Wildfire season in Alberta is a new reality — which is why smoke-resistant homes in Edmonton are essential to protect your family from wildfire smoke and indoor air pollutants.
Smoke exposure can affect anyone, but children, seniors, and people with asthma, lung disease, or heart conditions are especially at risk. That’s why indoor air quality isn’t just about comfort — it’s about protecting health.
At Effect Home Builders, we’ve been building healthy, smoke-resistant homes in Edmonton for years. Our long-standing commitment to creating resilient living environments is grounded in the science of Healthy Buildings, a framework from Harvard’s Dr. Joseph G. Allen that emphasizes what we breathe is even more critical to our health than what we eat or drink.¹
As leaders in building healthy homes in Alberta, we focus on creating living spaces that protect your family’s well-being. Here are the top five things we do to build a truly smoke-resistant home in Edmonton.
1. A High-Performance Building Envelope: Your First Line of Defense
A home’s ability to withstand wildfire smoke begins with its physical structure. We focus on constructing a well-sealed building envelope that acts as the primary barrier against the infiltration of airborne pollutants, exhaust, and other particles.³ This airtightness is a core element of our building practice, ensuring that what stays inside is clean, and what stays outside remains outside.⁵
A high-quality envelope is your most fundamental defense against smoky conditions in Alberta.
2. Fresh Air with Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV)
A tight, well-sealed home is only as good as its ventilation. That’s why every Effect Home is equipped with a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV).⁵ This isn’t just a simple exhaust fan; it’s a sophisticated system that continuously removes stale, polluted indoor air and replaces it with an equal amount of fresh, filtered outdoor air.⁵
The HRV also preheats the incoming fresh air using the warmth from the outgoing air, so you don’t have to sacrifice indoor comfort for clean, healthy air.
3. Advanced Filtration with Our Partners at BGE Indoor Air Quality Solutions
While our homes are built with advanced ventilation, we know that combating fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke (PM2.5) requires a multi-layered approach.³ To give homeowners the best solutions, we partner with BGE Indoor Air Quality Solutions, an Edmonton-based company with decades of experience in indoor air quality (IAQ) and air filtration.⁶ Their recommendations for homeowners include:
- Upgrade your furnace filter to MERV 13 or higher to capture fine smoke particles.³
- Utilize deeper filter housing (4–5 inches) when available, to accommodate thicker, high-efficiency filters.⁶
- Run your furnace fan in continuous mode during smoke events, or adjust your HRV to circulate air through the filters more often.
- Keep windows and doors closed to prevent outdoor smoke from entering.
- Add portable air purifiers with HEPA and carbon filters as an additional layer of protection, especially during severe smoke events.³ These devices are particularly helpful in bedrooms, since clean air during sleep can reduce irritations and breathing difficulties.
Our partnership with BGE combines structural integrity with expert IAQ guidance, ensuring your home maintains healthy air even during extreme environmental conditions like wildfire smoke.
4. Monitoring Your Indoor Air Quality
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s why understanding the quality of your indoor air is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy living environment. For households with children, older adults, or anyone managing chronic conditions, an air quality monitor can be especially valuable in providing real-time data that helps you take proactive steps to improve your home’s air.⁸
These devices can detect a range of harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).⁸
When selecting an air quality monitor, look for features like:
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Multi-sensor technology – capable of detecting PM2.5, CO₂, and VOCs for a more complete picture of indoor air quality⁸
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Smartphone connectivity – allowing homeowners to track real-time air quality and receive alerts remotely⁸
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Audible and visual alerts – providing immediate feedback when air quality drops below safe levels⁸
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Advanced integration – some devices, like the HAVEN Room Monitor (approx. $199.00 CAD), can work with a central air controller to automatically activate your HVAC or IAQ equipment based on real-time readings¹⁰
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Other trusted options – such as the PurpleAir Flex (approx. $289.00 CAD) and PurpleAir Touch (approx. $209.00 CAD)¹¹
At Effect Home Builders, we can integrate air quality monitors into your home during the building process or recommend trusted models that align with your IAQ needs. We’re also happy to ensure these devices are set up and fully operational at possession — giving you peace of mind from day one.
5. Staying Informed with Reliable Air Quality Resources
Staying informed is key to making decisions that protect your family during wildfire smoke events. Reliable resources include:
- The Government of Canada’s Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) provides real-time air quality readings and forecasts for Edmonton and other cities across the country. This index helps you understand the health risks associated with local air pollution.
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Government of Alberta: wildfire prevalence and smoke impacts on air quality¹²
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Firesmoke.ca: an interactive tool forecasting smoke movement and PM2.5 levels across North America
By following these trusted resources, you can stay proactive and adjust your family’s activities based on air quality updates.¹³
Building a Healthier, Smoke-Resistant Future in Edmonton
Wildfire smoke is an ongoing challenge in Alberta, but your home doesn’t have to be vulnerable. With airtight construction, HRVs, advanced filtration, IAQ monitoring, and proactive information, it’s possible to design homes that truly protect your health.
At Effect Home Builders, we’re proud to lead the way in building smoke-resistant, healthy homes in Edmonton — homes that let you breathe easy today and for years to come.
Works cited
- Joseph Allen | A.R.T. – American Repertory Theater, accessed August 14, 2025, https://americanrepertorytheater.org/bio/joseph-allen/
- Healthy Buildings Audiobook by Joseph G. Allen, John D. Macomber – Audible, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.audible.com/pd/Healthy-Buildings-Audiobook/1705268226
- Indoor Air Quality and Wildfire Smoke: Best Practices for Protection – Alpha Environmental, accessed August 14, 2025, https://alphaenvironmental.net/blog/indoor-air-quality-and-wildfire-smoke/
- Best Practices for Indoor Air Quality when Remodeling Your Home | US EPA, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/best-practices-indoor-air-quality-when-remodeling-your-home
- Healthy Homes – Effect Home Builders, accessed August 14, 2025, https://effecthomes.ca/healthy-homes/
- A Guide To Improving Indoor Air Quality At Home — BGE, accessed August 14, 2025, https://bgecleanair.com/education-training/a-guide-to-improving-indoor-air-quality-at-home/
- BGE Indoor Air Quality Solutions, accessed August 14, 2025, https://bgecleanair.com/
- Air Quality Monitors: How They Work, Benefits, and Buying Tips – Lascar Electronics, accessed August 14, 2025, https://lascarelectronics.com/air-quality-monitors-how-they-work/
- IAQ Advisory & Testing – BGE Indoor Air Quality Solutions, accessed August 14, 2025, https://bgecleanair.com/services/iaq-advisory/
- HAVEN Homeowner Store – HAVEN IAQ – Professional Indoor Air Quality Solutions, accessed August 14, 2025, https://haveniaq.com/homeowner-store
- Real-time Air Quality Monitoring by PurpleAir, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www2.purpleair.com/
- Air indicators – Wildfire smoke | Alberta.ca, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.alberta.ca/air-indicators-wildfire-smoke
- Wildfire Smoke and Your Health – MyHealth Alberta, accessed August 14, 2025, https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/Pages/wildfire-smoke-health.aspx
