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The Benefits of Installing a Whole House Air Cleaner
Have you been wondering about a whole house air cleaner for your Denver home? We have the scoop on how easy it is to improve your indoor air quality by installing one.
Whole house air cleaners draw the dirty air from your home, cleaning your indoor air through different processes. There are 3 types of whole house air cleaners:
Stand Alone Electrostatic Air Cleaner
This type is housed in a return air box hidden in a ceiling or wall. Stand Alones are designed to be low profile and look like register vents. They are not connected to your HVAC system, so installation is simple and fast. As air passes through the return vent, an activated carbon filter using a polarizing process traps gases and particles, while a non-ionizing process helps catch the particles.
Connected Electrostatic Air Cleaner
This type of electrostatic air cleaner can be tied directly to your HVAC system. Mounted between the air handler and your return ductwork, the connected electrostatic air cleaner uses electrostatic polarization and HEPA or MERV filters. These systems can remove even the tiniest particles from the air.
HEPA Air Purifier
This system also works independently of your HVAC system. A fan pulls the air through a HEPA filter, trapping particles and releasing clean air back into your home.
While all three of these systems will improve your indoor air quality, air purifiers that are attached to an air handler typically provide better clean air distribution than stand-alone units. Other benefits of integrated systems over stand alones include:
- Keeping your central heating and cooling equipment clean and running efficiently.
- Filtering outside air before it enters the living areas of your home.
- Quieter operation.
- Less maintenance.
- More cost effective for larger areas than stand-alone units.
In addition, whole house air cleaners…
…remove up to 99% of the dust, allergens and particles in your home.
With our homes becoming more energy efficient, and more tightly sealed, maintaining indoor air quality is extremely important for decreasing the spread of bacteria and viruses, as well as mitigating the negative effects of allergens – particularly for anyone with respiratory issues.
…are more efficient than other filtration systems.
Air filters (ones with high MERV ratings) interfere with your heating and cooling system by restricting airflow and making your system work harder. Whole house air cleaners are better at removing particles and don’t compromise your system.
…are out of sight.
Unlike portable units, whole house air cleaners are hidden from view, and clean the air throughout your home, rather than just in a certain room or area.
… require less maintenance.
Standard fiberglass filters need to be replaced every month. Depending on the model, the filter in a whole house air cleaner can last 3-9 months (though it should be checked every month).
