An air scrubber is a device that removes pollutants and contaminants from the air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution is often much more concentrated than ambient air pollution. Air scrubbers are worth it for any household that wants to improve their indoor air quality and protect their health. An air scrubber is also worth it because it can lower your HVAC-related costs over the life of the equipment.
Air Scrubber and HVAC Costs
Lifespan is an important factor when considering the cost of purchasing and installing an air scrubber. With proper maintenance, these systems can often last for 20 years. Even with annual filter replacements, most of the top air scrubbers on the market are very affordable from that perspective.
The other factor is your HVAC equipment, such as furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners. That HVAC equipment gets dirty over time because of dust, other debris, and biological growth. An air scrubber won’t eliminate the need for seasonal HVAC maintenance, but it will slow the accumulation of that grime. That can result in lower operating costs. It can also help avoid wear and tear, which will extend the life of your equipment. If you can get 20 years out of an AC rather than 15 years, which is the average, that makes a big difference in your costs.
Types of Air Scrubbers
It’s also important to note that there is a wide range of air scrubbers, and the industry often uses the terms air scrubber and air purifier interchangeably. We offer a product from Aerus that it calls the Air Scrubber. Aerus based it on technology developed for the International Space Station, and NASA used the term air scrubber.
This particular product uses an integrated ultraviolet (UV) light to trigger a catalytic process thereby dispersing oxidizers. Those oxidizers neutralize pollutants by binding with them. There are air scrubbers that use different processes to achieve a similar effect. There are also air scrubbers, such as PureAir by Lennox, that take a more traditional approach to air filtration. Those air scrubbers often have mechanical filtration and sometimes pair it with absorptive filtration.
Ionization and Other Similar Approaches
Ionizers are another form of air scrubber. These units negatively charge particles and then disperse them. In the air, they bind with pollutants, which causes them to clump together and fall out of the air. That may sound similar to the catalytic process discussed earlier, but there are differences. The oxidizers neutralize the pollutants while they’re still airborne. That means that the Aerus air scrubber disinfects surfaces as well. Some newer air scrubbers use hydrogen peroxide molecules instead, and those molecules are also effective as oxidizers.
The EPA recommends against ozone generators. Ozone is not effective for residential air purification due to the federal limits on ozone levels. The EPA also warns that ozone is an irritant. There is some concern over ionizers and their alternatives. Some of those products do generate ozone as a byproduct, but not all of them. The Aerus Air Scrubber, for instance, produces no ozone at all.
Mechanical Filtration
Mechanical filtration refers to forcing air through filter media that traps particles. The filters used for central HVAC systems are an example of this. The industry uses the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV), which ranges from 1 to 16. All MERV filters can trap all household allergens, such as dust, pollen, mold, and carpet fibers. A higher rating indicates greater effectiveness. A MERV 13 filter will trap at least 90% of those allergens whereas MERV 8 filters trap 70%.
Many air scrubbers that employ mechanical filtration will have a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter instead. A HEPA filter traps at least 99.97% of all particles that pass through it. That is phenomenal for indoor air quality and why most hospitals use them. That higher effectiveness does result in substantial airflow restriction, which is why the industry doesn’t use them for HVAC systems.
Absorptive Filtration
Air scrubbers that use a catalytic process or ionization can neutralize all pollutants. That includes gases and airborne chemicals. Mechanical filtration doesn’t trap those types of pollutants well. It’s why many brands, such as Lennox, pair the HEPA filter with activated charcoal. That charcoal absorbs bad odors and helps to make the home smell better. It also absorbs ammonia, formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and so forth.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation
Traditional air scrubbers don’t deal well with pathogens either. One of the most effective ways of dealing with bacteria and viruses is ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). This is possible through a lamp that gives off a germicidal light. That’s different from the Aerus Air Scrubber. In that product, Aerus uses UV light to set off the catalytic process. With a UV lamp installed in your ducts, the exposure to the pathogens is direct. Some traditional air scrubbers have an integrated UV lamp that works in this manner as well. We typically recommend pairing a traditional air scrubber with a standalone UV lamp. The standalone lamp is more effective due to the slower-moving air in the ducts.
Treatment Volume
For an air scrubber to be worth it, it must provide air purification for the entire treatment volume. For a home, that will be either total square footage or cubic footage. In the case of a dispersal system, the square footage is all you need to know. The Aerus Air Scrubber, for instance, provides 2,000 square feet of coverage per unit.
When purchasing a traditional air scrubber, it’s important to know air changes per hour (ACH) as well. The ACH indicates the number of times an hour an air scrubber cleans the entire treatment volume. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends aiming for 5 ACH. Most air scrubbers on the market achieve this level. There are also higher-volume air scrubbers, which may be necessary for people with serious respiratory conditions.
Better Health for All
Better indoor air quality can improve the quality of life for people with asthma and bad allergies, but it’s effective for everyone. Indoor air pollution causes respiratory inflammation. It disrupts sleep and causes headaches and fatigue. There are also long-term health risks with pollution. Fine and ultrafine particles can cause many different cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. VOCs, on the other hand, can permanently damage livers and kidneys.
Other Considerations
There are other add-ons for your HVAC system that can help with indoor pollution and make an air scrubber even more effective. Whole-house fans provide fresh air to the home without introducing pollutants. That helps make pollution less dangerous by lowering the concentration levels. Relative humidity (RH) is an important aspect of air quality as well, and the EPA recommends an RH between 30% and 50%. To achieve this in summer and winter, you may need a dehumidifier and humidifier, respectively.
Air Scrubber Installation in North San Diego
Oak Island Heating and Air Conditioning has served North San Diego for over 25 years. Our indoor air quality team specializes in air scrubbers, air purifiers, UV lights, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, whole-house fans, and HVAC zoning. Our HVAC technicians install and service smart thermostats, furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, and ductless mini-splits. We also offer a membership that will save you money on maintenance and ensure you service your equipment each season. To schedule an appointment or to learn more about these services, call us today, or contact us online.
