It nearly goes without saying that if ever there was a year to upgrade your indoor air quality, this would be the year.
COVID-19 has dug in its heels even as we continue to fight back with all the tools we have.
This means the more we can do to stay safe and healthy, the more we should do to stay safe and healthy.
Add to it that allergy season is already knocking at our door – are your sinuses ready? If you are quite literally dreading the start of the notorious spring ragweed bloom, now is the time to take action.
In this post, find out what you need to know about how to create a healthy, breathable sanctuary inside your home or workplace. Our CleanAir Solutions experts in Hamilton, Ontario, provide the indoor air quality knowledge and tools you need to keep your airways clear!
What to Do Before You Buy a HEPA Filter or UV Purifier (MUST READ)
Early last year, as news of the pandemic was still just gathering steam, our customer service team was busy fielding a steady stream of calls about ultraviolet air purification and HEPA filtration.
Both technologies are highly recommended for improving indoor air quality and we will talk more about each shortly!
But all too often when our service technicians would arrive to install the customer’s new HVAC equipment, they would walk into a much bigger problem….
Dirty, clogged air ducts.
Don’t misunderstand – even if your air ducts are chock-full of dirt and debris, UV air purification and HEPA filtration can still offer some improvement.
But the difference is one of putting a band-aid on a broken bone versus visiting a surgeon to have the bone properly set and casted so that it can fully heal.
Air ducts are hard to see and even harder to inspect. But this is also why air ducts are the most neglected of all HVAC components. And neglected air ducts can deliver problems that no amount of spending in other areas can completely remedy.
In contrast, when your indoor air duct system is insulated, sealed, cleaned and sanitized, any other indoor air quality aid you install can deliver instant results to full capacity.
This is why we strongly recommend scheduling an indoor air duct cleaning before you make any other alterations to your HVAC system or add any other air quality components.
Is a HEPA Filter or UV Air Purifier Better?
When the COVID-19 outbreak was first announced and media sources pounced on UV air purification and HEPA filtration as potential safeguards, we were deluged with questions from anxious customers about which was better.
Should they buy a HEPA filter or an ultraviolet air purifier?
What most media reports failed to report on is that these two components do very different things. They are not interchangeable in any way!
So let’s take a quick look at what each component does and how it works.
HEPA Filter
HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air. And a filter is a device that traps matter and retains it. We use filters in all kinds of ways and for all kinds of jobs.
But a HEPA filter is special. HEPA technology is capable of trapping solid particles as small as 1/100th the width of a single hair on your head. This means HEPA filters are capable of trapping micro-particles carrying unwelcome passengers like tiny SARS-CoV-2 droplets.
Many people do not realize that they can’t just go out and buy a HEPA filter for their HVAC unit.
Unless your HVAC system is rated at MERV 17 through 20, you will face a serious fire risk and skyrocketing energy bills. You’ll also experience possible system failure if you try to use a HEPA filter with a non-HEPA rated air conditioner or furnace system.
But there is still a way to add HEPA filtration to your home. We recommend installing a whole home HEPA filtration system for ducted spaces and a portable system for non-ducted spaces.
The HEPA filtration system can trap floating solids (and their liquid or gaseous passengers) before they enter your ducts and float out into your space.
UV Air Purifier
Now that you understand what a HEPA filter is and does, let’s look at how it is different from ultraviolet air purification.
The sun is the most powerful source of ultraviolet light. And ultraviolet light is the most powerful purification agent on the planet.
Purification works differently than filtration. While filtration traps solid matter and retains it, purification changes the molecular structure of liquid or gaseous matter to render it harmless.
When ultraviolet light hits a COVID-19 droplet, for example, it damages the delicate organic membrane that surrounds the viral RNA, damaging it so that it cannot replicate.
This is what makes UV purification such a powerful way to help protect against airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
The best way to add ultraviolet purification to a home or workplace is quite similar to what we recommend for adding HEPA filtration.
What you want to do is install a whole home UV purifier for ducted spaces or a portable UV purifier for non-ducted spaces. The purifier can treat fresh incoming air before it moves into your ducts and out into each room in your space.
Should You Get Both HEPA Filtration and UV Purification?
Because HEPA filtration works on solid airborne matter and UV purification works on liquid or gaseous airborne matter, some customers do choose to install both types of systems.
CleanAir Solutions in Hamilton, Ontario, is Your Indoor Air Quality Expert
We are proud to serve Hamilton, Ontario, and surrounding areas, with providing professional air duct cleaning and a wide variety of highly effective indoor air quality aids.
Give our friendly, experienced technicians a call at 1-905-549-2470 or visit us online for a FREE ESTIMATE.
BONUS: Call now and save 10 percent on any of our popular air duct cleaning packages. Also, take $100 off the purchase of any whole home indoor air quality equipment. These spring cleaning deals are only good through May 31, 2021 – don’t miss your chance!
