What's The Best Way To Set Up for Whole House Air Purifiers?

Whole house air purifiers: There's more than one way to do this.

There are three strategies for setting up for whole house air cleaing...

BEST: A FLEXIBLE PLAN FOR MOST PEOPLE

True whole house air cleaners (that connect right into your heating or air conditioning) cannot compete with the efficiency and effectiveness of top room air purifiers.

Since true whole house air filters need to be installed in the HVAC system, they cannot afford to filter as tightly and reduce your airflow.

Strategically placing enough quality room air purifiers in each area will accomplish better results than true whole house air purifier alone, since they filter more effectively.

To do this, roughly calculate the square footage and number of areas you need to filter.

Then order and place an air purifier in each area (some will do more than one room if there is adequate opening between rooms) and set it on a speed that will effectively filter that square footage.

Drawbacks:

  • Unless you have an air purifier in every single room, you may have dead spots that aren't getting filtered as well.
  • Can be expensive, but if saving money is important you can scale back on the number of purifiers you buy and still get good results.

Ideal setup:

One to two Blueairs or IQAirs on each level and/or one in each bedroom, one or two Airfree air sterilizers (one in the basement).

 

Alternate plan: Buy one bigger air purifier for each level or one bigger in each living area and one smaller in each bedroom.

BETTER: TRUE WHOLE HOUSE AIR CLEANERS

True whole house air cleaners, such as IQAir whole house air filters, need to be professionally installed into the air handling system of your furnace/air conditioner.

I'm not a big fan of forced air heat. It's drafty and dirty. (We have hot water heat, which is warm, steady, and no drafts)

But if I had to have forced air or whole house air conditioning, I would seriously consider a whole house air purifier.

Drawbacks:

  • Expensive: $2695-$3195, includes installation.
  • Limited Performance: The IQAir Perfect 16 whole house air purifier is only going to perform at around standard HEPA (95% of all particles .3 microns or larger) A regular IQ Air HealthPro Plus air purifier will filter out 99.7 percent of all air particles .003 microns and larger as well as volatile organic compounds.
  • Needs existing heating or cooling ductwork.

Ideal setup:

Not deterred by high prices, you install a whole house air purifier and place room air purifiers in main living areas and bedrooms.

GOOD: ELBOW GREASE SPECIAL

Buy one or two really good room air purifier and use it like whole house air purifiers by moving it around to where you are, and into your bedroom at night.

Cheaper. Good for singles. Great air purification wherever you are.

Drawbacks:

  • Hassle of moving the unit around
  • When you enter a new area, your air will temporarily be not as clean, but you'll still be 100 times better off than the chap without any air purifier.

If you're going to do this, make sure you get a really good, larger capacity air purifier to act as your whole house air purifier. I recommend the Blueair 601 or IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifiers.

Ideal setup:

A high capacity air purifier that's easy to move around. Suggested: The IQ Air HealthPro Plus air purifier.

BOTTOM LINE:

  • Whole house air filters are not the only way to achieve whole house air purification.
  • If money is not an issue, install a whole house air purifier (the The IQAir Perfect 16) and complement with several room air purifiers and you'll have the cleanest air possible.
  • Several room air purifiers placed strategically around the house will provide very clean air...try Blueair air purifiers or IQAir air purifiers in living areas and bedrooms and add specialized purifiers such as the airfree air sterilizer as budget allows.
  • For the budget conscious, buy one to two best air purifiers and move them around the house.

Still need some help figuring out what you should do? I love helping people sort out the issues. Use the air purifier questions page and I'll help you customize your whole house air purifiers plan....

 

 


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