Homes today are more airtight than ever before, so the air your family breathes can be significantly more polluted than what's outdoors. You might be thinking about having an air cleaner or an air purifier installed, but you're unsure which option is better. To help you decide, here's some helpful information about both of these methods of improving air quality.
Air Cleaners 101
There are two basic types of air cleaners on the market today:
Electronic air cleaners that ionize particles to draw them out of the air supply. Ozone is a byproduct of the ionizing process, and it's a known lung irritant that worsens respiratory problems.
Mechanical air cleaners use a filter medium to trap undesirable particles and allergens floating in the indoor air supply.
Whole-home mechanical air cleaners are installed on the HVAC ductwork so your home's air supply travels through the filter before it's conditioned and distributed. There are a number of makes and models available that offer different degrees of filtration to get rid of particles like:
Ash, soil and dust.
Plant pollens.
Dust mites.
Pet dander.
Mold and mildew spores.
Tobacco smoke.
Air Purifier Basics
Air purifiers also improve air quality, but they work differently than filtered air cleaners. Instead of capturing particles in a replaceable filter, air purifiers rely on ultraviolet (UV) lamps to eradicate airborne pollutants and contaminants. As with air cleaners, there are whole-home purifiers available that are integrated into the ductwork so all of the return air entering the HVAC system gets zapped and purified before it's heated or cooled and distributed through the supply ducts. The unit's UV germicidal lamps remove odors and kill mold, mildew and biological contaminants like viruses and bacteria.
Do You Need An Air Cleaner or Air Purifier?
Before you decide, have your air quality assessed by a knowledgeable professional to learn whether you need an air cleaner, purifier or a system that combines a filter and UV light.If you need expert advice about whether an air cleaner or air purifier is the best choice for your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Maklay62/Pixabay”