Most of us gape at the stunning images of designed homes in exclusive magazines, sighing about the clean lines and alluring lack of piles of mail and kindergarten drawings. We’d all like our homes to look like that, but life gets in the way. Work obligations, family requirements, and the din of daily life takes over. Order, and sometimes even cleanliness, can slide.
The quality of the air we breathe in our homes, however, is not a matter of order. It’s about health, and we shouldn’t be flexible about our health.
With the vast majority of us spending 90% of our time indoors, indoor air quality has become a critical factor. According to the EPA, concentrations of many indoor pollutants are found at significantly higher levels indoors than outdoors, in part due to energy-efficient construction which limits natural ventilation.
As numerous studies link poor indoor air quality to a myriad of health issues, it’s clear that indoor air cleaning is key for overall wellness. The good news is that a home air purification system can help filter out pollutants and cleanse the air you and your family breathe indoors.
Here’s everything you need to know about at-home air purifiers, how they work, and how to choose the right one for your home.
Viruses, molds and allergens are lurking in your home
There are viable health threats in our homes, and even though we cannot see them, they present a risk far more significant than simple disorder.
Air cleaners and air purifiers boost our indoor air quality by removing unseen pollutants like mold, allergens, bacteria, and viruses. In fact, these pollutants can be virtually eliminated by a good air purifier.
These devices employ a number of different technologies in order to reduce air pollutants. HEPA air purifiers use fans to mechanically force air through pleated high-efficiency particulate arresting filters, which trap contaminants in tiny pores as they pass through the filter. It’s important to note, however, that not all air filters used in purifiers are up to HEPA standards.
Other air purification systems use electric charges and ionization to attract particles, which “stick” to elements within the devices. And some other models even incorporate powerful UV light technology to eradicate airborne contaminants.
What type of home air purifiers suits you?
Air purification is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Determining the right one for you requires a bit of knowledge – both about what you need and about what’s available
The two main types of home air purifiers are portable air purifiers and whole-home air purification systems
- Portable air purifiers – effective for small spaces, but require maintenance and may be noisy
There are two common types of portable air purifiers which have the range to filter the air in a single room.
- Mechanical portable air purifiers push air through a filter to remove pollutants. Some contain high-grade HEPA filters which trap tiny dust, smoke, and pet dander particles.
- Electronic portable air purifiers emit an electric charge which attracts pollutants. The particles stick to metal plates within the device, which are later wiped down by the user.
Both mechanical and electronic portable air filters require frequent hands-on maintenance. For mechanical models, filters must be changed every few months, and experts recommend deep cleaning electronic units every two weeks.
Portable air purifiers are essentially both a fan and a filter, so they typically are quite noisy while they are running. And because they are most effective when they run for hours at a time, using a portable air filter means you are likely to constantly experience background noise.
2. Whole home air purification system – effective for the whole home, maintenance-free and quiet
For those living in apartments or homes with ducts, this type of air purification system – sometimes referred to as a central air purification system – can provide an easy, hands-off solution for effective home air filtration. Unlike portable air purifiers which can only filter air in one room at a time, you just need one whole home system for your entire house.
There are several types of whole home air purifiers. Many systems feature HEPA and carbon-activated filters which trap pollutants as they pass through. Others utilize electronic ionization and electrostatic fields to attract and capture airborne contaminants. Some systems leverage germ-killing UV lamp technology which zap bacteria, mold, and other biological air pollutants with bright light, effectively neutralizing them.
Whole home air purifiers can be added onto an existing HVAC system via a plug-and-play model. However, home air purifier installation is not a DIY project – you will need to partner with a professional to install your system and ensure that it’s functioning properly.
Selecting the right home purification system for you
Socrates implored us to “Know thyself”, and while many have pontificated his meaning and utilized his suggestion to take them down a path of self reflection, the intention is simply to be aware of your own needs and goals in order to work toward them effectively. The same principle applies here – who are you and what are your needs?
For example, if you smoke or keep pets in your home, especially the furry or shedding kind, you’ll likely want to select a more robust system. This is especially true if you or anyone else in your household suffer from allergies or asthma.
For renters, or those without a central air system, a portable air purifier can be an excellent solution. They’re smaller, cheaper, and they can move with you when you settle into a more permanent residence.
For homeowners, however, a whole-home air purifier is a convenient and easy way to ensure that you and your family are breathing the cleanest air possible. They’re silent, maintenance-free, and extremely effective. By utilizing your already existing HVAC unit, these purifiers can cover every square inch of your house, giving you peace of mind no matter where you are in your home.
TADIRAN AIROW plug-and-play air purifier is a hassle-free solution that can be easily installed into your current HVAC. Because it’s so simple to add on, it can also be effortlessly removed and can accompany you to your new home.
As opposed to passive HEPA filters which simply trap particles passing through the unit, the whole home air purifier solution takes an active, hands-on approach to air purification. The system converts water molecules in the air into cleansing hydrogen peroxide, which neutralizes viruses and bacteria.
Determining which home air purifier is right for you requires knowledge – knowledge about you, about your environment and about what’s available. If you’d like to learn more about the best whole-home air purification systems, get in touch with us! We’d be happy to walk you through the options because we believe that the quality of the air we breathe is essential, and it’s the foundation of all that we do. Let us do it for you.
