What's the Difference Between an Air Cleaner and Air Purifier? - Heating Specialties

What’s the Difference Between an Air Cleaner and Air Purifier?

air cleaner or filtration

Are you concerned about the air quality in your South Jersey home? With all the extra time spent indoors this winter, you may have noticed your family’s allergies acting up. The experts at Heating Specialties can improve your indoor air quality to keep you more comfortable at home. Let us help you decide whether an air cleaner or an air purifier is best for your family.

What is indoor air quality?

Indoor air quality measures the pollutants in your home’s air. Did you know, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the air inside your home is more polluted than the air outside? Air quality in our homes has progressively gotten worse due to improvements in insulation and window/door seals. Although this is great for energy efficiency, it doesn’t allow as much air to escape your home to refresh.

What are common air pollutants?

Pollution from outdoors can impact your indoor air quality, as well as other common pollutants, such as dust, dander, or mold. Cleaning products and house paint can also contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to humans to breathe. If you’ve noticed your family falling ill more often or having trouble breathing recently, you should have an air quality test completed to find the best cleaner or filtration option for your home.

How do air cleaners work?

At Heating Specialties, we offer a wide variety of technologies for improving air quality, such as air cleaners, purifiers, humidification systems, and improvements to your filtration or ventilation. Our first option, air cleaners, works by filtering your HVAC system’s air with a filter and fan. This solution works wonders for collecting larger pieces of pollen, dust, and pet dander. You’ll need to replace the filter regularly (in addition to your HVAC filter) for the machine to work correctly.

How do air purifiers work?

Air purifiers work differently in that they generally don’t use filters but instead use technology to attack the airborne pathogens that cause allergies and sickness by emitting negative ions, ozone, or using heat and UV germicidal lamps. Air purifiers purify and sanitize the air by killing the microorganisms, removing VOCs, illness-causing pathogens, and odors from your home.

Which option should I choose?

Choosing a method to improve your air quality depends on the most common issues in your home. Do you have a pet that sheds a lot? Do you have a large family that tends to be messy or have severe pollen or dust allergies? If so, an air cleaner will work best for you. If you have an immunocompromised family member or are concerned about VOCs affecting more vulnerable individuals in your home, an air purifier is a right fit for you.

No matter your concerns about indoor air quality, Heating Specialties is here to help. Contact us today at (866) 923-2653 or schedule an appointment online for your indoor air quality test, and we can help you determine the best solution to improve the air your family breathes in all year long.

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