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What Is a Whole-House Air Purifier?

What Is a Whole-House Air Purifier?

You may be surprised to learn that the air quality inside your home can be worse than the air quality outside. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some pollutants may be 2 to 5 times higher inside your home than outside. The best way to improve your home's air quality is to find and remove the source of pollutants in the air, says the EPA. While some sources can be removed easily, such as getting rid of furniture, carpets, or other building materials that emit contaminants into the air and switching to natural cleaning products, not all sources of contaminants can be removed that easily. Dust, pollen, pet hair and dander are a normal part of family life that aren't so easy to eradicate at their source. That's why many people are turning to whole-house air filtration systems, sometimes called air purifiers, designed to clean contaminates from the existing air. Here's what you need to know.

What is a whole-house air purifier system?

 A whole-house air purifier works with your existing HVAC system to filter and clean the air as your unit heats or cools your home. The filter is installed in the return air ductwork and functions with your existing system. This provides clean air throughout your entire home and eliminates the need for free-standing units in individual rooms or areas of the home.

What are the benefits of a whole-house air purifier system?

A whole-house air purifier system offers a host of benefits, such as:

  • Evenly distributed clean air throughout your home.
  • No additional noise.
  • Saves space.
  • Virtually invisible.
  • Removes allergens from the air.

Dust, pollen, pet hair and dander are a normal part of family life that aren't so easy to eradicate at their source. That's why many people are turning to whole-house air filtration systems, sometimes called air purifiers, designed to clean contaminates from the existing air.

Which type of whole-house purifier system is best?

There are three basic types of filters used in whole-house purifiers. Which is best depends on your individual needs.

  • Media Filters: These filters are made up of multiple layers of filtration media in accordion-style layers inside a box-shaped container. The unit is approximately 8 inches thick and works to physically filter out particles in the air. Initial installation may cost $500 or more. The inside filter must be replaced yearly and costs approximately $50.
  • Electrostatic Precipitators: This high-tech alternative uses electric charges to remove particles from the air that are too small to be filtered out by media filters. This process is called ionization and does run some risk of releasing ozone into the air, which is a known lung irritant. If you choose to install an electrostatic precipitator in your home, check for verification that ozone production meets current health and safety standards. These systems may cost $600 to $1000, including installation, but do not require yearly replacement filters.
  • Ultraviolet Filters: These are typically an addon to the electrostatic precipitator. They work via ultraviolet rays that can kill viruses and bacteria. But beware. The ultraviolet filter will only kill bacteria and viruses that come in close contact with the filter and will not kill all bacteria and viruses in the room.

If you are ready to take the next step and install a whole-house air purifying system in your home, contact us today. Our trained professionals will work with you to decide what type of system is right for you and your home.