If you have a special concern about the air quality in your Northeast Ohio home, don’t make the mistake of figuring that regular HVAC filter changes are sufficient to guard against dirty air.
Unless you’re using a high-efficiency air filter in the furnace or A/C, the filter is probably only capturing the largest airborne particulates. Smaller contaminants, including some viruses, mold spores and bacteria, are likely blowing through the filter into the rooms in your home. This can be a serious problem in households with individuals who suffer from respiratory ailments and allergies.
Increasingly, homeowners concerned about indoor air quality are supplementing HVAC air filtration with whole-house air cleaning.
Air Filtration Can Only Do So Much
In a standard residential HVAC system, a flat-panel filter fits into a slot between the furnace (or other main equipment) and the ductwork. A powerful fan pulls air through the filter into the appliance, where it’s heated or cooled, then blown out into the home, via ducts and registers. Depending on the density of the filtration media in the filter, it may capture a varying amount of airborne particulates.
While high-efficiency filters are available, which capture the great majority of contaminants, they come with a negative side-effect: They impede system airflow, which can result in a number of negative issues. Foremost is the adverse effect on equipment that has to work harder and longer to fulfill the thermostat temperature setting. This wastes energy, stresses parts, and may lead to uneven heating or cooling.
Try a Whole-House Air-Cleaning System
There is a way to modify a home’s central heating and air system so it can accommodate a high-efficiency filter. However, many homeowners instead are opting to go with whole-house air cleaning. The best air-purifying systems work with the HVAC system to clean the air, using several different air-cleaning technologies. An effective whole-house air cleaner can remove up to 99 percent of airborne particulates.
Please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning to talk about the best air filtration or air cleaning strategy for our home. We provide superior HVAC services in Lorain area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area