The Differences Between Air Filtration and Air Cleaning

Keeping your indoor air fresh and clean can be a challenge, especially during the winter months when you are more likely to keep doors and windows closed. There are two choice available for keeping particulates and other contaminants out of your indoor air: air filtration and air cleaning.

Air Filtration

Air filtration involves the removal of particulates such as dust, pollen, fibers, and other small pieces of debris from your indoor air. The air filters in your heating and cooling systems are designed to provide this type of filtration. Air circulating through your HVAC system passes through the filter where the particulates are caught and held in the material of the filter, often a type of spun fiberglass or pleated cloth.Higher quality filters with a higher MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating can capture smaller particles. More efficient types of air filtration systems are also available that can be added to your HVAC equipment. HEPA filters, for example, can remove extremely small particulates from your indoor air.There are some disadvantages to air filtration systems:

• They can remove only those particulates that are pulled back into your HVAC system through the air return.

• They cannot remove biological contaminants such as bacteria and viruses.

• They cannot remove odors, fumes, and gases.

Air Cleaning

Air cleaning systems, on the other hand, are designed to remove not only particulates but also biological contaminants and odors. They usually combine a high-quality filtration system for removing physical particulates with additional elements that remove biological pollutants. These include:

• Ultraviolet light: UV light can destroy bacteria and other potentially harmful microorganisms.

• Activated charcoal layers: Charcoal is effective at absorbing and removing fumes and odors from air passing through a layer of it.

• Electrostatic precipitators: These devices transfer an electrical charge to particulates which are then attracted to a collection plate, removing them from the air.

Air Assurance provides top-quality HVAC services to customers in Tulsa and the nearby communities. Contact us today for more information on air filtration and for expert help with deciding if a filtration or purification system is best for your needs.

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). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

What’s the Difference Between Air Filtration and Air Cleaning?

The winter is generally too cold to open the windows and fill the house with fresh air. The air inside your home will recirculate through the HVAC system and eventually the indoor air quality will suffer. In order to handle this problem, consider the different benefits air filtration and air cleaning can provide for your home.

Air Filtration

When the house is sealed, the air repeatedly circulates through the HVAC system. Every time that it is heated, a small deposit of dirt is left on the furnace, which can cause the furnace to run less efficiently or become damaged. The holes in standard filters are spacious enough to permit air to flow easily but small enough to catch most particles of dirt.

If allergies are a serious concern, a standard filter don’t help to clean allergens from the air. High-rated MERV filters have tiny holes to trap allergens but the improved air filtration comes with a high price. The increased workload for the furnace will cause a steep increase to your heat bill.

Air Cleaning

Air cleaners can keep your furnace clean without increasing your heating bill. They also remove up to 99 percent of the dust, mold spores, pollen, dander and other particles that make your family sick.

Which One is Right?

If the furnace is your main concern, an air filtration system will take care of it nicely. On the other hand, if you have family with asthma or allergies, a high-rated MERV filter or an air cleaning system would probably be a better choice for you.

Air Assurance has had the honor of serving customers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma for over a decade. If you have any concerns about your indoor air quality, call us today!

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: “phloxii/Shutterstock”

How's Your Home's Indoor Air Quality? Three Factors To Focus On For Improvement

Do you need a proven, easy strategy for improving indoor air quality in your greater Broken Arrow home? The experts have weighed in, and the following three steps are proven to boost air quality in the average home. You can rely on these tips, provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Source control

Removing the sources of contaminants in your home is perhaps the easiest, most effective way to promote healthful indoor air quality. And it won’t cost you anything. Start by going through your home, room by room, and eliminate sources of contaminants like home furnishings with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), harsh cleaning chemicals, and more. Schedule a professional service appointment to have all of the combustible equipment in your home evaluated for greenhouse gas emissions. In most cases, this equipment can be adjusted to lower emissions, and ensure that carbon monoxide and other gases are safely vented outside.

Ventilation

In new homes, and those that have been retrofitted to improve energy efficiency, an airtight seal around the home’s envelope is ideal, as it promotes energy savings, but it actually works counter to healthful indoor air quality. That’s because a tight home keeps heated and cooled air inside, but it also prevents contaminants from finding a way out of the home. To promote optimal air circulation, and to provide a means to usher contaminants out and deliver fresh air into the home, employ a mechanical ventilation system. Running exhaust fans helps, but it's not a comprehensive solution. Homeowners may need to install a whole-house ventilation system to promote a healthful indoor environment.

Air cleaning

In many cases, particularly in homes where allergy or asthma sufferers reside, employing an air-cleaning device encourages better air quality. Before purchasing a system, know what allergens are troublesome for home occupants, and test indoor air for the presence of specific contaminants. Then, select an air cleaner that directly targets problematic pollutants.  There are even air cleaning devices that can control viruses and bacteria!

For expert assistance developing an indoor air quality strategy unique to your home, contact Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We've served homeowners in greater Broken Arrow for nearly 30 years.

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). Image courtesy of Shutterstock

How To Determine The Kind Of Air-Cleaning Equipment You Need

The process of selecting air-cleaning equipment is not something that you should have to think about on a daily basis. But  that decision impacts your everyday life, so it's important to make the right call. If you spend some time evaluating your home's needs, you'll enjoy peace of mind -- and cleaner air -- year 'round. The first step in improving your home's air quality is to determine which pollutants are present in your home. Indoor air pollutants break down into two categories.

• Particulate matter includes dust, animal dander, pollen, tobacco smoke and the presence of small organisms like dust mites, bacteria, molds and viruses.

• Gaseous pollutants include fumes from gas stoves, paint, varnishes, tobacco smoke, cleaning products and pesticides.

Once you have a good idea of what pollutants affect your house, the next step is to pick out an air-filtration system that meets your needs.For particulate matter, you'll want a filter system that is either built into your ducts or functions as a portable, standalone unit. Gaseous pollutants can be removed using a gas-phase air filter or a PCO cleaner. The latter relies on UV light and chemical conversion.  Remember, portable units are only designed to do the area in which that unit is located, while whole-home cleaners are designed to take care of the entire structure.Since there are so many different pollutants that can affect your home's air quality, a professionally-administered air quality test can help pinpoint a solution. Much like a doctor works backward from a patient's symptoms to find a treatment, a fitting air cleaning solution can be found by correctly identifying the pollutants present in your home.If you have questions or concerns about your home's air quality, the staff at Air Assurance is happy to answer them, and to provide expert advice. We can set you up with the best air-cleaning equipment for your situation and your budget.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information, click here. Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. To get started, check out our website or see our current promotions.