Home health has been on the hearts and minds of homeowners this year. As we all look towards a summer of increased time indoors, many concerned Westchester County residents are looking for solutions to keep their homes free of bacteria, viruses, and other harmful contaminants that could undermine their health.
Here at Healthy Home Energy & Consulting, many of our fellow New Yorkers have come to us asking about the effectiveness of single room air purifiers, wondering about the pros and cons of an air purifier, or what the best air purifiers for a home might be. Here is what you should know about how air purifiers operate, and some of the pitfalls of using single room air purifiers to try and increase the health of your home.
How an Air Purifier Works
You’ve likely seen standalone air purifiers in other homes, in your workplace, or out and about in the community. The goal of an air purifier is to remove (or render harmless) the contaminants that circulate in the air that you breathe. There are a few methods these devices use, including:
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Filters
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Ionization
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Ozone generators
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Adsorbents (like active charcoal)
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UV light radiation
Though these methods do work to remove contaminants like pet dander, bacteria, outdoor allergens, and anything else that makes its way into your living space, they only do so in the room they are operating in. This may help increase the health of one room, but it is not going to do much in the way of making your whole home a healthier place to sleep, eat, work, and play.
The Better Solution? Whole Home Filtration
If you are looking to address the health of your home as a whole, you need a whole home solution. This is why we recommend whole home air filtration to address indoor air quality concerns for the homes of Westchester County.
As contaminants, chemicals, and particles enter your home from multiple sources, like open doors and windows, leaks and holes in the construction of your home, and even the furniture and carpet, they will continue to recirculate in your breathing air via the ductwork associated with your heating and cooling system. These contaminants will only get scooped up by a single room air purifier if those contaminants happen to enter the room it is operating in! A whole home filtration system can be installed in-line with your HVAC system, so that contaminants are eradicated or ventilated, preventing them from entering any other areas of your home.
The Benefits of Whole Home Filtration and Ventilation
Breathing healthier air in your home is just one of the benefits of whole home filtration and ventilation systems. Using a comprehensive indoor air quality solution, you can expect:
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Fewer in-home odors
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Reduced allergy-like symptoms, year round
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Less dust
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In some cases, reduced energy costs
Healthy Home Energy & Consulting specializes in finding home performance issues that are threatening the health of your home, and implementing the lasting solutions that will improve your indoor air quality. If you are concerned about the health of the air you are breathing and are considering taking steps to remove airborne pollutants with air purifiers, talk to the Healthy Home Energy & Consulting team about first diagnosing your indoor air quality issues, through our Whole Home Evaluation.
