It’s that time of year again: cold and flu season. And while you may be diligent about washing your hands and avoiding sick people, there are other ways to help keep yourself healthy during this time of year—air cleaners. Air cleaners can help improve the air quality in your home, keeping you healthy and free from illness, so you’re ready to enjoy the holiday season.
We’ll lead you through air cleaners, their top benefits, and a few misconceptions. So whether you’re looking to buy an air cleaner for the first time or are just curious about them, read on for more information.
At a high level, most home HVAC systems can have two types of air cleaners: active and passive. Both can be effective solutions but have different methods for cleaning indoor air.
Passive air filters work by cleaning the air that passes through its system. This air cleaning happens through various means, depending on the unit. The most common include an air filtration unit or UV technology in or near a home’s central HVAC system.
A drawback of a passive system, such as UV light shining on a part of your system or a standalone unit, comes because air must pass through the unit in order to be cleaned.
In contrast, active air cleaners produce ions and actively draw in indoor air. The unit then works to eliminate harmful airborne pathogens.
Now that we’ve covered the different types of air cleaners let’s look at some common air cleaning benefits.
These aren’t the only benefits of having an air cleaner in your home. Installing a cleaner in your home is advisable for many reasons, but below are the top benefits that make us recommend air cleaners to our customers.
According to the EPA, “when used properly, air cleaners and HVAC filters can help reduce airborne contaminants, including viruses in a building or small space.”
This is one of the top reasons why so many homeowners invest in air cleaners. They can protect against airborne pathogens that cause illness. Investing in an air cleaner can mean installing a system that works inside your HVAC unit.
Your local HVAC contractor can advise which types of cleaner are available and compatible with your HVAC unit.
Air cleaners can also help keep dust and dander from collecting in such large quantities. This is important for those suffering from allergies or asthma, as air cleaners can help reduce the number of airborne allergens in your home.
On top of that, air cleaners are extremely effective at trapping particles like pollen, mold spores, pet dander, hair, and other small particles.
Air cleaners can provide several air quality benefits, including eliminating pet odors, cooking smells, and other unpleasant aromas. For pet owners, air cleaners are essential, not only for reducing pet odors but also for filtering out dander and other pet-related particles that can trigger allergies. For those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen, air cleaners can be helpful in filtering out cooking smells and fumes so that your air remains fresh.
Air cleaners are designed to help filter the air you breathe. But air cleaners also have significant benefits for the HVAC unit itself.
The most common air cleaners use air filters. When changed regularly, air filters keep air flowing through your system, which results in increased airflow and reduced stress on the unit, overall. This can help maintain air conditioner or heater efficiency for longer periods of time.
Many air cleaners and filtration systems also use UV lights that can shine on various parts of your HVAC unit to eliminate the buildup of dust, dirt, and other particles.
If you maintain your air cleaning system, your HVAC unit will likely run more smoothly, and improve longevity.
While air cleaners offer many benefits, there are a few misconceptions about them as well.
Let’s take a look at some of the top air cleaner benefits and dispel some of the myths about air cleaners.
This may seem out of sync with one of the benefits of air cleaners, but the truth is that air cleaners do not protect against all air-borne illnesses and pathogens.
While air cleaners are certainly effective in eliminating certain air particles, like pet dander, pollen, mold spores, and the like, there is no air cleaner on the market that will completely eliminate every single airborne pathogen or bacterium in your home.
They are not effective against every harmful particle and should not be considered a substitute for vaccinations or other treatments for serious illnesses.
Unfortunately, air cleaning systems do need maintenance to ensure air quality and airflow are maintained. This includes replacing air filters and UV bulbs regularly.
Air filters collect large particles like dust, dirt, pet hair, and dander. Depending on your air filter’s MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) rating, air filters will need to be replaced anywhere from once-per-month to once-per-year.
Be sure to consult your user manual for more details and schedule regular system maintenance with your HVAC contractor.
Yes, most air cleaners do produce a small amount of ozone. But in most cases, the ozone produced is not powerful enough to affect your health negatively.
There is also a growing number of ozone-free air cleaners becoming available.
If air quality is a concern for you or your family, be sure to look for air cleaners with the most recent technology and the highest quality of air filtration.
Overall, air cleaners offer a number of benefits in terms of air quality and HVAC unit health. Still, they must be maintained properly to ensure they are working optimally and filtering air effectively.
At Rod Miller, we’ve installed hundreds of air-cleaning systems.
Reach out today, and our HVAC experts can assist you with air cleaning questions and installation!
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