If you own a newer home in Greater Richmond, it was probably made with energy efficiency in mind. This means more insulation and windows and doors with improved seals. While these improvements are good for keeping your energy costs in check, they’re not so great for your indoor air quality.
Your heating and cooling system needs to work with a filter. But if you have a flat filter, you won’t be experiencing adequate filtration. This kind only gives the lowest level of protection by keeping dust out of your home comfort system.
While you can upgrade to a pleated filter or one with a higher MERV rating, it still might not be adequate filtration, particularly if someone in your home has allergies or other respiratory issues.
That’s where a whole-house air purifier can be a great solution. These systems are attached within ductwork to provide effective filtration throughout your house. Depending on the model you select, you’ll be able to get rid of allergens, odors and even some viruses under certain airflow conditions.
Here are our favorite systems 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 made to protect scientists as they made the atomic bomb. Today, they’re a staple in hospitals and other medical facilities.
The Healthy Climate HEPA Filtration System includes a three-step filtration procedure. A prefilter draws larger irritants before the HEPA filter catches the remainder of tiny irritants. Then, a charcoal filter eradicates odors and chemical vapors.
The PureAir™ S Air Purification System connects to all HVAC brands and seamlessly connects with your smart home. It combats the three leading kinds of indoor air contaminants:
- Airborne particles
- Chemical odors and vapors
- Germs and bacteria, under certain airflow conditions
This air purifier can get rid of 99.9%* of pollutants, such as mold spores, pollen, dust and pet dander. It’s also potent at decreasing or eradicating 90%1 of flu and cold viruses under certain airflow conditions. And, based on laboratory and field studies, it decreases and eliminates approximately 50% of household odors and chemical vapors within 24 hours.
The PureAir S includes sensing features that make it easy 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 linked 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 match your needs. This rating determines how capable filters are at capturing contaminants. The higher the number, the greater the filtration.
The Healthy Climate Carbon Clean 16® Media Air Cleaner is ideal for families with allergy suffers and pets. This is a HEPA filter air purifier, as it has a MERV 16 rating for hospital-level filtration. And it removes more than 95%3 of irritating particles from your house’s air.
The Healthy Climate 13 Media Air Cleaner is great for households who are looking for better 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 miniscule ones down to 0.3 microns.4 It’s able to deliver this strong filtration without driving up the cost of using your heating and cooling system.
These three media air cleaners work with any brand of HVAC system. Regardless, it’s important to be aware that some of the thicker ones, such as MERV 16 and 13, may decrease your system’s airflow. This can hike up your heating and cooling costs.
3. UV Air Purifiers
The sun’s UV rays are to blame when you get a stinging sunburn. But this type of light has a helpful application when placed inside your ductwork. It’s also tough enough to reduce germs, mold and fungi under certain airflow conditions.
In actuality, the Healthy Climate UV Germicidal Light can lower the number of airborne microorganisms by 50% in as little as 45 minutes.5 This light damages cell structure, which prohibits these microorganisms from growing and moving around your home.
And this UV air purifier can also help keep your heating and cooling system clean and working efficiently. It wipes out of germs, mold and fungi hiding within ductwork and your system itself. This UV light air purifier achieves all these tasks without creating lung-inflaming ozone.6
Breathe Easier with the Support of Our Air Purification Professionals
Your family’s comfort and health is our top priority at Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. We know there are many possibilities out there. That’s why we make it easy to partner with our indoor air quality pros. We specialize in recommending solutions that match your needs and budget, and we’d love to learn more about your home and your air quality issues. Give us a call at 804-302-6657 now 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.