Ahh, winter in Minnesota. It’s scenic, it’s lovely, it’s… a great time to hunker down indoors. On average, Americans spend well over 90% of their time indoors, and that percentage is probably even higher during cold weather in northern places. And when the weather is cold, you keep the house buttoned up, so you’re not getting much in the way of fresh air.
The air in your home keeps being cycled around, and whatever contaminants are in the air keep cycling around as well. When you’re cooped up in there all winter, you have a very high likelihood of breathing in some unpleasant things. An air purifier is the best solution to winter air full of unwanted particles. We’ll tell you all about them and how they clean the air.
Filters and Purifiers: Not the Same
Let’s begin with the air filters on your air conditioner and furnace. Those aren’t designed with you in mind, exactly. Their purpose is to protect the cooling and heating systems from the wear and tear that excess dust and grit would cause.
A home air filter is a separate system. It can be added to your home’s HVAC system to provide filtration that is designed with you in mind. Filters can be made of paper, carbon, fiberglass, or other materials. Particles are caught in the folds and fibers of the filter so they won’t continue to be circulated out your vents and into your lungs.
An air purifier does more than this. A home air purification system does contain a filter, which catches many particles, especially larger ones like pet hair. But some particles are incredibly tiny. Viruses, for example, can be twenty times smaller than even the smallest bacteria! An air purifier uses a secondary step to keep your air safe from the tiniest invaders.
Types of Purifiers
Electronic air cleaners use an electric charge, like static, to capture those particles. The air passing through is positively charged, and then it passes over a plate that has a negative charge. The particles can’t escape! They cling to the plate like packing peanuts to a curious cat exploring your latest Amazon delivery. They can no longer circulate in the air you breathe.
UV air purifiers use a certain frequency of ultraviolet light to actually destroy the particles. This light unravels the protein bonds that hold microbes together. Once scrambled, like an egg, these microbes can no longer reproduce or cause illness. It’s so safe and so effective that it’s used to sanitize everything from hospital equipment to municipal water supplies!
Choosing Your System
Is a filter enough for you, or would you be better off with an air purifier in Coleraine, MN? Will electronic or ultraviolet better meet your needs? What size, make, and model do you need? These questions can be answered by a qualified specialist in indoor air quality, who can assess your home and your priorities and help you find the perfect system.
Reach out to Mesaba Heating & Air Conditioning today. Service to you is success to us!