ventilation from 1920.

New Builds: Liberty Lake and Airway Heights homes are tight for energy savings. The problem is, nothing breathes. New carpet, paint, cabinets—it all off-gassed for months.

Out by the Farms: Near Cheney? You’re getting dust and whatever they’re spraying. Better filters, better sealing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every 1-3 months normally. During fire season? Monthly. Check it every month—if it looks nasty, swap it out.

Yeah, especially here. Wildfire smoke, dust storms, six months of heating. Get it done every 3-5 years. After a remodel or if you find mold, do it sooner. Clean Air handles air duct and dryer vent cleaning all over Spokane County and into Coeur d’Alene.

Not really. You’d need like 50 plants per room. Most people find they just grow mold in the soil and make allergies worse.

Nope. When AQI hits 100, seal it up. Run purifiers instead.

30-50%. Lower and your skin cracks. Higher and you’re growing mold.

Yep. They’re putting carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide straight into your house. If you’ve got one, use the hood vent and crack a window. Better yet, go electric.

Start Somewhere

Don’t overthink it. Change your filter. Fix leaks. Run the fans. Clean more. When you can, add a purifier or get your ducts cleaned.

This isn’t one-and-done. Seasons change, you remodel, you get a dog, life happens. Just stay on it.

Clean Air does air duct cleaning and dryer vent cleaning across Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Mead, Cheney, Airway Heights, and Coeur d’Alene. Give us a call if you want your ducts actually cleaned.