Contrary to what many building owners may believe, the air inside their buildings can turn out to be more polluted than that outside. With the dreadful reality that a myriad of pollutant sources can be found in any home, it is important for you to take steps to better the quality of indoor air. Some of the many causes of indoor air pollution include combustion sources (burning firewood and tobacco smoke), building materials (asbestos-containing cement and lead paints), carpeting (e.g. pet dander), and so forth.
Two devices that can be integrated into your residential A/C system to improve indoor air quality are air cleaners and air purifiers. Although several homeowners think these devices are one and the same because both are used to remove impurities found in the air, this perception is rather inaccurate. Read on to learn the difference in working mechanism between air cleaners and air purifiers.
Air cleaners
Air cleaners can be integrated directly into your A/C system, and they rid of impurities by allowing indoor air to pass through a built-in screen. Typically, they are fitted between the air return duct and the A/C unit so as to ensure all air travelling in your ductwork is cleaned. The unhealthy particles that air cleaners can effectively filter out would otherwise be able to flow right through your regular A/C air filter.
By preventing dust, pet dander, pollen, cigarette smoke, mould, mildew, and other pollutants from accumulating inside your unit, air cleaners also help extend the service life of your A/C system.
Air purifiers
As earlier stated, air purifiers do the same job as air cleaners, that is, removing pollutants from the air. But, instead of trapping the impurities in a built-in screen, air purifiers use a range of different filters each applying a different type of technology to expel clean air for you and other occupants of your house, and also enhance the performance of your A/C system. With the right filter media, an air purifier can also be used to eliminate nasty smells from a room.
Some of the most popular types of air filters available on the market at the moment include ionic filters, activated carbon filters, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, and ultraviolet light filters. The type of filters you select for your air purifiers should depend on your specific situation. Activated carbon filters are best for capturing chemical fumes, cigarette smoke, and some odours; HEPA filters remove allergens like mould spores, pollen, and dust mites; ionic filters get rid of ultra-fine particles and smoke; whereas ultraviolet light filters are effective for killing bacteria, for example. For more information, contact a business such as Air Quality Services.
Share21 September 2016
I want to be better about saving energy, but I am so busy it's easy to forget to turn off all of the lights and appliance in the house. I am really excited about some of the easy ways that I have found to save energy such as apps that let you turn off the house lights or air conditioning from your phone. I can check on how much energy I am using at any time and make adjustments as needed. It's an easy way to make sure that I am doing my bit to save energy and protect the environment.