When the outdoor temperature gets uncomfortably hot or cold, it’s likely that you spend more time inside. Unfortunately, spending time in your home often means breathing air that’s more polluted than what’s outside. Dust, pet dander, mold and vapors from cleaning supplies all affect your indoor air. Pollen and other contaminants that family members track into your home on their shoes further contaminate your indoor air.
Indoor air quality equipment can help you keep the air in your home as healthy as possible, which is especially important if any family members have respiratory issues. Three basic types of equipment are:
- Air cleaners and purifiers: These remove allergens and help keep your indoor air free of pollutants. An air cleaner or purifier is installed directly in your HVAC system. There, it traps contaminants in the air flowing through your ductwork. This type of system removes dust, pollen, mold spores and related contaminants that the filter on your air conditioner or furnace can’t capture.
- UV light systems: These destroy potentially harmful living microorganisms. Installed in your HVAC system, UV lights destroy the microorganisms’ DNA, making them incapable of reproducing.
- High-efficiency particulate air filtration systems: These quality air filters remove extremely small particles, organisms and other contaminants from your air. A HEPA filter provides filtration at a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 17 to 20. HEPA filters are considered hospital-quality but are too dense for many home HVAC systems. Before going with a HEPA filter, talk with your HVAC system contractor. You may need a system retrofit to use one. Alternatively, he may recommend a filter with a lower MERV. Filters with MERVs in the mid range provide enough filtration to remove much of the particulate matter from indoor air.
The indoor air quality equipment you buy should have three numbers indicating the unit’s clean-air delivery rate. The numbers relate to the volume of filtered air delivered by the system. Higher CADR numbers indicate a faster rate of air filtration. For a 120-square-foot room, you should use air-quality equipment with a CADR of 80.
Rheem Pro Partner is the Denver area’s trusted source of home comfort and equipment sales, maintenance and repair. Contact us for more information on how to improve your indoor air quality, for a selection of reliable air-quality equipment or to schedule a professional installation.
