Many people worry about the quality of the air outside, but unfortunately, there’s not much the average person can do to stop polluting factories or improve air quality outside. As a result, people spend more time indoors to stay away from the outdoor air pollutants, but indoor air can be much worse than outdoor air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, common organic indoor air quality pollutants can be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor air. However, as a homeowner, you can actually work to improve the air quality in your home.
Air purifiers are a tool that can be used to sanitize the air in your home ridding it of common indoor air pollutants that can make you sick. If you have allergies and a respiratory illness like asthma, an air purifier could make your home a much more comfortable place. The team at Novak Heating, Air & Duct Cleaning explains how air purifying works, so you can determine if an air purifier is really worth it for your home.
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
There are a few kinds of air purifiers on the market. Be careful when shopping for an air purifier, as some can emit ozone which is an indoor air pollutant and could be harmful to your health.
Many air purifiers use ultraviolet (UV) light to sanitize the air. UV light breaks down the molecular particles in common pathogens to prevent them from circulating through your indoor air anymore.
Novak offers the iWave air purifier, which does not use UV light. Instead, it uses a filter that creates bi-polar ionization to create equal parts of positive and negative ions. This breaks down pathogens into healthier particles like oxygen and water by removing hydrogen molecules. Without these molecules, pathogens like mold and bacteria will have no energy and then die. Ions band small particles like dust and pollen together so they become big enough to be trapped in a filter.
Air purifiers are low maintenance and easy to use. Your HVAC technician will inspect your air purification system during your annual maintenance appointment. The iWave is also unique in that it cleans itself and does not require any replacement parts.
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
Even if you are sure that your home is spotless because you clean it every single day, there are still indoor air pollutants circulating in the air. Common pollutants include:
- Pollen
- Pet dander
- Pesticides
- Viruses, mold, bacteria
- Aerosols and cleaning products
- Furniture and cabinetry contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Smoke and cooking odors
- Building materials and paints
Common Sources of Indoor Air Pollutants
Some pollutants enter your home whenever you open a door or window, others sneak in from cracks in the walls of your house. Most are products and things you’ve purchased. Mold and mildew tend to grow in damp, windowless rooms, like bathrooms and kitchens. Your garage probably contains paint and gasoline cans that pollute your indoor air. If you tried to rid your home of all the air pollutants, you’d end up with a home void of furniture and cleaning materials.
Although it might seem like you’re bringing in more pollutants, a good thing to do is to cycle the air through your home by opening windows and doors. Ventilation is key to removing indoor air pollutants, however, it’s not always possible in extremely cold or hot weather. That’s why an air purification system is worth it because it provides an additional tool to create clean air in your home and remove toxins and pathogens from the air without needing to ventilate your home on a regular basis.
Whole House Air Purifiers vs Room Air Purifiers
Many people think of air purifiers as one freestanding appliance, these machines only can help a small area of your home, like an individual room. While you might want to invest in one of these machines for your newborn child’s room or a particularly messy room, these appliances tend to need frequent filter changes and don’t have a long lifespan.
A whole house air purification system is installed directly into your HVAC system. They require little to no maintenance and provide clean air for your entire home, not just one room. Many people who have a whole house air purifier installed love the quality of their indoor air. They find it helps make the air more breathable, especially if they have allergies or asthma.
Call Novak For Whole House Air Purifier Installation
If you want to start breathing cleaner air in your home, talk to Novak about your home’s indoor air quality. We can perform an indoor air quality assessment and talk to you about your home’s air issues and common pollutants. We’ll recommend the best equipment to noticeably improve your home’s indoor air quality. Schedule an appointment with Novak today.