Energy-efficient, R-2000 Standards for homeowners greatly improve energy consumption and lower energy costs. However, an airtight home has a negative consequence, namely decreased indoor air quality. Electronic air cleaners (EACs) can give indoor air quality a charge, ridding the air of common pollutants. Learn how they work, and when used in conjunction with an effective furnace filter, greatly increase air quality inside your home.
Pollutants
Inside the average home, all types of pollutants commonly circulate, including pollen, dander, bacteria and more. These particles range in size, with some as small as 0.3 microns. To give you an idea of how small these particles can be, consider that a particle 10 microns or less can’t be seen with the naked eye.
Particles smaller than 1 micron make up the majority of the particles in the air, over 99 percent, but most standard furnace filters can’t address particles this small. Further, these particles are so tiny that they generally “hang” in the air, unless they “connect” with a surface. That is why particles often build up on the HVAC coils.
Electronic air cleaners offer a unique solution to these small, suspended particles. Here’s how they work:
- The system employs a standard pre-filter to trap larger particles.
- Then, the EAC releases a charge, causing the tiny particles to stick to collector plates with the opposite charge.
- Before exiting the system, a post-filter traps any remaining particles in the air.
- As the air exits the system, and with each pass through the unit, the air becomes further purified.
(Some types of EACs release a charge into the air, causing particles in the air to stick to each other, and then fall to surfaces throughout the home.)
In order for homeowners to achieve optimal air quality, the furnace fan must run continuously. Unless the furnace employs a high-efficiency motor, this practice may increase energy costs.
To find out if an electronic air cleaner will work for your home, contact Arpi’s Industries today! We’ve served greater Calgary homeowners since 1963. Give us a call today or visit our website for more information.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about electronic air cleaners and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Image courtesy of Shutterstock
