Air purifier in a living room

Types of Air Purifiers

Spring is in the air! The changing of the seasons is always exciting… but if you deal with seasonal allergies, you might be feeling a little apprehensive about the warmer weather. Watery eyes, itchy noses, and scratchy throats are just around the corner for those of us with pollen allergies.

Thankfully, the technology to battle seasonal allergies (or year-round allergies) exists! Air purifiers make an excellent addition to any home. They’re particularly helpful for allergy sufferers, but they carry plenty of other benefits, too. Today we’re covering the most common types of air purifiers. Knowing more about the different options available can help you make the best choice for your needs.

Common Types of Air Purifiers

Mechanical Air Cleaners:

These devices use a fan to suck air through a single filter or a series of filters. Cleaner, fresher air is then recirculated back into your home. The primary drawback of mechanical air cleaners is that they rely on filters. Once a filter is full, the air purifier loses effectiveness. This means that you’ll need to change the filter regularly.

Once every three months is average, but it can be much more often depending on how polluted your home’s air is. You should also be keeping an eye on any other air filters in your home’s HVAC system and changing them regularly. Learn more by checking out our post “Why it’s So Important to Change Your Air Filters.”

Mechanical air clearers can help remove pollutants such as

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Pet Dander
  • Smoke
  • Mold Spores
  • Pet Fur
  • Bacteria
  • Dirt
  • & Other Microorganisms

 

Electronic Air Cleaners:

Also known as ionizing air cleaners, this type of air purifier attracts particles in the air and then magnetizes them. Dirty air passes through a pre-filter, and then into the ionizer. The ionizer gives these particles either a negative or a positive charge, which causes the particles to become magnetized. The magnetized particles are then collected in a magnetic trap, and clean pollutant-free air is circulated out into your home.

 

UV Germicidal Light Technology:

While filters and air cleaners work by removing larger particles and pollutants from the air, UV germicidal lights actually destroy the microorganisms that can be harder to filter out with mechanical or electronic cleaners. Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) air cleaners use special lamps that generate UV radiation in small amounts.

This UV radiation targets bacteria, viruses, mold, and other allergens that are circulating in your home — or even growing inside your home’s ductwork. UV lights can’t remove larger particulates from the air, such as hair or dirt. Because of this, they are best used as a complementary measure alongside another air filtration system.

 

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers:

These tools aren’t necessarily air purifiers, but they can be extremely helpful in improving your home air quality. Having too much or too little moisture in the air can quickly make your home uncomfortable. Air that is too dry can lead to issues like dry and itchy skin, irritated sinuses, dry throat and dry mouth, and other respiratory issues. On the opposite end, air that’s too humid can cause mold and mildew buildup in your home.

Fungi and mold are two of the biggest triggers for allergy sufferers, and overly humid air can quickly make your home unbearable! The good news is that a humidifier and a dehumidifier can increase or decrease the moisture in the air. Plus they’re easy to use and maintain. Check out our post “Dealing With Humidity in Your Home” for more tips on keeping your humidity levels in control!

 

Whole-Home Air Purification Systems:

These newer air purification systems are gaining popularity, and for good reason. Whole-home systems combine multiple methods of air purification to achieve even better results than standard air cleaning systems. On top of their effectiveness, many whole-home models can be conveniently installed directly into your home’s ductwork. They then operate any time your home’s HVAC system is running. There are no filters to worry about, and you get to enjoy the benefits of a highly effective air purification system without needing to manually turn it on and off every time you want to use it.

Texas Ace currently offers two different duct-mounted air purification systems. Learn more about our air purification services here.

 

Take a Breath of Fresh Air

Let Texas Ace help make your home your sanctuary! We’ll improve your air quality by controlling allergens, pollutants, and humidity to ensure that your home is a comfortable and relaxing place to be.

Call us today at 817-240-6701 or contact us online to see how we can help.