If you own a newer residence in Manassas, it was likely built with energy efficiency at the top of the list. This means greater amounts of insulation and windows and doors with improved seals. While these enhancements are fantastic for keeping your energy bills affordable, they’re not so excellent for your indoor air quality.
Your heating and cooling system needs to run with a filter. But if you have a flat filter, you won’t be receiving enough filtration. This type only provides the smallest amount of protection by stopping dust from getting into your home comfort system.
While you can upgrade to a pleated filter or one with a better MERV rating, it still might not be enough filtration, especially if someone in your house has allergies or other respiratory troubles.
That’s where a whole-house air purifier can be a good option. These systems are installed within ductwork to provide effective filtration around your house. Depending on the type you select, you’ll be able to remove allergens, odors and even some viruses under certain airflow conditions.
Here are our top styles from Lennox, an industry leader in air purification.
Best Air Purifiers from Lennox
1. HEPA Air Purifiers
A HEPA air purifier, like the Healthy Climate® High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration System, delivers premium filtration. These filters were first created to defend scientists as they made the atomic bomb. Today, they’re a staple in hospitals and other medical applications.
The Healthy Climate HEPA Filtration System includes a three-step filtration method. A prefilter catches significant pollutants before the HEPA filter traps the rest of miniscule pollutants. Then, a charcoal filter wipes out odors and chemical vapors.
The PureAir™ S Air Purification System is compatible with all HVAC brands and seamlessly connects with your smart home. It reduces the three key kinds of indoor air irritants:
- Airborne particles
- Chemical odors and vapors
- Germs and bacteria, under certain airflow conditions
This air purifier can remove 99.9%* of pollutants, including mold spores, pollen, dust and pet dander. It’s also capable of removing or eradicating 90%1 of flu and cold viruses under certain airflow conditions. And, as the result of laboratory and field studies, it removes and eliminates approximately 50% of your home’s odors and chemical vapors within 24 hours.
The PureAir S includes sensing features that make it simple to service. When paired with an iComfort® S30 smart thermostat, you’ll be notified when to change the filter and UVA light.2 This home air purifier must be used with communicating Lennox systems and the iComfort S30.
2. Media Air Cleaners
Lennox Healthy Climate® Media Air Cleaners come in in a variety of MERV ratings to fit your needs. This rating calculates how capable filters are at trapping contaminants. The greater the number, the greater the filtration.
The Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16® Media Air Cleaner is recommended for residences with allergy suffers and pets. This is a HEPA filter air purifier, since it has a MERV 16 rating for hospital-grade filtration. And it eliminates more than 95%3 of unhealthy particles from your residence’s air.
The Healthy Climate 13 Media Air Cleaner is recommended for homes who want enhanced protection from viruses and bacteria. This filter traps 99% of larger particles such as dust, pollen and lint. And up to 54% of miniscule particles down to 0.3 microns.4
The Healthy Climate 11 Media Air Cleaner is a a great air purifier for allergies and in homes with pets. It removes more than 87% of bigger particles down to 3 microns and more than 28% of smaller ones down to 0.3 microns.4 It’s able to provide this effective filtration without increasing the cost of turning on your home comfort system.
These three media air cleaners are compatible with any brand of HVAC system. Regardless, it’s important to be aware that some of the thicker ones, including MERV 16 and 13, may restrict your system’s airflow. This can inflate your utility costs.
3. UV Air Purifiers
The sun’s UV rays are to blame when you get a blistering sunburn. But this wavelength of light has a beneficial application when concealed inside your ductwork. It’s also tough enough to eliminate germs, mold and fungi under certain airflow conditions.
In actuality, the Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Light can reduce the amount of airborne microorganisms by 50% in as short as 45 minutes.5 This light damages cell structure, which prohibits these microorganisms from flourishing and moving around your residence.
And this UV air purifier can also help keep your heating and cooling system clean and running efficiently. It takes care of germs, mold and fungi lurking within ductwork and your system itself. This UV light air purifier accomplishes all these things without developing lung-inflaming ozone.6
Breathe Better with the Support of Our Air Purification Specialists
Your household’s comfort and health is important to us at Woody's Sudden Service. We know there are a lot of solutions out there. That’s why we make it simple to collaborate with our indoor air quality pros. We specialize in creating solutions that meet your needs and budget, and we’d love to learn more about your house and your air quality challenges. Reach us at 703-278-2036 today to begin.
1Based on laboratory and field studies.
2PureAir™ S requires the iComfort® S30 and a communicating indoor unit.
3Leading consumer magazine, January 2012. Based on the published CADR, which is the standardized measurement system to determine the cubic feet of clean air produced per minute. Particles captured range in size down to 0.3 micron. One micron = 1/25,000 of an inch in diameter.
4Based on lab tests conducted on filters with conditions included in ASHRAE standard 52.2 for E1 and E3 size ranges.
5Based on constant circulation of air in the home, 3,000-square-foot home with a 5-ton air handler.
6U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners: An Assessment of Effective and Health Consequences,” August 2006.