From cedar fever in winter to high pollen counts in summer, residents of central Texas are no strangers to seasonal allergies.
Luckily, air purifiers can provide some much-needed relief when outdoor allergen levels start to rise.
In this blog, we’ll share the 4 best air purification systems for Texas allergies:
- High-MERV or HEPA air filter
- UV air purifier
- Ionic air purifier
Want a professional to recommend an air purification system for your home? Our air quality specialists can help!
Air purifier #1: High-MERV or HEPA air filter
One of the easiest ways to improve your home’s indoor air quality is to upgrade your air filter.
The effectiveness of an air filter is measured by MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value). The higher the MERV rating, the more airborne pollutants the filter can catch.
Standard air filters have MERVs that range from 1 to 8, while higher-quality filters have MERVs that range from 10 to 17.
Unlike standard filters, high-MERV air filters can catch a high amount of allergy-inducing particles such as:
- Various kinds of dust mites
- Mold spores
- Pollen
- Tobacco smoke
- And more
If you’re interested in upgrading your home’s air filter, consult with an air quality expert. They can recommend a high-MERV or HEPA air filter that will work with your home’s HVAC system.
Note: High-MERV and HEPA air filters are thicker than standard filters, which means a professional may need to make modifications to your HVAC system in order to install the advanced filter.
Air purifier #2: UV air purifier
A UV (ultraviolet) air purifier is installed in your home’s HVAC system, usually in the supply or return section of your ductwork. As air passes over the air purifier, the powerful UV-C light damages the internal structure of the DNA, which makes particles such as mold spores, bacteria and viruses harmless.
For the best results reducing allergens, we recommend pairing a UV air purifier with a high-MERV/HEPA filter. In fact, the two technologies are often bundled together in whole-home purification systems. The filter will catch larger allergens like dust and pollen, while the UV air purifier will neutralize smaller allergens and other harmful particles such as mold spores and viruses.
Since direct exposure to UV light is potentially harmful to humans, only a trained professional should install a UV air purifier. (When the UV light purifier is in normal use, there is no direct human contact with the UV light and therefore no negative health effects to humans.)
Air purifier #3: Ionic air purifier
An ionic air purifier is a “filter-less” type of air purifier that uses static electricity to remove airborne pollutants. Ionic air purifiers come in small models that are only meant to purify one room or large models that can purify an entire house.
Here’s how an ionic air purifier works: The purifier releases negative ions into the air, which bond to positively-charged ions that pass by the purifier, which includes particles such as dust and other allergens. After the ions bond, the particles become weighed down and fall onto a collection plate. This prevents the particles from circulating throughout your home’s air.
Because the collection plate can become dirty with weighed-down particles, the plate will need to be cleaned regularly in order for the ionic purifier to remain effective. That said, some ionic purifiers are self-cleaning, which eliminates the need for regular maintenance.
Interested in an air purifier for your home?
Our air quality specialists can help you find the right purifier, based on your family’s allergy needs and budget.