Are nearby wildfires impacting your indoor air quality? Many homeowners think that the air filter on their air conditioner is helping to filter out some of that wildfire smoke. However, the pollution particles from wildfire smoke are often small enough that they can get through these filters.
If you’re concerned about your indoor air quality and want to schedule air conditioning service in Langdon, AB, give our team a call. We can schedule an in-home assessment and talk to you about your indoor air quality, including how wildfire smoke may have an impact. You can also keep reading to learn more about what your HVAC filter can and cannot remove from your air and what you can do about pollution from wildfires.
Does My HVAC Filter Help with Wildfire Smoke?
Maybe. It depends on the quality of your HVAC filter. Some HVAC filters have lower ratings, meaning that they capture fewer particles, usually only larger pieces of debris in the air. Other HVAC filters have higher ratings and can capture many of the microscopic particles that come from wildfire pollution. However, the stronger the air filter, the more strain that it places on your HVAC system.
You may be tempted to upgrade your air filter, but your HVAC system was not designed to have enough power to draw airflow in through such a strong filter. Investing in a higher-quality filter because of wildfire smoke may result in problems with your air conditioner. Plus, the air filters that are designed for residential HVAC systems only have ratings that go up so high.
Is There Another Solution?
Yes! The highest-quality air filters are found in air purifiers. These systems are specifically designed to remove nearly all pollutants from your air. They have the power to match the airflow needs of the system. A whole house air purifier is unique because it gets installed inside of your HVAC system where all of the airflow will pass. Air gets filtered before ever blowing into your home, eliminating more than 99% of all of the pollution in your air, including particles from wildfire smoke.
And you have other options besides a HEPA filter. There are also UV air purifiers that use UV light to neutralize particles in the air so that they are no longer harmful to your health. An air purifier, whether it is a filter or UV light, helps with more than just wildfire pollution. It will also eliminate bacteria and viruses from the air so you won’t get sick or suffer from allergies as often. The only maintenance that an air purifier needs is changing out either the filter or the UV light once per year. It’s something that our team can do during annual air conditioner maintenance.
Plus, an air purifier takes some of the strain off of your HVAC system. You can invest in a lower-quality air filter that allows plenty of airflow into your HVAC system, while still enjoying cleaner air. If your air conditioner does not have to work as hard to bring in airflow, it will use less energy and ultimately lower your utility costs for cooling your home.
Contact Ace Plumbing and Heating today to schedule an appointment for your HVAC and indoor air quality needs. Happy Today or You Don’t Pay!