No homeowner wants to think that a home’s indoor air is harmful to health and well-being. The reality, however, is that indoor air can be full of particles and contaminants that can trigger or exacerbate an array of ailments. The Environmental Protection Agency cites indoor air pollution as one of the top environmental risks to your health.
The indoor air of your home can become polluted by particles such as smoke, dust, pollen, mold spores and viruses. Furthermore, gases and fumes from cooking, building materials, varnishes and glues can also contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Air cleaners can work in your home to clean and purify the air. They can also treat the symptoms of certain breathing ailments associated with the particles and fumes that can contribute to poor health.
Air cleaners can remove the dander, dust mites and smoke that create allergic reactions — such as hay fever. They can also remove those pollutants that exacerbate asthma and breathing ailments such as COPD. Additionally, air cleaners can fight molds, bacteria and viruses that may contribute to poor health.
Such air cleaners are most effective when used in a whole-house approach along with additional methods aimed at reducing dirt, dander and dust. Different types of air cleaners include:
- Ventilation systems. Sometimes all you need is to exchange your stale indoor air with fresh outside air. Some of these systems actively transfer heat between the incoming and out-flowing air streams, to aid in home heating or cooling.
- Humidifiers/dehumidifiers. Some houses have too little or too much moisture. Either extreme can be detrimental to good health. This is often a seasonal phenomenon, with dry air prevailing in the winter and humid air in the summer.
- Germicidal lights. These lights are installed in your home’s duct system. Circulating air is passed through strong ultraviolet light to kill mold spores, bacteria and other microorganic contaminants.
- Filtration systems. These filters are attached to your heating and cooling system to catch particles so they can’t circulate through your home.
- Purification systems. These systems use two or more of the above methods to get the air in your home as clean as possible.
For more information on the best air cleaner for your home environment, please contact us at Ernst Heating & Cooling to schedule an appointment. We’ve been serving the heating and cooling needs of the Metro-East area since 1954.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Hamel, Illinois and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).