Introduction
In every building’s indoor air environment there are various forms of contaminants present. Contaminants take many forms, from those that are visible to the human eye, such as animal hair, and to those that are microscopic in nature, such as bacterial particles. The sources for these contaminants may be indoors (the occupants themselves, their activities) or outdoors (air pollution) or a combination of both. The measurement of these contaminants is commonly referred to as indoor air quality (IAQ) which is really a measurement of how clean your air is. Just some of the additional common indoor contaminant sources are as follows;
- Domestic cleaning products
- Furnishings (rugs and carpets especially)
- Furniture (particularly with degradation over time)
- Printers and photocopiers
- Smoking
- Inadequately ventilated gas burning and cooking processes
Air Purification
The job of an air purification device, much like the filter that you may already use in your AC system, is to remove or neutralize these contaminants from the air stream to create a better indoor air quality (IAQ) in your home. A combination of your existing filter and an air purification device can dramatically reduce the levels of contaminants in your home’s air, thereby creating a cleaner, safer indoor environment. Please note the standard air filter installed in your system is only effective to a certain size of particulate and is ineffective for odors.
They can be of particular use when your AC system is a purely ‘recirculating’ type, where no air is introduced to the system from outside.
Why is indoor air quality important?
It has been demonstrated that a home’s indoor air quality can adversely affect the occupants, particularly when those occupants already struggle with pre-existing issues. An improved IAQ has be shown to benefit those that suffer from asthma, hay fever and other respiratory linked allergies. In addition, an improved IAQ has been linked to a reduction in the transmission of viruses from one person to the next where those people are in the same area but not in close contact.
Consumers have additionally reported improvements in everyday wellbeing with respect to;
- Sleep
- A reduction in incidents of falling ill amongst those that have sensitive immune systems
- A dramatic reduction in contaminants associated with pets
Systems can also address odors, soot and may contribute to addressing mold build up.
As an aside, the indoor air quality can also be of benefit to your home’s AC or heating system by reducing the number of contaminants (over time) that may load your filters and affect system performance (read our blog on common furnace problems here). The same is true for devices within your home, a better IAQ can avoid dust buildup, which can be detrimental over time.
What we offer
At Acosta HVAC we offer 2 distinct types of air purifiers to either compliment your existing AC system or to be installed as part of a new design. Our system selection will be based on your needs, ensuring that the proposed system delivers what you need from it and integrates seamlessly. Each of the 2 technologies is designed for installation within a standard ducted AC system and should always be installed where a suitable air filter is also part of the system.
Air Scrubber by Aerus
The Air Scrubber uses a combination of a honeycomb cell design and a UV-C (no ozone, California compliant) light to treat the air as it passes through and around it. The combination of the ultraviolet light with the honeycomb’s material creates charged particles that can neutralize contaminants.
It is installed within the duct and draws only 17 watts of power. It is low weight (at 3 pounds) and operates at temperatures between 34-200°F. It can be installed as the only purification device or one of a number, it really depends on the size of the home and the complexity of the AC system.
Aerus has engaged in several individual testing agencies to verify the effectiveness of their ‘ActivePure’ technology, which this unit uses. The findings of these independent bodies have shown significant reductions in contaminants. Taking just the example of the surface contaminants test, the reductions were significant over the course of the test;
- Surface contaminants
- Contaminants such as E. Coli, H1N1 etc.
- Reduction of 80% in 2 hours, 95% in 6 hours and >99% in 24 hours.
The ‘ActivePure’ technology is even a ‘Certified Space Technology!’. The technology employed in this purifier is based on that used in the International Space Station.
Aerus advises that maintenance is required every 2 years and that these units come with a limited 5-year warranty, for further peace of mind.
iWave-R by iWave
The iWave-R employs a different methodology to neutralizing contaminants. Once more it is installed within the ductwork of an existing or new system, but in this case 2 ‘needles’ create positive and negatively charge ions that either neutralize contaminants (like bacteria) in the air (by changing them to harmless particles) or bind to other particles (like pollen), to increase their density and allow them to be collected by your systems filtration system.
The iWave-R is installed with a magnet to the inside of the ductwork and is suitable for systems up to 6 tons. It requires no maintenance and even employs a self-cleaning mode (factory programmed to every 3 days). It draws very little power, is light and is designed for universal mounting.
These units come with a 3-year warranty, for further peace of mind.
Conclusion
Air purification can offer huge benefits by, in tandem with your air filter, drastically reducing the contaminants within your home. Good indoor air quality benefits all home occupants by creating a clean and safe environment.
Speak to us at Acosta today for guidance on the right purifier for your home and for an expert installation and maintenance service. We are committed to finding the right solution to compliment your home.
