Employing an Air Cleaner in Your MetroWest Boston Home Boosts Air Quality

Air-cleaning technologies have come a long way in recent years, and they’re more affordable than you’d think. Learn the primary types of systems from which you can choose, and work with an air quality expert to make an educated decision.

If you plan on employing an air cleaner in your home, choose from these systems:

• Electronic air cleaners target multiple types of airborne particulates by giving particles a charge and drawing them to collector plates located in the unit that hold the opposite charge. Some of these systems generate ozone, so be careful when making your selection. Additionally, peak operation depends on regular cleaning of the collector plates.
• High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration employs the highest-efficiency filter possible, one that scores between a 17 and 20 on the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) scale, to capture 99 percent of all particles in the air, down to 0.3 microns.
• Ultraviolet (UV) lights target a specific class of contaminants. Namely, bioaerosols like mold, viruses and bacteria trigger allergy symptoms, but UV lights zap these cells at their core, altering their DNA so they can’t reproduce.
• Gas-phase filters target a different class of contaminants, odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), most often using a carbon-activated material. Most manufacturers employ the gas-phase filter in combination with other types of air-cleaning technologies.
• Whole-house air purifiers offer comprehensive air-cleaning action by employing a high-efficiency filter, UV lights and a carbon filter.

In most cases, homeowners achieve optimal air quality by employing an air cleaner that targets the whole house, not just one room. When choosing an air cleaner for your home, work with your air quality expert to select the right-sized system that has the capacity to clean the total square footage of your home, and remember to consider maintenance needs and cost, too.

If you’re ready to benefit from employing an air cleaner in your home, contact Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today. We provide HVAC services to the Route 495/128 area of Massachusetts.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air cleaners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.

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