Indoor air quality is at least as important as outdoor air quality in Broken Arrow -- maybe more so, when you consider how much time you spend indoors. If you're looking for a way to remove unwanted or harmful pollutants from your living spaces, you have a number of options. Small, portable air cleaners, designed to serve just one room, can help improve your air quality to an extent. But if you have forced-air heating and cooling, whole-house models are the most practical option. That's because they are installed within your existing heating and cooling system, allowing them to work invisibly and silently, while removing pollutants from the air that reaches your entire home, not just a small area.Among the whole-house options for improving indoor air quality:
Electrostatic precipitator air cleaners (electronic air cleaners) are very effective. They work by applying an electrostatic charge to unwanted particles -- dust or pollen, for example -- as the air flows past, then trapping those particles on an oppositely charged "collector." A key advantage: Electronic air cleaners don't restrict airflow through your heating and cooling system. They do, however, emit a small amount of ozone as a byproduct.
Ionizers work similarly, sending charged ions into the air to attach to pollutants, but ion generators don't have collector plates. Instead, the newly charged particles attach to one another, or to surfaces in your home, such as your walls. This causes them to settle more quickly.
Whole-house filters cost less initially than electronic cleaners, but they have to be replaced regularly. So, as a long-term air-cleaning solution, they can end up being more expensive. Depending on the type you choose, however, particle air filters can also go a long way toward improving indoor air quality.
Ultraviolet (germicidal) lights use UV rays to alter the DNA or RNA of microorganisms in the air as they pass by, making them unable to reproduce. These systems are effective against biological pollutants, such as viruses, but because they don't trap particles, they should be used in conjunction with a filter.
Questions? Contact the air-quality professionals at Air Assurance.Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Air Assurance services Tulsa, Broken Arrow and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our current promotions and get started today!