Many people wrongfully assume that they’re breathing in clean air every day in their home. The truth is, there is actually much more indoor air pollution than there is pollution in the outdoor air.
Indoor air quality is crucial to maintaining a comfortable and healthy home. Nowadays, there are many ways to manage your air quality, but sometimes the control is out of your hands. Luckily, there are additional products available that do the work of cleaning your air for you.
Below, the HVAC experts at Lex Air Conditioning & Heating break down two of the most effective ways to reduce contaminants in your home air: air scrubbers and air purifiers. Read on to learn more.
What is an Air Scrubber?
The Air Scrubber by Aerus is an innovative device designed to cleanse and purify indoor air and surfaces. Endorsed with the prestigious Certified Space Technology seal of approval by the Space Foundation, the air scrubber employs an air filtration system that has been scientifically proven to eliminate 99.9% of surface particles and airborne contaminants, including highly contagious viruses like the flu and COVID-19.
Air scrubbers serve multiple purposes, catering to both whole-home purification and specific room or area requirements. For comprehensive indoor air quality improvement throughout the entire home, a whole-house air scrubber can be seamlessly integrated into the HVAC system’s ductwork. On the other hand, if you seek fresh and purified air in a concentrated space, a portable air scrubber equipped with ActivePure® technology and a range of filters, including HEPA filters, can effectively reduce air pollutants. HEPA filters (High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters) are renowned for their ability to efficiently eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air.
What is an Air Purifier?
An air purifier is a device or system designed to provide clean and fresh air by removing airborne particles and contaminants from the environment. Air purification systems use various technologies and filters to capture and eliminate pollutants to effectively filter the air. Air purifiers help improve indoor air quality, creating a healthier and more comfortable living or working space.
Air Scrubber vs. Air Purifier
Here are some of the features of air scrubbers and air purifiers, plus how they work to clean your air.
Scrubbing vs. Purifying
Air scrubbers and purifiers perform essentially the same task: removing contaminants from the air. But the main difference is how they operate.
Air purifiers use a filter, similar to your basic HVAC system, to remove particles from the air. This can include dust, pet dander, pollen, and other outdoor allergens. Standalone models have become popular in recent years as they can make a big difference in your room’s air quality. But for a whole home, a unit connected to your existing HVAC system and ductwork would be more efficient.
Air scrubbers also remove contaminants from your air, and they are even able to remove viruses and bacteria. Air scrubbers work by producing negative ions using ultraviolet light inside the unit to treat the air as it passes through. That treated air then moves back into your home and mixes with the polluted air. The positive and negative ions react, neutralizing viruses, bacteria, and other pollutants.
As opposed to purifiers, scrubbers do not need to be attached to your HVAC system. They can be more portable and don’t require ductwork. You also don’t need to worry about changing filters on an air scrubber – because they don’t use any!
Why Indoor Air Quality is Important
Your indoor air is just as susceptible to pollutants as the air outside your home. And since there is less ventilation, the levels of pollutants in your home can be even higher than outside. This makes managing your indoor air quality a crucial part of your home’s comfort.
Poor air quality can be in the form of excess dust, pollen, smoke, environmental issues, bacteria, and more. Without mitigation efforts, bad air quality can cause a variety of health problems like coughing, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. These effects can be amplified for people with asthma or preexisting allergies.
Keeping your home clean is one of the best ways to reduce airborne pollutants. But you also want to make sure your home is well-ventilated when using cleaning sprays and aerosol products. In addition to habit changes and mindful practices to keep your home’s air clean, there are two popular options that help greatly reduce the number of pollutants in your air: air purifiers and air scrubbers.
Making the Right Choice
Both air scrubbers and purifiers are great choices for improving your indoor air quality, so it’s hard to go wrong picking either one. But here are some things to consider if you want the best choice for your home.
If you don’t have an air conditioning system that uses ductwork, aka a ductless AC system, the air scrubber would be the best choice. Air scrubbers are also preferred for reducing bacteria and viruses. While air purifiers can remove some bacteria, they are not as efficient in removing them as air scrubbers.
If you want a simple setup you can connect to your existing air conditioning system, an air purifier would be the best choice.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality – Call Lex Air Conditioning and Heating Today
For the best air quality at home, trust in the Dallas HVAC experts at Lex Air Conditioning and Heating team to bring you the right tools to get the job done. We also offer commercial air purifiers and air scrubbers. Contact us today at (972) 217-8955 to learn more about the right air quality solution for your home.
