If you want the best possible air quality for your St. Louis area home, you’ll need more than a standard air filter. One option you have for enhanced particle control is a whole-house electronic air cleaner.
What is a whole-house electronic air cleaner?
A whole-house electronic air cleaner is an air-cleaning device that can be used in place of a standard air filter. It is electrically powered by your existing HVAC system and is extremely effective at removing small particles from your home’s air.
When air passes through an electronic air cleaner, it goes through a set of ionizing wires that enhance the charge of airborne particles. Just past these ionizing wires is a set of flat collection plates that have the opposite charge of the particles. The newly charged particles are attracted to the collector plates and bond to them, thus removing them from the air.
Electronic air cleaners have advanced over the years, and there are now various types available. Newer models, for example, use stronger ionizing needles instead of wires.
What are the advantages of a whole-house electronic air cleaner?
Unlike standard air filters, electronic air cleaners can remove almost all of the small particles in the air that can make us sick and aggravate symptoms of asthma and allergies. Properly maintained electronic air cleaners are also extremely effective at protecting your HVAC system from particle buildup that can reduce performance and lead to equipment failures.
Although the older-style plated electronic air cleaners required frequent maintenance, newer models require even less maintenance than standard air filters. Unlike air filters, which need to be changed every month, most advanced electronic air cleaners only need to be cleaned every 3-6 months.
What are the disadvantages of a whole-house electronic air cleaner?
To remain efficient, older-style electronic air cleaners need to be aggressively cleaned with a cleaning solvent every 30 days. Although newer models remain efficient for 6-9 months, they cannot be cleaned with a cleaning solvent because it will damage the unit. As a result, many advanced models require the purchase of media replacements.
Also, certain electronic air cleaners can create uncontrolled ozone in your home’s air. Too much ozone can make some individuals uncomfortable. However, excess ozone is an insignificant problem in certain electronic/media hybrids and not a problem at all in polarized media air cleaners.
If you have any questions about a whole-house electronic air cleaner, or if you’d like an air purification system installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical, your St. Louis area heating and cooling company.
