Calgary Indoor Air Quality

Low indoor air quality is a growing problem, especially during the winter months. Learn about the sources, causes and effects of this typical problem in Calgary, Alberta.

Don't Let Poor Indoor Air Quality Affect Your Health and Wellbeing

Feeling tired all the time? Often sick? Breathing related problems? There is a good chance low indoor air quality is causing these issues.

Poor indoor air quality is registered in a large percentage of Canadian homes every year. Houses in northern latitudes tend to cut off outside air with insulation and air sealing during the winter months, causing pollutants and irritants to trap and recycle in the house, sometimes for years!

A Calgary family enjoying warmth on a white carpet in their living room after Alberta Home Services expertly repaired their furnace.

What is the Source of Poor Indoor Air Quality?

You may be wondering what exactly is in your air that is lowering the indoor air quality in your home. Here are a few of the most prominent sources of poor indoor air quality.

Pollutants, Contaminants and Allergens

Indoor pollution that releases gases or particles into the air is the primary source of indoor air quality problems in homes. But where does it come from? Here are some of the major sources of pollutants, contaminants and allergens in your home:

Bad Smelling Carpet

These microscopic creatures are present in almost every home, no matter how clean and disinfected it may be, and they don't pose a threat to us in small numbers. But when the dust mite population gets out of control, they're not just lurking in the far reaches of our homes—the mites themselves are floating in the air, along with their waste, which is a big cause of dust-related allergies.

VOCs are essentially organic compounds with a high vapour pressure, meaning the molecules can move through air easily. This trait is called volatility. VOCs are typically man-made chemicals such as solvents, disinfectants, glue, epoxy, pesticides and harsh cleaning products. They can also be released from fabric such as upholstery that has been treated with chemicals in the manufacturing process.

Microorganisms are everywhere, and they're not all bad—in fact, many of them are very beneficial to humans. But microbial growth such as mould spores, mildew, fungi and bacteria lower the quality of indoor air and can have serious health effects, especially on vulnerable people.

Modern buildings are very complex and can contain a lot of materials that release allergens and contaminants into the air. That certainly includes dust—drywall, for example, is made of a soft, sulfate mineral that can easily crumble apart and release copious amounts of dust. But various

It's no secret that cigarette smoke has a huge negative impact on indoor air quality, and that impact lingers long after the last cigarette is extinguished. Smoke can also come from fireplaces and cooking tools such as your oven, stove and toaster.

Just like cooking food can give off smoke, it can also release particles of oil, fat or food into the air that impact indoor air quality in a big way. This is especially true of food that is being fried in oil.

Cats and dogs are a treasured part of many peoples' home lives, and anyone who lives with a furry friend knows that their fur ends up all over the place. With it comes dander, particles of skin and mites that float through the air and lower indoor air quality, as well as exacerbating allergy conditions.

If you've been living in Alberta over the last few years, you know all too well that wildfires, even those that are burning hundreds of kilometres away, can cause thick clouds of choking smoke that leave you with a sore throat and cough. Most people do whatever they can to keep the smoke outside so they can have some respite indoors, but that's easier said than done and it tends to creep in no matter what you do. One of the biggest issues with forest fire smoke is that once it gets inside, it can stick around and compromise your indoor air quality even after the air has cleared outdoors. That's one major reason why it's so important for Albertans to invest in air filters and other indoor air quality solutions that can clean smoke particles out of the air and let you breathe easily again.

What Causes Poor Indoor Air Quality?

The sources of poor indoor air quality that we listed above have the potential to be present in any building, and in some cases, they can't be avoided. So what makes the difference between a home with poor indoor air quality and a home with good indoor air quality if all buildings contain at least some contaminants, pollutants and allergens?

It really comes down to how effectively existing pollutants are being removed from the building, if they are being removed at all, and how effectively additional pollutants are being prevented from entering the building.

Indoor Air Quality in Calgary

Here are a few of the biggest causes of poor indoor air quality in Calgary.

Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home.

When not enough outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose a threat to your health and comfort. Unless they are built with special mechanical means of ventilation, homes that are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of outdoor air that can “leak” into and out of the home may have higher pollutant levels than average homes. This is true of most houses built in and around Calgary due to the extreme winter temperatures we experience and the need to prevent heat loss.

However, because some weather conditions can drastically reduce the amount of outdoor air that enters a home, pollutants can build up even in homes that are normally considered “leaky” or have acceptable levels of ventilation.

Most HVAC systems include air filters, and for obvious reasons, they are a key tool for improving your indoor air quality. But just having air filters in place isn't enough—you need to ensure that they are of a high quality and that they're being changed as needed.

Indoor air quality becomes even worse if the air filters in the house are substandard in quality or need to be replaced. As a result, it's very important to make sure you not only have adequate air filters in place, but also that they are being swapped out regularly. A dirty air filter can actually be more detrimental than no air filter at all in some cases. Fortunately, they're typically very easy to change. The frequency at which you need to change air filters will vary based on the thickness of the filter your system uses, so it's a good idea to refer to the manufacturer's instructions.

The most common types of HVAC systems in Calgary by far are furnaces and air conditioners that utilize "forced-air" systems, meaning they use internal ductwork to move heated or cooled air around a building and deposit it into rooms via registers. While the air does typically pass through a filter before it moves into the ducts, the ductwork itself can accumulate a build-up of dust, grime, dander and other allergens and pollutants that get carried along with the air and spew out of the registers.

Dirty air ducts are often the source of the problem when it comes to poor indoor air quality in Calgary. Even the most meticulous-looking home can hide these dirty ducts behind a clean facade, because most homeowners don't have the tools or expertise necessary to deal with air duct cleaning. It's a job that needs to be handled by professionals on a regular basis to ensure that your forced-air system isn't the main culprit behind lowered air quality in your home.

You might diligently vacuum your carpets once a week or even more, but that doesn't mean they're completely free of dust, mold growth and other allergens that are worked into the fibers of the carpet and can be released when the carpet is disturbed by footsteps or even the actual process of vacuuming. Ultimately, vacuuming alone is not enough to preserve the quality of your indoor air. Those who are serious about maintaining high indoor air quality should consider professional carpet cleaning services that include disinfectant capable of removing 99.9% of the microbes it comes in contact with.  

Of course, carpets aren't the only fabric items in your home that can attract and lock in allergens and microorganisms. Most furniture, from sofas to mattresses, is made of porous fabric that is a beacon to contaminants of all sorts, and upholstery is a challenge to clean properly because there is so much fabric and it can't necessarily get wet. Upholstery cleaning can involve the use of the same disinfectant that is applied to carpets in order to remove microbes and make a noticeable difference to indoor air quality.

This is a cause that actually comes as a surprise to most people, because it's not talked about as often as other issues such as dust build-up. The air we breathe outdoors is purified naturally by ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, which halt the growth and proliferation of bacteria, viruses, germs and other types of bioaerosols. But those UV rays don't make their way inside your house in a significant way, so they can't perform the same function to improve your indoor air quality the way they do for the quality of air outdoors.

There is, however, an option available to bring the germ-killing power of the sun inside: UV light air purification.

This technique involves the use of a UV lamp that is installed inside your HVAC ductwork to clean the air from your furnace or air conditioner as it passes through the ducts. Since our buildings in Calgary are air-sealed to maintain energy efficiency, this is an excellent way to help improve indoor air quality in local homes and businesses.

Roof Top Dryer Vent Cleaning

What Are the Effects of Indoor Air Pollution?

Health issues consequent of low indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or possibly years later. While the health of your family and household members is, of course, the most important consideration, it's worth noting that poor indoor air quality can also impact your home and even your bank account.

Health-Related Signs and Symptoms

Children, elderly people, and at-risk individuals usually experience the health-related effects of poor indoor air quality first. Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the time and place symptoms occur. If the symptoms fade or go away when a person is away from home, for example, an effort should be made to identify indoor air sources that may be possible causes. Some effects may be made worse by an inadequate supply of outdoor air or from the heating, cooling, or humidity conditions prevalent in the home.

Poor Air Quality

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms caused by poor indoor air quality can mimic many diseases and health conditions.

That includes issues such as:

  • Recurring sickness ( constantly getting sick )
  • Constant coughing
  • Stuffy nose
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Problems concentrating ( “hazy feeling” )
  • Flu and cold like symptoms
  • Fatigue
  • And more

If the problem isn't resolved and your indoor air quality remains poor, it can lead to more serious long-term effects such as chronic respiratory disease, chronic fatigue and other issues.

While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects, there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems. People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants. Further research is needed to better understand which health effects that occur after exposure to the average pollutant concentrations found in homes.

However, one conclusive fact is that the lower the indoor air quality of your home is, the higher the likelihood to experience the above mentioned effects on your health. It is therefore prudent to try to improve the indoor air quality in your home even if symptoms are not noticeable.

Effects On Your Home

Poor indoor air quality doesn't just affect the health of your family and household, it can also have a negative impact on your home and energy costs.

Dust Everywhere

Have you ever cleaned your house from top to bottom, only to look around a couple of days later and see dust collecting on all the surfaces you carefully wiped down? Or, when a shaft of sunlight beams through the window, does it highlight all the dust particles floating around in the air? When dust is coming from dirty air filters or HVAC ductwork, you can clean all day, every day and your house still won't look or feel clean.

Higher Energy Costs

You can have issues with indoor air quality that don't raise your energy expenses, but if the problem is being caused by dirty air filters, it's safe to say that you're paying more than necessary on your monthly utility bills. Your HVAC needs to consume a lot of energy to keep your house heated or cooled, so it represents a large portion of your energy costs. But when it is struggling to operate with old air filters that are caked in grime and dirt, it has to work much harder to force the air through the damaged, clogged filters. That additional operation time means your energy charges are going to go up, and it also increases wear and tear damage on your HVAC system so you need more frequent repairs and replacements.

 

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BDR
December 2, 2023

My first stop for all my home cleaning needs and it has been for years. Professional, never fails to provide quality service. Dont confuse this company with others or to you will be left annoyed and disappointed.

John Duthie
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John Duthie
November 23, 2023

Tommy and Beau cleaned our furnace and ductwork/ dryer vent. Excellent service notably more thorough than the last company. . Highly recommended! Thanks guys

Brad L
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Brad L
October 7, 2023

Thomas and Jason did an amazing job!! Were extremely professional very thorough. Best service I’ve ever had!!!

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Chelsey Jade
September 21, 2023

We have used AHS for the last 3 years. We had our vents cleaned twice, humidifier installed, misc services. Each and every time, they exceed my expectations.We will not use anyone else, I need not say more.

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Garret D.
September 14, 2023
mojo mush
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mojo mush
September 12, 2023

Last month, Jason and Neil came to clean our furnace and all of the ducts in our home. We were impressed by their diligence, competence, and professionalism. They both worked efficiently to get the job done, and they shared great information as well. The booking process was fast and easy. We are absolutely happy with the service they provided, and we recommend Alberta Home Services to anyone considering furnace and duct cleaning.

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Ian Brodie
August 24, 2023

Quick and complete service. Showed up on time. Very clean.

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adriano di stefano
August 16, 2023

EXCEPTIONAL!! No other words are required…. Have used this firm multiple times for well over 30 years. Yesterday Wayne come over and covered all the questions that I could ask on the performance, service and design considerations of my John Wood hot water tank! And that was just the beginning. Very very satisfied. How rare you meet a gasfitter with such knowledge, patience and problem solving ability. Adriano

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August 12, 2023
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June 28, 2023

Good services

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Masoud Paydar
June 5, 2023

Justin from the company showed up with his assistant and did a fantastic job on cleaning all the ducts and also disinfecting the furnace system. And then the other Justin ! Arrived to do the carpet cleaning and sanitizing. He did a great job.Justin’s !! Keep up the good work and spirit.

Jennifer Stadnyk
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Jennifer Stadnyk
June 5, 2023

•Dryer vent cleaning •Central Vac cleaning

MG Athletic Therapy
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MG Athletic Therapy
June 4, 2023

Mike was great! He was thorough and did a fantastic job of getting it all done!

Ric Campbell
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Ric Campbell
June 4, 2023

My wife and I were very happy with the service we got. Our ducts were cleaned in a methodical and pofessional way. The young men were polite and confirmed the price for the job prior to starting the work. Shoes were removed and respect was shown through the whole process. We forgot the names of the men that came, but we would recommend them and hire them again.

Dan Harder
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Dan Harder
June 3, 2023

Roy did a great job and was pleasant to deal with. We have 2 dogs and he did an amazing job of cleaning and deodorizing all our carpet and it smells like a new house! I would recommend Alberta Carpet cleaners to all my friends. Dan

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Nancy Eschyshyn
June 3, 2023

On time. Quick. Friendly. Gave operating suggestions.

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June 3, 2023
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Vienna Urbano
June 2, 2023

Furnace and duct cleaning

Michelle Li
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Michelle Li
June 2, 2023
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Naveed Butt
June 2, 2023

Great service starting from customer service for scheduling to delivery of the services. I used their services a few years back and have become a repeat customer since the first service. Strongly recommended for using their services.

Sylvia Mantz
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Sylvia Mantz
June 2, 2023

Great job

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Sara Shen
June 1, 2023

Very friendly and professional employees, super efficient. Also provide maintenance recommendations for customers. Great experience . Thumbs up.

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Casa Estrada!
May 31, 2023

Friendly tech. Explained everything to me which I appreciate. This is my first time having our house vents cleaned and they made it painless! Thanks again Deanna and team!

Gary Marshall
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Gary Marshall
May 31, 2023

Worked hard and completed task quickly.

Channing Crowshoe
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Channing Crowshoe
May 31, 2023

Roy was professional, positive, and proficient. Completely satisfied with the results he achieved with our carpeted room and stairs. I totally recommend this company if you want honest work for an honest price.

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Kris and Marta Kruse
May 31, 2023

The crew was very professional, careful with the floors, wall corners of the house. Very well done!

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May 30, 2023

On time fast service, will use them again.

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Lana casavant
May 30, 2023

Roy was excellent. On time. Courteous and did a good job. Thank you

Michale Luxton
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Michale Luxton
May 29, 2023

Seth and his partner were professional and personable. They were finished fairly quickly given they checked the furnace, cleaned 17 vents, cleaned the dryer vent, and cleaned the central vac outlets. Pretty efficient.

Charles Li
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Charles Li
May 29, 2023

They have done a good job for my recent furnace cleaning.

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Bruce H
May 28, 2023

Neil and Clint were very professional. Took the time to explain the process to us. They worked quickly and efficiently. We would definitely use them again. Highly recommend them.

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May 27, 2023

Satisfied and happy with the service 😀

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May 27, 2023
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Kathy R
May 27, 2023

On time. Professional and very nice person to deal with. Did a great job on our pet damaged carpets.

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Marlene Lee
May 27, 2023

Very informative and knowledgeable. Took the time to explain exactly what they were doing. Polite. Neil and Justin were terrific and pleasant.

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Carlos Samur
May 26, 2023

The service was dryer vent cleaning. Taylor Phillip and his mate provided me with a quality service beyond my expectations. They were very professional and knowledgeable about their trade. Very courteous and friendly. I plan to go back in the future to Alberta Furnace and Duct Cleaning for their services. A happy customer 😊

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May 26, 2023

Everything was great!!!

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May 25, 2023

The technicians were wonderful. Friendly, efficient and went over and beyond expectations.

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May 25, 2023

Fast, friendly, efficient, and cost less than expected!

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Fons Dekker
May 23, 2023

Great job, carpet looks like new after 25 years of use. Excellent value.

Gloria Bieber
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Gloria Bieber
May 23, 2023

Mike was most efficient and effective in his role. He explained how the process would work and the type of cleaning would be completed. He showed good customer service and communicated well. I would recommend Mike and Alberta Services to do your Carpets.

Samantha Critchley
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Samantha Critchley
May 23, 2023
Sandra Zapata
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Sandra Zapata
May 20, 2023

The technician did an amazing job. My carpets are looking nice and clean. Highly recommended.

Kaia Nickel
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Kaia Nickel
May 20, 2023

They were fun, professional, timely (even when I wasn’t), honest, and overall great value! Will use again when I need it next.

June Gan
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June Gan
May 19, 2023

From booking the appointment to getting reminders and the service, it was a very pleasant experience! Sandra from admin office gave us reminders and she is very pleasant to talk to. Neil and Justin are working very organized and efficiently. Neil explained what are the services entails. After they are done they cleaned up the area and put everything back. Overall this is by far the best duct cleaning service we have had in the past 20+ years! I would definitely recommend it to my friends.

Justin Sol
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Justin Sol
May 19, 2023

Always professional. Used the service a few times. Timely and clear expectations around pricing.

Domenic Laratta
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Domenic Laratta
May 19, 2023

Ken and Austin did a great job , I will be using Alberta Carpet Cleaning again

Diana Hanevelt
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Diana Hanevelt
May 18, 2023

They were very helpful, explaining what they were doing and why, and patient in dealing with the pets in the household. The neighbour came by while they were working, and even explained how they do the work to the neighbour. Very helpful and friendly.

Sydney Ryan
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Sydney Ryan
May 18, 2023
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Cheryl Larocke
May 18, 2023

Clint and Seth were professional, courteous, friendly, and did an excellent job. I would recommend your company to others. Price was reasonable too

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Renato Ezechiel Battad
May 18, 2023
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Jakub Strycharski
May 18, 2023

Great service and price, always profesional and friendly, we use this company on annual basis. Highly recommend

Leanne
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Leanne
May 16, 2023

This company was so unbelievably professional, friendly, talented and I would 100% recommend and use them again. They got pet stains out that I spent 3 weeks trying to remove. I was VERY happy with all of their services!!

Gary Smith
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Gary Smith
May 16, 2023

The employees that performed the service were superb.

Rae Jone
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Rae Jone
May 15, 2023
Mark McCormick
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Mark McCormick
May 15, 2023
Jesse Harris
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Jesse Harris
May 15, 2023

The tech was amazing did a great job

Shannyn Clancy
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Shannyn Clancy
May 13, 2023
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alexander leon
May 13, 2023

Amazing job.

Teresa Beattie
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Teresa Beattie
May 13, 2023

Very friendly and professional easy from beginning to end. Great job.

Reagan Munro
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Reagan Munro
May 13, 2023

Great company!

Rafaela Machado Schmitz
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Rafaela Machado Schmitz
May 12, 2023

Great service and fair price. Seth was very helpful and clarified all my questions. I’ll hire again :)

Mark Ross
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Mark Ross
May 12, 2023

Alberta Furnace Cleaning were Great!! Justin and Jason showed up on time and were very professional and polite throughout entire process. Had furnace n all ducts cleaned, cleaned out central vac and also used Benefect disinfectant. Both Justin n Jason did terrific jobs n I'd highly recommend these guys and their company!! In fact I've already recommended them to my neighbour's as they asked for their names if they were good. Cheers

Ginette Houle
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Ginette Houle
May 12, 2023
Ivan Velev
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Ivan Velev
May 11, 2023

Good service. Very professional and expedient. Very good communication.

michelle housley
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michelle housley
May 10, 2023

Great

Lorraine Fox
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Lorraine Fox
May 9, 2023

Very professional and friendly.

Michael Perc
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Michael Perc
May 8, 2023

The stains were quite heavy and they said there was no guarantee but they removed them and I'm quite happy

cathy swinarton
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cathy swinarton
May 6, 2023

Excellent service

Catherine Roy
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Catherine Roy
May 6, 2023

Friendly and efficient service. Cleaning done quickly.

Nilanka
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Nilanka
May 6, 2023

Tyler and Trevor were very friendly and performed my duct cleaning within an hour. They were super professional and the there wasn't any hidden fees or extra selling. Very happy and will most likely use them again in the future. They even replaced my humidifier pad as well.

Margaret Grieve
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Margaret Grieve
May 6, 2023

Had my dryer vent cleaned. Wasn’t sure of exact location but technician found correct one on the roof. Technicians were friendly and professional and did a great job!

Allan de Paiva
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Allan de Paiva
May 6, 2023

Very happy with the service and communication

Tarnia Wallace
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Tarnia Wallace
May 5, 2023

Very professional and thorough. Great service.

Lily Falcon
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Lily Falcon
May 4, 2023

Great service! Overall service prior and during the cleaning was very good. My sofas look very clean and the staff is very friendly.

Ashley Wood
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Ashley Wood
May 4, 2023

Cody and Jeff came to clean my dryer vent and chimney. Showed up on time, polite and respectful of my home, very clean, answered all my questions and never felt rushed in their time with me. Did a great job and appreciate the excellent service and fair honest upfront pricing. No surprises.

Diane Cooke
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Diane Cooke
May 4, 2023
Margot Clerkson
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Margot Clerkson
May 4, 2023

Excellent… on time, efficient, and job well done.

Susie Gelo
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Susie Gelo
May 4, 2023

Both Tyler and Thomas were so efficient and knew their stuff! Very knowledgeable and shared some great tips! Thanks so much!

Mary Davidson
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Mary Davidson
May 3, 2023

Very satisfied with the service supplied today. Highly recommend!

Jamie Pragnell
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Jamie Pragnell
May 2, 2023

Nathan and Jason were incredibly professional and helped me walk through the process and costs associated with that. I am a new first time home owner so they made it less intimidating and answered all of my questions! Highly recommend they were extremely polite professionals!

Marie-Christine Bouchard
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Marie-Christine Bouchard
May 2, 2023

Great service. Very efficient

Sarah Xu
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Sarah Xu
May 2, 2023

Good service

Jim Jones
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Jim Jones
May 1, 2023
Alma Zaragoza
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Alma Zaragoza
May 1, 2023

We are 100% satisfied with the service we experienced from Alberta Furnace Cleaning. I even got the anti-mould and algae protection injected in the furnace. They also cleaned our dryer vent. I will recommend them to our friends.

Christopher Johnson
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Christopher Johnson
April 30, 2023
cam taylor
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cam taylor
April 29, 2023

Taylor and Travis were amazing!! Knew what needed to be done, very friendly and knowledgeable

Bobby G
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Bobby G
April 29, 2023

We really appreciate how professional and thorough Hassan was here. Very personable and our dogs absolutely loved him. That says a lot when the pups tell us he is great.Thank you

Lianne Phillip
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Lianne Phillip
April 29, 2023

Great service! Prompt, professional, informative, and Friendly! Hard to find these days. Taylor and Travis were great!!! Thank you so much.

Aamir Uppal
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Aamir Uppal
April 29, 2023

Excellent service!

STARFISH *
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STARFISH *
April 29, 2023

They are so friendly and quick and professional

Vicki Hart Wearmouth
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Vicki Hart Wearmouth
June 22, 2020

He was on time and super fast and efficient!