Enjoy! Other overhead costs you’ll have to contend with are filter replacement costs and electricity bills. We’re here to break down why and to help you choose the unit that will best fit your budget, room size and needs. It also does a great job of getting rid of both pet and cooking odors, as well as chemical vapors. Here’s a worrying statistic for you: around 3.8 million people die from exposure to household air pollution every year, according to the World Health Organization. What Is The Best Air Purifier For Allergies & Asthma? Since we began to test units, I have started to use room air purifiers. Some indoor air purifiers can reduce or eliminate pet dander in the home and unpleasant pet odors. https://www.lennox.com/products/indoor-air-quality/air-purification/pureair How Much Does it Cost to Run an Air Conditioner? Most people set their thermostats to only run when the HVAC system is heating or cooling. Filters in the MERV 9 to 12 range begin to remove particles in the 1 to 3 micron size and do a better job in removing pet dander but are not rated to remove any particle less than 1 micron in size. Installed as part of your home's heating and cooling system, it puts you in complete control of air purity. Just to sum up, our favorite unit is definitely the Honeywell F300E1019. Genuine Aprilaire air purifiers are specifically engineered to work with your Aprilaire air filter. A challenge with this type of central air purifier is that you are only getting clean air when your HVAC system is running. HEPA, which stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air, is a rating for air purifiers that absorb at least 99.7% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns. Typically rated for less than 50% of the larger sized dust particles. The Coway Airmega 400 is the best whole house air purifier for households with pets. NOTE: There are two types of central air filtration systems: bypass and inline. The best purifier for you will depend on various factors. Removes up to 99.98 percent of allergens from the filtered air; Catches particles down to .1 micron in size; Eight times more effective than the best HEPA room appliance; 100 times more effective than a standard one-inch throwaway filter or ionic-type room appliance It’s especially useful at controlling allergens and works wonders for dust and pollen removal. A whole house air purifier is an air purifier that cleans and ensures fresh air in all rooms of a house at the same time. © 2021 Air Purifier Ratings . Learn more, After a HVAC Quote - Call a Licensed Technician. Noise levels may change depending on how fast the purifier fan is running. However can result in high energy costs in running. 1 And, with Captures & Kills ® technology, it inactivates select airborne pathogens, including the coronavirus. Honeywell F300E1019 (HVAC Air Purifier), 4. An air purifier can make your home smell better provided it has the proper filters and enough air flow. The problem is that many … HEPA filters cost around $40-$100 and may need to be replaced once or more per year. You’ll need to look at the coverage area of the model you plan on buying to make sure it’s sufficient for your home. Another consideration is to make sure you do not use a filter with a higher MERV rating than your HVAC can handle. Some air filters combine both of the above methods or add other filtration elements to remove even more particle types. A HEPA filter will not remove any smells. They use a high-voltage current to charge particles in the air as it passes through and then collect those particles at the other end of the unit with a charged collector plate. With the GermGuardian AC4150BLCA, you are getting a high-quality product that is suitable for home use in rooms up to about 55 square feet in size. The installation is complex, and we don’t recommend attempting it yourself. There’s also a washable prefilter to capture larger particles. Limited ability for odor removal. The air filters that you can wash and have large openings are in the MERV 1 to 4 range. An issue when you get to the MERV 9+ range is that the air flow resistance is higher. It works differently than many other air purifiers in that it uses an ‘active air purification system’ rather than a passive system. Remember, your furnace and/or air conditioner is essentially a whole-house filtration system, and thus may negate the need for an air purifier. In our testing, we consider none to be quiet on the highest fan speed. It’s too hard to get air through an activated carbon filter in order to clean indoor air pollution such as tobacco smoke odors, cooking odors, etc. How does a portable air purifier compare to whole-house air purifiers? Best for: General air quality for a large sq ft area in your home. This is because it is the smallest airborne particles that float in the air the longest. The Aprilaire 5000 Air Cleaner is the oldest air purifier in this list and was introduced back in 2006. To purify an entire home’s air, whole house purifiers normally use an existing air duct system. It has a MERV 11 rating, solid-state power supply, and excellent build quality. Shop our vast selection of products and best online deals. The classic option will remove dust, allergens, pollen, pet dander, fur, smoke, VOC fumes, and even odors. The DUO-2000 is ozone free. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system installed in your home fosters an ideal environment for the growth of germs, bacteria, mold, toxins and gases that can cause respiratory illness and other health issues. I place one in my bedroom and one in the living room since that is where I spend most of my time at home. Activated carbon can be effective in removing many odors. The HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) UV whole house air purifier works wonders on Mold, Bacteria, Viruses, Pollen, Smoke, pet odors and other indoor air pollutants. The Aprilaire 2410 is an ideal representation of what the best furnace mounted whole house air purifier should look like. The DUO-2000 whole house air purification system is a high intensity induct air purifier system and a proven IAQ solution. One thing I like about the Conway Airmega 400 is the smart sensors. The GT3000 is another excellent freestanding whole-home air purifier. Air cleaners have brought relief to thousands of pet owners who suffer from severe allergies. A typical HEPA air purifier will consume around 50-100 watts of energy per hour. So, while not quite large enough to cover your whole home at once, it’s not far off. This particular model is perfect for bedrooms, especially if you ar concerned about germs in the room. Whole-home air purifier installation can supply your home with healthier air, eliminate odors, extend the life of your HVAC system, and decrease dust buildup. This is a fantastic, versatile air cleaner that’s suitable for almost all HVAC systems. You can also look for signs of poor air quality yourself, like mold and musty odors. Can result in higher energy costs to run HVAC constantly. Carbon Prefilter protects the HEPA filter while removing odors, lint, hair and larger particles.. Long-life, 99.97% HEPA Media Filter removes particles 0.3 micron (1/84,000 of an inch) and larger on the first pass of air, such as atmospheric and household dust, coal dust, insecticide dust, mites, pollen, mold spores, fungi, bacteria, viruses, … 1. It offers excellent value-for-money with a greater performance-per-dollar ratio than any other model on this list. They’re commonly used in hospitals in tuberculosis wards, for obvious reasons. That being said, the GT3000 product listing states that it won’t lead to an ozone density of over 0.05 ppm if used correctly, which is generally considered to be safe and less than the maximum recommended output of indoor medical devices under FDA health standards. I created this website to help HVAC techs of all levels get the best out of their heating & cooling systems. Since, your air conditioner and heating system accounts for half or more of most people’s energy bills it could get expensive to operate this system. You’ll want to look at the filter’s MERV rating too. This means that it doesn’t just filter out particles that reach the filter. Speaking of settings, the Coway Airmega lets you choose between five different fan modes: High, Medium, Low, Sleep, and Smart. A whole house air cleaner works by leveraging the air ducts and the fan from your HVAC’s air handler. There are hundreds of A/C products on the market, and not all of them are worth your time and money. Not good for odor removal. Whole-house air purifiers remove unwanted particles and contaminants from the air in your home by passing it through a filter. The main disadvantage is that this process also creates ozone, which has a distinctive odor and can be harmful to breathe in large amounts. What it Filters: Not rated to filter any of the smallest particles that trigger asthma or allergies. Requires an activated carbon filter bank and not enough air flow for this type of filter. We also write about areas where a home air purifier can help. This is why it is best to know its dimensions to judge if it can fit the available space. All home air purifiers require some kind of maintenance, but some need more than others. Replacement filters only cost around $40 apiece. It is professionally installed into your existing HVAC system. Whole house photocatalytic air purifier for HVAC . For example, electronic filters work via a process of ionization – they electrically charge particles so that they can pull them out onto a collector plate – whereas media filters create a physical barrier that traps tiny particles. This should be fairly straightforward as you just need to locate the compartment, remove the old filter, replace it with the new one, and close the access panel. A relatively new type of filter technology called ULPA blocks even more – 99.99% of particles larger than 0.12 microns – but they also restrict more airflow. I hope you found this guide to the best whole-home air purifiers useful. A clogged, dirty filter reduces the efficiency of your home’s HVAC system by making it work harder to push air throughout your house. The models that are reviewed below are designed for specific types of air cleaning. Apart from providing a high quality of performance and mind blowing-utility, this unit also sports a pleasant design, making it a perfect fit for the interior of your house. I have spent thousands of hours studying air conditioners, heaters and home air products so you can learn & buy with confidence. These are sold as either a media filter or a more expensive electronic … If you do not want to deal with an installation or are looking for better dust, allergen, pollen, pet dander, mold, or the removal of indoor air pollution like smoke or odors then a high performance room air purifier is your best choice. So, these are the particles that trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Whole House Electronic Air Cleaners are typically Return Air Duct or Return Air Filter Grille installed. The products we have tested so far are ready to use out of the box. If you’re sensitive to VOCs or smoke, choose the ‘Smoke/Chemical’ option. Designed to work within your forced air heating and cooling system, our HVAC UV whole house air purifiers install directly into the ductwork to purify the air that … Some manufacturers offset the loud noise output by using sensors to determine when the air is clean and automatically lower the fan setting. Consider how much maintenance the unit needs before you buy it. Unlike other HVAC-installed whole house air purifiers, the Aprilaire 5000 can be configured to run independently of your AC system. However, it has stood the test of time and, even to this day, remains one of the most budget-friendly and effective whole house air purifiers. It’s easy to set up – just plug it in and turn it on. The award winning REME HALO ® whole home in-duct air purifier is the next generation of indoor air quality (IAQ) technology and capable of purifying every cubic inch of air that your central air … You can also choose between different HEPA filter types based on the particles you’re most concerned about. The rugged zinc-coated cabinet is very durable and built to last. They’re more effective than flat fiberglass filters at capturing small- and medium-sized particles thanks to the accordion-like pile of filtration media. Another issue is that filters like this that tie into your air conditioning system have the same issue as the lower priced store bought filters. In this article on whole house air purifier reviews we highlight three options available to you. For example, if you suffer from allergies, select the ‘Allergies & Dust’ option. Budget models are available for significantly less than that (around $100), but these are likely to be much less effective. Whole house air purification systems are an excellent way to improve the overall air quality in your home or office. We’re talking about particles in the nanometer range. If you plan on running a purifier in your bedroom or office, a noisy fan will get old quickly. My favorite feature of the Hathaspace 2.0 is the energy efficient smart features. If you’ve been holding your breath for cleaner air, the wait is over. Home – 8 Best Whole House Air Purifiers: (HEPA, HVAC & Furnaces), My name is Josh and I am obsessed with the HVAC industry. Overhead costs aren’t all you have to worry about, though. Assuming you’re running it around the clock for 24 hours per day, it should cost you under $10 per month in electricity usage, or $120 per year. Best for: allergens, fine dust, mold spores, bacteria, viruses, asthma, cigarette smoke, and odors. Your home will smell great after running this for a few hours. … The best Whole House Air Purifiers offer cost-effective and highly efficient particulate filtration for allergy and asthma relief in every room of your house using your existing forced heating and air conditioning system. If you have a smaller living area you may be able to get by with one or two portable units. The DUO Air Sanitizers and Odor Reducers combines PRO-CELL and AirFresh technologies for optimal and complete whole house air … Whole-house air purifiers filter out contaminants and improve the air quality throughout your entire home so that you only ever breathe fresh, clean air no matter what room you’re in. Some whole-house purifiers can cover thousands of square feet. In this article we gave an overview for whole house air purifiers. You also get a couple of extra bulbs for replacement. When air passes over the iWave, ions produced by the device reduce pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors in the air… What type of maintenance is needed with these air filtration systems? Like Putting an Air Purifier in Every Room Compact enough to fit most tight furnace/fan coil installations, this whole-home air purifier solution cleans the air flowing through your system. An excellent choice for offices too! If it’s not enough to convince you, though, know that the company also includes a 5-year warranty with this product. Electronic filters are high-tech units that are installed directly into the ductwork. A whole house HEPA filter is generally not a genuine true HEPA filter but rather a HEPA-type filter. They are meant to clean one room. If you have a forced-air furnace, you’ve already got a rudimentary air-filtration … HVAC air purifier installation costs can be anywhere from around $300 to $700 depending on your existing HVAC set up and the type of unit you’re trying to install. Blue means it’s excellent, orange is okay, and red is poor. The pollutants in your … Whole House UV Air Purifier transform your furnace or HVAC - A/C into a massive air purifier Our 'Blue Series' UV lights consist of 3 main models, the … Hathaspace is confident that you’ll love this new model, and we are too. It can operate with gas, oil, and forced air warm furnaces and AC systems and is compatible with most ducts. When this air purifier is set to “Auto Mode,” sensors will automatically adjust the fan with a range of five different speeds based on your current air quality. It also captures over 97% of airborne pollen. Typically rated for 80% or more of the larger sized dust particles. They’re difficult to install yourself, and it can be dangerous to even try. You should also be able to take care of the maintenance work on your whole home air purifier by yourself as you’ll only typically need to change the filters every few months. The unit will monitor the air quality and change color to let you know how clean the air is. It’s relatively easy to install for a furnace-mounted unit, but I’d still recommend having a professional take care of it. Whole House Furnace Air Cleaner. Often has a white noise. Even when the temperature and humidity levels are ideal, pet dander and pollen circulating in the air can trigger allergy and … It’s not just the cost of the unit itself; you also have to think about installation, maintenance, and electricity costs. Hathaspace HSP002 Smart Air Purifier 2.0, 8 Best Whole House Air Purifiers: (HEPA, HVAC & Furnaces). AIRMEGA 400 – Editor’s Choice. It’s a furnace-mounted unit, so be sure to check that it’ll fit in your HVAC system before you buy. x 4 in. If you have mild allergies or are looking for general household air cleaning for a large square footage area, this could be a good solution. The build quality of your air purifier will affect its performance and durability. Designed for homes up to 2,700 square feet, this unit has a 6-gallon water tank and is a great value at a fraction of the price of some competitors. Whole House Air Purifier Installing a whole-house air purifier is a great idea for yourself and your family from several standpoints. https://www.bloomingair.com/blog/best-whole-house-air-purifiers-reviewed If you’re looking for something more affordable, check out the Aprilaire 2410. One workaround is to buy a whole house air cleaner that also includes it’s own fan. Many technologies only combat one or two categories of air contaminants, and often only in a single room. Powerful 5-Stage Filtration System. UV filters are built-in components that destroy airborne bacteria and viruses using UV light. You can also just reduce the fan speed or turn the purifier off entirely at night. It’s an especially optimal choice for people who rent because there aren’t any permanent fixtures like some of the other options out there. A true HEPA air purifier does the best job in removing airborne particles for cleaner air. The disadvantages are that it requires a professional installation. Extended media filters are generally much thicker than flat filters and don’t usually fit into standard furnace filter slots; they require ductwork modifications to be installed. When and how often do I need to change the filters for my whole house air purifiers? If you go with a HEPA filtration system with MERV 18 filters you get more than 99.99% filter efficiency across all of these particle sizes. It doesn’t get much better than that. A challenge with this type of air filtration system, in most cases, is that it will not clean your whole home unless you live in a small apartment or tiny home. Next, the air is electrically charged as it passes through a high voltage electric field, and the charged particles are collected on collector plates with the opposite electrical charge. It is quite possible that your furnace room is small, or you have to carry the humidifier high up to the attic or down below to the basement to install it. If you’re using this in a larger home, be aware that it might only clean the room it’s placed in. In many cases this causes added stress to your ventilation system since most were not designed to be filtered with a more dense filter. And they are too small to be filtered by your nasal passages so it’s what you breathe into your lungs. If you’re looking for a freestanding unit, look no further than the Alen BreatheSmart Classic. There is no installation with a room air cleaner. That is, your air handler is not designed to be run with a high efficiency filter since this filter adds a lot of air flow resistance. What it Removes: 90%+ of the smallest airborne particles that trigger as asthma or allergies and 100% of the larger sized dust particles. Advantage is low cost. The YORK® Affinity™ Series Whole-house Fan-powered Humidifier improves comfort by restoring optimal humidity levels in the air while reducing the conditions for mold, bacteria and virus growth. Furthermore, if you are more sensitive to allergies, have asthma or need to remove tobacco smoke particles you will not find a whole house air cleaner with the higher filter efficiencies. That means, it gives an indication for the size and percentage of airborne particles that the filter can remove. You’ll need to change the filters periodically. An example is the Fresh-aire UV system. These brands include HEPA and ozone models for safe home air purification. It depends on the type of filter, but usually every 6 or 12 months. In the research we have done we do not see any of these systems use a true HEPA filter so the filtration ability for the smaller particles. It’s a furnace-mounted unit, which means it needs to be installed on or near your furnace. Depending on your budget, you’ll probably be spending around $500-$1,000 for the whole house air purifier unit right off the bat. So, for example, if you’re trying to purify a 300-square ft room, you’ll need a filter with a CADR of 200 or more. Bryant ® Air Purifiers WHATEVER Your Indoor Air Quality, We Can Help Remove Impurities. What it Filters: Large dust, pet hair, pet dander and mold spores. There are a few other ongoing costs associated with running a whole-home air purifier too. Whole-house air filtration systems need to be built into your return-air ductwork. The Dust Free® Active Air Purifier’s unique combination of technologies target air quality problems at the source, such as dust, dander, volatile organic compounds, allergens, and odors. It really comes down to your needs and is often a matter of choosing between a whole house … A Lennox® PureAir™ whole-home air purification system improves indoor air quality better than any single system you can buy. Our top pick for the overall best whole house air purifier goes to the Honeywell F300E1019. The biggest selling feature is that it uses an H13 HEPA air purifier, arguably better than True HEPA filtration and completely medical grade – trapping 99% of all air particles up to .1 micron. Advantage forpow purifies the air beyond filtration! You also don’t have to worry about ozone as the unit has no moving parts. They’re also often more capable of removing the tiniest particles due to the kind of HEPA filters they usually use. In the case of a pleated filter or HEPA filter, the media is often made from a plastic material or glass fiber that is woven into tightly knit fibers. Like Putting an Air Purifier in Every Room Compact enough to fit most tight furnace/fan coil installations, this whole-home air purifier solution cleans the air flowing through your system. The mechanism by which the filter itself removes particles from the air varies depending on the type of filter you’re using. Another factor to consider is the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate). This enables the central air purifier to have higher air flow so it can use a better filters. Or possibly use to remove other odors. Filters in the MERV 4 to 8 range do a better job with larger sized mold, mold spores, dust mite debris, plus cat and dog dander. 2 This is a good way to know how efficient the filters are. We hare not aware of this in residential use. Whole-home air purifiers are more challenging to install but are better at cleaning the air across your home. Finally, we have the GermGuardian AC4150BLCA, our favorite mini whole house UV air purifier. Limited effectiveness in removing allergens, pollen, fine dust, bacteria and mold since the filters have a lower MERV rating. Whole-house air filtration systems do not block any airflow which has no adverse effects on how your HVAC systems operate. Number of filters: 3. In this article we also provide tips, pluses and minuses for each option. It also eliminates odors from pets, cooking, and smoking and replaces it with a fresh, outdoor-esque scent. You’ll usually have to move them to whatever room you’re currently in for them to be effective. As the air passes through your HVAC system, the unit filters out particles permanently with 72 sq. It gives you more options to find a model that addresses your specific need. There are two types of home air purifiers: HVAC units and portable/freestanding units. In this article on whole house air purifier reviews we highlight three options available to you. The Aprilair whole house humidifier is by far one of the best solutions for large multi-storeyed houses. If you’re trying to purify the air in your whole home at once, the same rule applies, except you’ll be going off the size of your whole house and running it with the doors open. As a side note, if you need to remove radon gas, carbon seems to be only somewhat effective. Silent but does not address moderate to severe allergies, asthma, fine dust, smoke or odors. These whole home air purifiers will improve the indoor air … This means these systems use lower grade filters that are less than true HEPA filters. Purifiers installed into your existing HVAC ductwork are generally able to cover a much larger area than portable purifiers. Central HVAC air filter maintenance. Lower performance than a HEPA air purifier so less effective for. While they are quiet to where I am used to the white noise, they are not silent like the installed whole house systems. It utilizes a three-stage filtration process that captures 98% of all the particles that pass through. The Perfect 16 whole-house air purifier fits seamlessly into your existing HVAC system, continuously filtering particle pollutants down to 0.003 microns throughout your entire indoor space. In the case of UV filters, you may also need to replace the bulbs every year or so. However, if you spend most of your time out of the house and want to save on electricity usage, you can reduce that to 10-12 hours a day. Whole-house air purifiers are capable of covering much larger areas than single-room models. The Hathaspace Smart Air Purifier 2.0 is their brand new model based on the technology of their original design and quite a few upgrades. The better the coverage, the more confidence the manufacturer has in the product. It is simply an air purification system that cleans your whole home. Some. Unlike a console unit, a whole house furnace humidifier needs to be attached to the HVAC system. The higher the MERV rating the higher the efficiency. Since it has a dedicated fan it is able to use a higher efficiency filter. The dirty air is only being filtered while the HVAC system is running. For example, they may also include activated carbon to eliminate odor. From: CR’s take: The maker of this tiny air purifier claims it will clean the air … It offers exceptional quality performance and unique utility. The Best Whole House Air Purifiers Offer Silent and Simultaneous Air Cleaning of Every Room Using Your Furnace HVAC System. All filters have a MERV rating between 1 and 20, and this number tells you how effectively it removes particles and allergens from the air. Installed directly onto an air duct in your home forced air furnace system and connected to a central water system that will automatically fill in the water tank, this unit requires minimum maintenance and control.