What everyone really wants to know is do they kill the Corona virus? Unfortunately there is no conclusive evidence, and if there was it probably wouldn’t be real life examples at this point. There are a lot of claims out there about the effectiveness of certain filters and air purifiers; “reduce germs in a sneeze by 98% before they travel 3 feet” ; “Effective against illness causing bacteria and viruses”; “Kills 99% of viruses on surfaces”. Any of these claims should be taken with a grain of salt. While the effectiveness might be backed by scientific studies and real world examples, it is always important to look deeper. The bottom line is that our homes are not scientific laboratories and real world examples can be manipulated. This should be considered when evaluating claims by manufacturers.
That being said, air quality in a home can be improved with air conditioning filters and air purifiers . Filters and air purifiers do make the air you breathe better. How much better depends on each home. Things such as the amount of people and animals in the home, activities taking place in the home, age and quality of construction, and quality of the duct work and HVAC installation can have an effect on air quality. We should do what we can to improve the quality of the air we breathe. The better the air we breathe the healthier we are, and the better equipped our bodies will be to fight illnesses. We should all be following the recommendations of the CDC to reduce exposure and spread of the Corona virus and other illnesses. We should also try to stay as healthy as possible, and air quality is a big part of that.
There are a couple of things that you can do immediately to improve the air quality in your home. First, make sure you have clean air filters. The frequency of changing your air filters depends on each individual home, but make it a habit to check them regularly. You can also turn your HVAC system to run the fan continuously. On most thermostats move the fan switch to on. This will be effective in circulating and filtering more air in your home(your filters don’t work if your blower is not running). While you will see a relative increase in your electric bill (less so for those systems equipped with a variable speed motor) it is a small price to pay for cleaner air. You might even find your home feels more comfortable with the air continuously mixed causing you to adjust your thermostat, and saving you money. When you want to take the next step in air quality, consider installing a Trane Clean Effects or Air Scrubber.
Contact us with any questions you have, or for solutions that could improve the air quality in your home.
