One drawback of today’s energy-efficient homes is their tendency to trap contaminants indoors, thus creating air pollution levels higher than outdoor air. That airtightness may save on energy bills but it’s no friend to indoor air quality (IAQ).
If you suffer from allergies, this can lead to an uncomfortable scenario. Pet dander, dust, mold spores, airborne bacteria and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) all can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.
Since removing the offending item(s) is not always desirable or possible, using a whole-home air purification system can significantly improve IAQ.
Several different types of whole home air purification systems are available; homeowners specifically seeking improvement of air quality for an allergy sufferer should select a system containing:
- A carbon filter to remove VOC’s emitting from carpet, furniture, personal care products, etc.
- A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or high-end minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV)-rated filter, both of which will remove smaller airborne particulates, such as pet dander, dust and mold spores.
Whole-home air purification systems can be incorporated into your forced-air HVAC system or installed as independent units.
One low cost, easy-to-install system is an electrostatic recessed air cleaner. These low-profile systems look like register vents and are installed independently of your HVAC system into a ceiling or wall. By using an electrostatic charge, these systems trap and remove particulates from your indoor air. Most also include a carbon filter to remove VOC’s. Maintenance is simple and requires changing of the filter every 30-60 days along with a basic cleaning. Although economical and quick to install, they may not provide enough airborne particulate filtration for severe allergy sufferers.
Higher-quality electrostatic air-cleaning systems can be bolted directly onto your HVAC system and incorporate a HEPA filter, increasing the system’s overall effectiveness.
Whole-house, stand-alone HEPA systems are also available but do not include an activated carbon filter.
If you are in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and would like professional advice about whole-home air purification systems, our experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning are here to help. We’ve been serving the area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about air purification systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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