Indoor air quality is especially important in the summer. It’s the season where we keep our windows closed and run the air conditioner. The cooling makes us comfortable, but the lack of fresh air circulating around makes the air less healthy.
Fortunately, there are ways to fix that problem while still keeping your AC on. And, one of the best solutions is investing in an air purifier that treats your entire home.
We’ll go through the four most common benefits of an air purifier. Before that, we’re addressing the one concern that’s on most people’s minds for the summer of 2020. You can use this as a guide to prep your home for the coming season, be it summer or winter, so that it’s no more or less humid that you want it. 
Will An Air Purifier Get Rid of Viruses?
Depending on the model, an air purifier can get rid of viruses in your home. These tiny particles get trapped by the system, just like pollen, mold spores, and bacteria.
That said, these products are not all the same, by any sense. A cheap, off-the-shelf product will not give you anywhere near the same protections of a more robust model.
For this article, we’re focusing on the AprilAire 1610 and AirScrubber by Aerus. These are add-ons to your HVAC system that cover your entire home. And, they’re effective against viruses.
We will stress here that these, along with other top-shelf products, have not been tested on the coronavirus specifically. However, that virus is an RNA virus, and tests have shown that these filters get rid of 90 to 99 percent of airborne contaminants, including RNA virus particles.
Four (More) Reasons to Get an Air Purifier this Summer
Is it worth it to get an air purifier this summer? Here are four ways they can improve your indoor air quality, particularly in the summer:
- Reduce Allergy Symptoms
- Get Rid of Pet Dander
- Eliminate Bad Odors
- Get Rid of VOCs
Reduce Allergy Symptoms
A whole-home air purifier gets rid of the tiny particles that trigger seasonal allergy flare-ups, along with contaminants that make it harder for people with asthma or other respiratory issues to breathe.
Seasonal allergy sufferers know why spring and summer can be a nightmare: All that pollen in the air triggers stuffy noses, puffy eyes, sore throats, and other symptoms.
These can get worse as the weather gets warmer because people keep their windows shut once they turn on the AC. The cooling also helps with pollen and dust, because those particles won’t hang in the air, where you breathe them in when the cooled air is less humid.
With the windows closed, all the pollen and other contaminants you track into the house don’t have a way to get back out. So, you end up with pollen buildup, which triggers the allergy flare-ups.
But, a whole-home filter gives you the best of both worlds: Air conditioning and clean air as if you had the windows open.
Get Rid of Pet Dander
We usually recommend changing your air filter every month, even though some industry standards say once a season. We’ve found more frequent changeouts increase your HVAC system’s effectiveness — especially if you have cats and dogs.
Our furry friends shed dander, which is similar to human dandruff. And, like their fur, it gets everywhere.
Once again, you run into the problem of those particles building up in the home when you keep the windows closed. But, unlike pollen, it’s a year-round issue.
Your regular air filter will catch some of this, but not all. And, it’s more likely to clog that screen quickly if there’s a lot of it.
But, adding an air filter to that process takes some of the burdens off the regular one-inch filter, and catches even smaller particles.
Eliminate Bad Odors
Bathroom odors, lingering cooking smells, and more don’t just offend your nose. Eventually, they’ll degrade your indoor air quality. The tiny molecules that cause those scents linger in the air and affect your breathing.
Like pet fur and dander, this is a year-round problem. But, unlike those larger particles, your HVAC system’s air filter won’t do much about them.
The reason is that odor-causing particles are often too small for those screens to catch. Instead, they’ll slip right through and remain in your home.
But, a dedicated air filter is more powerful and can trap those tiny contaminants. You can use this as a guide to prep your home for the coming season, be it summer or winter, so that it’s no more or less humid that you want it.
Get Rid of VOCs
VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are organic chemicals that vaporize easily. They’re compounds that come from waste, food, or other substances that become high-pressure vapor and can be hazardous to your health over time.
VOCs overlap somewhat with cooking odors, and other household smells we mentioned before. But, they also come from cleaning supplies and other products.
Once again, these chemicals and compounds usually pass right through your air filters. If there’s a problem with these building up in your home, a dedicated purifier is the best way to get rid of them.
Benefits of AprilAire and Air Scrubber Whole-House Purifiers
We’re singling put AprilAire and Air Scrubber purifiers because we’ve had the most success with these in Delco and Montgomery County homes. These whole-home purifiers do an amazing job of improving your indoor air quality.
First, as we mentioned, this is a whole-home solution. You’re not buying an off-the-shelf product (or two or three) that only handles one room. Or, that doesn’t do much more than the filter on your HVAC system.
Instead, these products attach directly to your forced-air system. And, you don’t need to plug it in or move it from room to room.
More importantly, these purifiers don’t wait for your system to cycle on to do their work. You’ve likely noticed that your heater or AC doesn’t stay on continuously. Instead, it switches on and off a few times every house.
The filters catch particles much smaller than what your one-inch filter grabs. And, the Air Scrubber in particular uses UV light to eradicate particles as they pass through the system.
Air Purifier Installations In and Around Havertown, PA
Based in Havertown, PA, John Cipollone, Inc is a leader when it comes to indoor air quality and air purifier installations in Delaware and Montgomery Counties. Call or email us for a virtual or in-person consultation. We’ll help you find the air quality solution that’s perfect for your home and needs.
You can use this as a guide to prep your home for the coming season, be it summer or winter, so that it’s no more or less humid that you want it.