Air purification systems are a great way to keep your home and family healthy and prevent indoor air quality issues. This type of system can obviously be a huge help if you suffer from serious allergies or have any respiratory problems like asthma, but the truth is that they can provide major benefits for any home. Today we’re going to discuss the various types of air purification systems available to help you understand your options and also to show you the benefits each type of system can provide.
Mechanical Air Cleaners
Mechanical air cleaners are the most basic type of air purification or filtration system, but they are still extremely effective. A mechanical air cleaner is typically installed in the duct system where the standard HVAC air filter is located. The easiest way to think about this type of air cleaner is as a much larger, more effective version of a standard air filter. These units contain thick, pleated filters that can capture up most airborne particles, and they are extremely effective for eliminating pollen, pet dander, mold spores, dust mites, and other allergens.
Many mechanical air cleaners have a built-in fan that helps to draw air in and move it through the filter. This is important not only for ensuring the air cleaner is more effective but also for preventing it from causing issues with your air conditioning and heating. The reason is that the filters are extremely efficient so it takes a lot to pull air through them. Most HVAC blowers or fans aren’t powerful enough to effectively draw air through this type of filter. As such, the airflow coming into your HVAC system would be greatly reduced if you tried to use too efficient of a filter. Mechanical air cleaners overcome this problem so that you can still effectively filter out your home’s air and improve air quality without negatively impacting the performance of your HVAC system or having your energy bills increase.
Electronic Air Cleaners
Electronic air cleaners are also installed onto the existing ductwork system. The difference between these units and mechanical air cleaners is that electrostatic cleaners don’t use an actual filter to trap airborne particles. Instead, they produce an electric field that sends out charged ions. The ions attach themselves to any particles as they flow through the unit causing them to carry a charge. All of the charged particles are then attracted to the plates inside the air cleaner as the plates carry the opposite charge. This results in the allergens and pollutants sticking to the plates so that they are fully removed from the air as they pass through the unit.
Electronic air cleaners are even more effective than mechanical air cleaners and air filters, and they can be a great standalone option or used to supplement your existing filtration system. Unless you use a HEPA filter, some smaller particles like exhaust fumes and chemical contaminants can still pass through a normal air filter. This means that most air filters won’t ever be able to eliminate all airborne pollutants. Electronic air cleaners don’t have this issue as these units will ionize even the tiniest, most microscopic particles so that they stick to the plates and are removed from the air.
Electrostatic Filters
Electrostatic filters are a great option to use in place of a standard pleated HVAC air filter. Electrostatic filters are made from special static-prone fibers. When air passes through the filter, static electricity is generated that attracts airborne particles and causes them to stick inside the filter so they are fully removed from the air. This type of filter is an especially great choice for people with asthma or anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies as electrostatic filters are extremely effective at filtering out pollen, dust, and other allergens.
One major advantage of using an electrostatic filter instead of a standard air filter is that electrostatic filters are washable and reusable. Instead of having to buy a new filter every few months, you can simply rinse the electrostatic filter off in your sink and then put it back in place once you’ve left it to fully dry. Most electrostatic filters will last for at least five years before needing to be replaced.
Germicidal UV Lights
Germicidal UV lights are the best option for preventing your AC system from having mold issues. Mold and mildew often grow on the AC evaporator coil during the summer. This is because the coil is constantly wet when your AC is running and always has warm air blowing over it. This combination of warm air and moisture creates the ideal breeding ground for mold as well as bacteria and viruses.
Most UV lights are coil-sanitizing units that are installed inside the air handler so that the ultraviolet light shines directly onto the evaporator coil. When microorganisms like mold, bacteria, and viruses come into contact with UV rays, the light alters their DNA. UV light doesn’t actually kill the particles, but it does make them completely harmless so that they can’t spread, reproduce, or cause infection. This type of UV light unit will remain on 24 hours a day throughout the entire air conditioning season and will work to destroy any mold, bacteria, and viruses present on the coil and prevent them from ever returning.
Coil-sanitizing UV lights will also help to make your AC system more effective and energy efficient. This is because the mold and mildew growth on the evaporator coil will limit how much heat your AC system can remove at one time, which forces the system to work harder and leads to longer cooling cycles.
There are also air-sanitizing UV light units that can be installed in the air handler or anywhere else in the ductwork system. These units are similar to coil-sanitizing lights except that they will eliminate mold, viruses, and bacteria from the air as they flow through the ductwork and come into contact with the UV rays. This type of unit will also eliminate any mold growing inside that section of the ductwork.
One major advantage of air-sanitizing UV lights is that they can work throughout the entire year to keep your home healthy during the winter as well whereas coil-sanitizing lights only work with an AC system. An air-sanitizing unit will always automatically turn on when your heating or AC does so that it constantly cleans and sanitizes the air to prevent mold, bacteria, and viruses from circulating through the home. You can also use this type of unit even when your heating or AC is off simply by turning the HVAC fan on.
Don’t Underestimate the Significance of Clean Air
American Air & Heat is proud to be the best choice for air purification in the Oviedo area. We install all types of purification systems including mechanical and electronic air cleaners and UV lights, and we also offer professional air duct cleaning which is another great way to quickly boost the air quality in your home.
Contact us today for more information on the benefits air purification can provide to your home or if you need any heating or air conditioning service.
