Do you know what’s floating in the air of your house right now? You might not want to know—but it’s important that you do. Indoor air quality in many modern homes is often extremely poor. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the air inside buildings is often four to five times worse than the outdoor air, which is the exact opposite of what most people believe.
So the simple answer to the question, “Do you need an air purifier for your home” is probably yes. But there’s more to the answer that we’ll get into below. If you decide you need an air purifier in North Myrtle Beach, SC, our technicians can answer all your questions and take care of the installation.
Why IAQ Is So Bad Today
Why do so many homes have poor IAQ? It isn’t just because there are more pollutants in the air, although that does have a small connection. The real reason is that modern homes are built with heat sealing to make them more energy efficient: heat can escape during winter and heat can’t get in during summer.
Unfortunately, that means there’s little fresh-air circulation to clean out the stale indoor air and let contaminants that come from indoor sources (and there are many indoor sources). Opening up a house to the outside isn’t always an option considering the weather. This is why IAQ solutions are often necessary. Like an air purification system.
The Air Purifier Comes Second
Air purification systems are a powerful way to remove many of the most harmful and tiny pollutants from the air circulating in a house. But they should be the second IAQ installation or paired with the first—an air filtration system.
Air filters are effective methods to remove the largest particles from the air, such as dust, lint, and dander. Air purifiers are often not effective at targeting these larger contaminants. Instead, they remove what manages to escape the filter. The purifier can help the filter as well since the action of ionizing purifiers makes particles clump together and easier for the filter to catch.
If you have neither filters nor purifiers, we recommend having them installed together to make the best pairing. The right combo can remove more than 98% of unwanted airborne contaminants.
The Power of an Air Purifier
There are several different types of air purification systems available that use different methods. The most common is an ionizing purifier, which uses an electrical discharge inside the HVAC system to alter the charges of the unwanted contaminants, which the purifier can then collect or which will fall out of the air on their own.
Another popular air purification system is the UV germicidal light, which targets organic pollutants (microbes, mold spurs, viruses, bacteria) with the power of ultraviolet radiation.
Allergy Season
Right now is an excellent time to schedule air purification system installation—allergy season is on the way. Air purifiers are extremely helpful at keeping the air in your home free from the worst allergens that enter the air as the weather starts to warm up.
Call Martin Heat & Air for indoor air quality solutions. We’re more than HVAC services; we give you peace of mind.