Date: February 20, 2023
In the coldest weeks of the winter, families tend to spend even more time indoors than usual. And while it can be pleasant to get cozy in your toasty refuge from the frigid Boston area weather, there are definite downsides to spending so much time indoors.
One issue you might not have considered is your home’s indoor air quality (IAQ). The air inside your home can be many times more polluted than the outdoor air. And your home’s heating system could be circulating a lot of dust, debris, mold and other toxins through your home. These particles can exacerbate asthma and allergies. They can dry out your skin and spread bacterial and viral infections.
At Cubby Oil & Energy, we offer a slate of IAQ products, including air cleaners and air purifiers. You might have heard the term HEPA attached to some IAQ equipment. Here’s a brief explainer of what a HEPA air purifier is.
HEPA is an acronym that stands for “high efficiency particulate air.” A HEPA filter is an efficient, pleated air filter that can stop 99.7 percent of airborne particles down to the size of 0.3 microns. These particles include dust, pollen, bacteria and mold.
HEPA filters have a high MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values) rating. A high rating indicates that a filter is effective in trapping airborne pollutants.
Many air purifiers contain a HEPA filter because they are good at capturing particles that would otherwise remain stubbornly in your living spaces and negatively impact your health.
An air purifier with a HEPA filter is a significant step toward improving your home’s IAQ. Most furnaces come with low-quality flat-panel air filters with relatively low MERV ratings. A lot of insidious particles can make it through these substandard filters. Installing an air purifier with HEPA filters provides an additional level of protection.
However, other air quality fixes can help as much or more.
Some air purifiers use HEPA filters, but other air purification technologies are available. Our IAQ team installs some of the most technologically advanced air purifiers around. They use ultraviolet (UV) light to eradicate germs, bacteria and other organisms. Germicidal UV light is incredibly effective at improving your air quality.
You can also pair a UV light air purifier with improved filtration by replacing the air filter in your furnace with a HEPA filter. This offers the best of both worlds and further bolsters your IAQ measures.
Households in Boston and nearby towns turn to Cubby Oil & Energy to improve their air quality. In addition to air purifiers, we sell and install whole-house humidifiers, air cleaners and ventilation systems. Whatever your IAQ concern, we have a solution.
Our team members are ready to find a tailor-made answer to help you breathe easier in your home. Set up an IAQ assessment now.