Furnace filter exchange program launches on the Westside

Households on the Westside could be eligible for a new program that would upgrade their existing furnace air filter to high-efficiency MERV 11 filters at no cost.

Westside residents now have the opportunity to upgrade their furnace filters to high-efficiency ones at no cost.

The Furnace Filter Exchange Program aims to improve indoor air quality for families living on the Westside, the area of Salt Lake City with the worst outdoor air pollution. In particular, program leaders hope the initiative will “elevate air quality within homes, positively impacting the respiratory health and overall wellbeing of participating families.”

To qualify for the free upgrade to a high-efficiency (MERV 11) air filter, families must have access to their home’s furnace and have children diagnosed or suspected of having respiratory illnesses. These illnesses can include diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and more. Residents do not need to own their houses in order to qualify. Those renting do need to have permission from the homeowner first, however.

State Senator Luz Escamilla and State House Representative Angelo Romero are leading the program, along with support from healthcare professionals at the University of Utah. The initiative is being funded by the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit: Rocky Mountain Region.

“This program aims to reach working families in our Westside communities who are just trying to survive,” said Senator Escamilla in a statement. “The healthcare component and educational aspect are important for our low-income families who may not have access to healthcare.”

In addition to upgrading furnace filters, the program also includes an educational aspect meant to raise awareness of the impact of poor air quality. According to a press release announcing the exchange, “the program involves placing an air quality sensor outside and inside the participating home to measure pollution before and after the new air filters are installed.” Not only will participants receive extra furnace filters during the inversion season, but they’ll also have those filters tested and analyzed by a laboratory each month. Families in the program will also be connected with medical professionals who will discuss how poor air quality affects health, and how to address those issues.

“Often people only think about the air outside of their homes, not inside,” wrote Representative Romero in a statement. “This program works to educate families about how indoor air quality can have an impact on health.”

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall thanked the two lawmakers for leading this program, writing on X/Twitter that they’re helping to “address the environmental inequities Westside households have long faced.”

At the beginning, the program will be available for 100 families, but could see an expanded reach in the near future.

Those interested in receiving more information, or who’d like to apply to the filter exchange program, can sign up online by going to https://bit.ly/3TVTf56.