IAQ – Indoor Air Quality

Air Cleaners May Offer Relief If You Suffer From These Breathing Ailments

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If you or someone in your Broken Arrow home has asthma, allergies, COPD or other respiratory illnesses, an air cleaner may help you breathe easier. The air in the typical home contains particles of dust, mold, pollen, bacteria and viruses. In fact, the EPA cites indoor air in the home as one of the top five environmental hazards. An air cleaner can help reduce the number of particles in your air that trigger or aggravate allergy and asthma symptoms and improve your indoor air quality. There are several types of air cleaners on the market.Electronic cleanersElectronic air cleaners use electrical charges to trap particles.

  • Electrostatic precipitators draw in air and give it an electrostatic charge. The particles adhere to an oppositely-charged plate in the unit. The plate must be cleaned periodically to remove particle buildup.

  • Ionizers send ions into the air, giving airborne particles a charge. The charged particles attach themselves to surfaces such as walls and tables, where they must be removed by hand, ideally with a cloth containing an electrostatic charge.

Mechanical cleanersMechanical air filters use a fan to pull air into the unit. Particles are trapped in a filter, which is cleaned or replaced when it's full. A high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filter is the most effective for this type of air cleaner. HEPA filters trap 90 percent of particles 0.3 microns in size and larger.Hybrid air filtersA combination of the electronic and mechanical air cleaner types, hybrid filters use both types of technology to clean your air.It's important to note that an air cleaner will only trap particles that are airborne. If you have carpets, the particles that are trapped in them will remain trapped until agitated or vacuumed. Air cleaners should be used in the most-inhabited rooms in your home, such as the bedroom and TV room.For more expert advice on air cleaners and choosing one that is right for you, please feel free to contact us at Air Assurance, serving the greater Tulsa area, including Broken Arrow, with a high level of customer satisfaction.