When it comes to keeping your home comfortable for your entire family, you have many options at your disposal. Air purifiers and dehumidifiers are two great options that can be utilized to enhance the quality and feel of the air inside of your home. By understanding the benefits that each option can provide for you, you’ll be able to make a better-informed decision about what your home actually needs.
What’s an Air Purifier?
An air purifier works to circulate the air inside of your home through a filter. This filter traps unwanted harmful pollutants to make your indoor air quality better. Depending on the specific type of air purifier that you have, it can trap a number of different airborne pollutants, including bacteria, dust, pollen, mold spores, and dander.
There are four main types of air purifiers that you can purchase for your home. Understanding the different types and the technology that they utilize can assist you in choosing the right air purifier to enhance the air quality inside of your home.
HEPA Technology
HEPA is an abbreviation for high-efficiency particulate air and is described as a technology that helps to filter unwanted particles out of the air. This technology can remove 99.97% of airborne particles that are .3 microns or bigger. HEPA technology can remove viruses, some chemicals, and bacteria from your air.
This type of filter is comprised of fine fiber-like material that is accordion-shaped. As the air passes through a HEPA filter, unwanted airborne particles will get stuck inside the filter. While HEPA filters are great at removing airborne particles, they don’t work to remove odors, some chemicals, and gases.
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon filters are great at capturing gases, tobacco, odors, and gas emissions. The carbon inside of these filters is highly processed so that it’s extremely porous. This gives the carbon a large surface area where it can trap unwanted airborne particles and keep them from being released back into your air.
Carbon filters specifically remove formaldehyde, which is a chemical found in many household products like furniture upholstery, wood paneling, and carpeting. This is ideal for those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions. However, activated carbon filters aren’t highly effective at removing airborne particulates like pollen, pet dander, and dust.
UV Technology
UV technology is geared towards removing germs, bacteria, and viruses from your home. This technology utilizes a UV lamp that air is forced under. UV rays from the lamp damage the genetic and cellular microorganisms that lead to their ultimate destruction.
It’s crucial to note that UV technology is most effective when it’s paired with filtering technology. Without adequate filtering, larger airborne particles will shade the smaller microorganisms when they pass underneath the UV light. UV needs to be the final phase of your air purification system for it to be the most effective.
Negative Ion
Negative ion air purifiers utilize chemical injections to reduce the number of unhealthy airborne particles in your home. This technology adds an electron to the oxygen atoms in your home. This creates a magnet-like force that attracts unwanted airborne particles like dust and pollen.
When these unwanted particles unite with the negative ion, they fall to a solid surface, such as your carpet or furniture. With simple cleaning, you can remove these unwanted particulates from your home. However, it’s essential to note that these particulates do have the ability to become loose over time and recirculate themselves back into the air.
What are the Benefits of an Air Purifier?
Air purifiers can be a great investment to remove harmful airborne pollutants and neutralize unpleasant odors throughout your home. They’ve been known to reduce your risk of airborne disease and enhance your sleep quality in the process. These are a must-have investment for homes where people have respiratory illnesses or allergies.
What’s a Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier works to remove excess moisture from the air that is inside your home. Dehumidifiers are perfect for keeping the relative humidity inside of your home to 30 to 50 percent. Many dehumidifiers can be automatically programmed to kick on whenever humidity levels get higher than your set relative humidity level.
There are three main types of dehumidifiers that you can invest in.
Refrigerant
The refrigerant dehumidifier utilizes a refrigeration process to chill a metal plate. Air is forced into the dehumidifier by a fan and travels over the metal plate. As the air condenses, excess moisture drips into a water collection tank. You’ll need to empty this collection tank every so often.
Desiccant
The desiccant dehumidifier uses a silica gel that absorbs water. Inside of this type of dehumidifier, the gel is on a wheel that turns slowly as incoming air is pulled in. Excess moisture is absorbed by the silica gel.
Electronic
Electronic dehumidifiers use a Peltier heat pump to create a cool surface where water vapor can condense. These systems are typically hooked up to automatically drain the excess water outside of your home.
It’s essential to realize that high humidity levels can create a number of problems. When it comes to your home, high moisture levels foster dust mite, mildew, and mold growth. It creates a great environment for unwanted pests to expand inside of your home. Additionally, high humidity can create a plethora of medical problems. Some of the most common include higher blood pressure, worsening allergy and asthma symptoms, poor sleep, headaches, heat exhaustion, viruses, and respiratory illnesses.
What Are the Benefits of a Dehumidifier?
As your dehumidifier removes excess moisture from your indoor air, you’ll notice it has a less damp feeling. Any musty smells that come from mildew and mold can be eliminated. Additionally, mold and mildew can be prevented as they typically need a relative humidity level of over 50% to formulate.
If dust mites have created trouble in your home, a dehumidifier can help. Dust mites thrive in a moisture-rich environment. When you reduce the moisture in your air, it can reduce the number of dust mites that thrive.
Dehumidifiers are typically great for those who live in overly humid regions of the country. This technology will help to keep your indoor air bearable without having to run your air conditioner on a consistent basis. Anyone who has a respiratory condition that is aggravated by excess humidity can greatly benefit from using a dehumidifier regularly.
Should You Invest in Both?
It’s not uncommon for newbies to think that air purifiers and dehumidifiers perform the same task. However, you now know better. Each provides its own unique benefits to your home. If you don’t have either of these systems in your home, you should highly consider investing in both of them. Not only will an air purifier work to enhance your indoor air quality, but a dehumidifier can help to make your home a more comfortable environment for your family.
Reliable Air Quality Services
Gallagher's Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning offers reliable air quality services for the entire Sacramento, CA region. We’re also here for all of your heating, air conditioning, plumbing, ductless mini-split, and duct cleaning needs. Contact us today to get the professional assistance that you need.
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