Jay Vitale of Air For Life looks at the essential importance of indoor air quality, and the practical considerations around purification systems, while addressing common self-builder concerns to help you breathe easier
Building a home from scratch is a rewarding endeavour, offering the chance to customise every aspect of your living space. However, ensuring a healthy indoor environment is crucial, especially in this era of increasing environmental pollutants and airborne diseases. One key solution that self-build homeowners often look to is an air purification system. With a plethora of options available, making an informed choice tailored to your specific needs is vital.
WHAT TYPE OF AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEM IS BEST SUITED FOR MY SELF-BUILD?
With so many options on the market, you have to evaluate what is important to your build. Is it an easy-to-use system, the highest grade of filtration, or the option with the best aesthetic? One area that all self-builders should take into consideration is that many of the air purifiers on the market have filters which require the filter to be changed periodically, meaning you have to open up the system exposing your house to bacteria and other dangerous particles. Opting for filterless technology when installing an air purifier in your house is an excellent choice. It ensures that after the purifier has effectively cleaned the air, you won’t need to risk exposing yourself and your family to harmful particles.
Purifiers should be carefully positioned around the house to allow maximum airflow within the indoor spaces. Windows and doors should remain closed at all times while using the air purifier to prevent further contaminants from entering the indoor space and polluting the purified air. It is important to know how much area the air purifier covers to ensure that you are getting the best possible outcome, this will then determine the number of air purifiers you will need within your home.
HOW CAN I ENSURE PROPER VENTILATION & AIR CIRCULATION WHILE USING AN AIR PURIFIER?
To balance air purification and ventilation, consider integrating air purifiers into your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system. Place portable purifiers strategically in areas with high traffic.
HOW CAN AIR PURIFIERS HELP MITIGATE SPECIFIC POLLUTANTS IN NEW BUILDS?
With new developments, there are many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be found in the air of a new building, from materials that have been used, such as paint, glue, and chemicals from new carpets. Alternatively, dust particles in the air during the build can linger in the air.
These harmful VOCs and odours can be destroyed with a filterless ionising air purifier whereas a HEPA filter purifier can take longer, but does not guarantee that the VOCs will be eliminated. An air purifier helps to reduce dust particles that are in the air and can either capture them if the purifier has a filter which will lead to regularly changing the filter and exposure to the dust or for the dust to be turned into H2O if using a filterless purifier with ionisation technology.
If anyone is changing the filter, we would strongly recommend that a mask is worn to protect yourself against contaminants that are in the air. Many dangerous contaminants are exposed into the air from the filter which has built up over time, including bacteria that can multiply and mutate on these filters.
The person who is changing the filter is at risk of breathing this into their lungs and damaging their health, which can cause long term problems. This is why we would advise choosing an ionising system without filters as opposed to a filtered air purifier, to reduce the maintenance and health risks and also to reduce ongoing costs, as you don’t have to purchase expensive filters to ensure your system is working efficiently.
WHAT MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED FOR AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEMS, & HOW OFTEN DO THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED?
Maintenance requirements vary, but generally, regular cleaning of the pre-filter and replacement of HEPA and activated carbon filters is necessary. This is why we would suggest choosing a system without filters to reduce the maintenance and ongoing costs, as you don’t have to purchase expensive filters to ensure your system is working efficiently.
CAN AIR PURIFIERS HELP WITH ALLERGENS & IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN MY SELF-BUILD HOME?
Depending on the system you are using, you should anticipate the system should remove all harmful allergens eliminating bacteria, viruses including Covid-19, E. coli, Salmonella, VOCs, mould and odours ensuring clean air. The combined effects of ambient air pollution and household air pollution are associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually (WHO 2022).
Certain air purifiers have the capability and scientific research behind them to demonstrate how they can help relieve symptoms of hay fever and allergens, and even help reduce symptoms of asthma within an indoor environment. Choosing them means interior spaces that are safer for you and your family.
Jay Vitale is CEO at Air For Life