With lots of media attention around air quality and personal health these days, many Oklahoma families are paying more attention and taking extra steps to ensure their homes are filled with clean, healthy air.
But there are different categories of indoor air quality solutions, and to the average homeowner who is just learning about air pollutants and the possibility of unhealthy air in their home, all the terms can be confusing.
Air quality improvements you can make in your home usually involve air filtration, ventilation, or air purification. But what’s the difference between the three, and how do you know which method will make the biggest difference in your home?
HVAC FILTRATION VS. AIR PURIFICATION VS. VENTILATION
First, let’s get a general idea of what each of these IAQ services actually does:
Air filtration removes air pollutants out of the air in your house by drawing air in your HVAC system’s return ducts through fine media filters that particulate matter can’t pass through, trapping them and filtering them out of the air circulating your home.
Air purification targets the air pollutants themselves. One of the most popular air purification devices is a UV light air purifier, which effectively “kills” a wide range of air pollutants including mold, viruses, bacteria, pet dander, and VOCs.
In-home ventilation refers to the exchange of indoor air for outdoor air. Mechanical ventilation in your home can include everything from bathroom fans and hood range fans over your stovetop to more expensive whole-home ventilation systems like HRVs (heat recovery ventilators).
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR HOME NEEDS AIR QUALITY SOLUTIONS
So, now that we know what air filtration, ventilation, and purification are, how do we know if we need them? Homeowners often have no idea that the air in their house is making them sick, sometimes because they don’t think their indoor air could be harmful and other times because many of the symptoms of poor indoor air quality are shared with the common cold or seasonal flu, including:
- SNEEZING AND COUGHING
- STUFFY NOSE
- HEADACHES AND FATIGUE
Indoor air quality problems can also exacerbate existing asthma issues or allergies. The important first step of addressing unhealthy air in your home is making the connection between how you’re feeling and what could be causing it. It’s only then that homeowners can take meaningful action to create a healthier indoor environment.
IMPROVE THE AIR IN YOUR HOME WITH DEHART
At DeHart, we know that home comfort isn’t just about temperature—a comfortable Oklahoma home shouldn’t make you sick! That’s why, in addition to our leading air conditioning and heating services, we offer a number of solutions for unhealthy air. From high-MERV rated air filters and humidity control to Lennox’s PureAir air purification systems (which combine both air filters and UV light air purifiers into one device), our team can help you reduce air pollutants in your Duncan or Chickasha home so you can start breathing cleaner, healthier air today.