People usually want to breathe in
clean air. Something that can help is a whole-home air purification system.
Such systems generally use internal fans to pull air through filters before
releasing it into your home. If you have a whole-home HVAC system, you have at
least rudimentary air filtration thanks to a filter in your furnace's or air
conditioner's intake duct.
From there, filtration systems
expand out to incorporate more filters to remove even more impurities from the
air. You can even invest in a UV or electronic system. Find out the benefits of
whole-house purification.
1. Air Purification Can Help With
Allergies
A wide range of allergens affect
people. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to invade the home — the
concentrated air of your home could actually concentrate the allergens. The
basic filter in your HVAC system will filter out some allergens, but it's
mostly designed to keep big particles out of your furnace or air conditioner.
The best filter for removing
allergens is a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air,
and it consists of a very fine mesh that won't allow anything bigger than 0.3 micron. That mesh is fine
enough to remove the typical allergens such as pollen, dust, and dander. You
can buy an air purification system with a HEPA filter that runs independently
of your HVAC system.
2. Air Purification Can Remove Smoke
Homes get smoky for many reasons.
The most common culprit is cigarette or marijuana smoke. If someone in your
home is a smoker, the smoke can linger in your home for hours. You can also
suffer from secondhand smoke thanks to neighbors or even passersby. If your
area is prone to fires, the smoke in the air will also invade your house. Any
of this smoke can trigger lung issues.
Whole-house purification systems can
also remove smoke from the air. Electronic filters are especially useful
against smoke particles. The unit consists of electrostatic precipitators. As
the fan pulls air through the unit, a high-voltage charge kicks in and
electrically charges particles. On the other side, collector plates grab the
smoke particles.
3. Air Purification Might Keep You
Healthier
Bacteria and virus particles can
also get into your home. Naturally, exposure to these particles can make you
sick. Likewise, anyone with asthma or prone to upper respiratory illnesses is
more susceptible to such particles. Such members of your family might always
walk around with a permanent case of the sniffles.
Several air purification systems can
help against these particles. The obvious choice is a UV filter, which is what
hospitals use. Some options are high-voltage, though. Other systems both filter
and target particles. For example, the fan will run the air through a filter
that collects the particulates. The system then releases a charge to kill or
deactivate the bacteria or virus.
4. Air Purification Might Offer Some
Protection Against COVID-19
Unfortunately, the novel coronavirus
is just that — novel. Therefore, researchers haven't fully had time to study
how home purification systems affect that specific virus. The coronavirus is
typically going to get into your home through an infected person. The most
affected population is healthcare workers followed by anyone working with the
public.
The coronavirus does spread through
the air. While researchers don't know about that virus specifically, they can
base their knowledge on how filtration worked with other viruses, such as SARS.
Based on that information, a HEPA filter or ultraviolet filter should work, as
should a capture-and-kill model.
An air filtration system is
recommended against COVID-19 if ventilation isn't possible. Such a system helps
in closed-off rooms that don't have operable windows.
A whole-house filtration system does
represent an investment. However, it's one that can yield big returns in terms
of your family's health. If you're ready to explore whole-home filtration, talk
to the HVAC experts at A-1
Finchum Heating & Cooling.
