It’s time to settle the debate between whole-home air quality solutions and portable air quality solutions. Is one system better than the other? If so, why is that the case? For homeowners and indoor dwellers of all spaces looking to improve indoor air quality, we recommend whole-home solutions for five main reasons. Before we delve into those reasons, let’s take a look at the difference between whole-home solutions and portable solutions.
What Are Whole-Home IAQ Solutions?
By nature, whole-home IAQ control solutions improve indoor air quality in every room at the same time. Due to the fact that whole-house solutions install directly into an existing HVAC system, these add-on devices have access to all of the fans, vents and ductwork. This allows whole-home solutions to access every room simultaneously. If you have a central air system, then your home air filter is a whole-home solution. Other whole-home solutions include humidifiers, dehumidifiers, mechanical ventilation systems, air purifiers and indoor air quality monitors.
Whole-Home Air Purification: The whole-home vs. portable device debate is often centered around air cleaning solutions. How whole-home air purifiers work and if they’re really worth the money available here →What Are Portable IAQ Solutions?
By nature, portable solutions resolve indoor air quality issues in one room at a time. These solutions, also known as single-room devices, are not installed directly into existing HVAC systems. Instead, they are battery-operated or utilize electrical outlets for power and remain in one space. Portable air quality devices include humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air cleaners and air purifiers.
5 Whole-Home Air Quality Solutions Benefits
#1
As aforementioned, whole-home air quality solutions address the entire home at once, hence the name whole-home. For example, a whole-home energy recovery ventilator introduces fresh air from the outside while helping remove stale air from the inside. It saves energy (and money!) by transferring energy from the outgoing airstream to the incoming airstream. The result: properly ventilating the entire home.
#2
Whole-home solutions are more efficient and effective. For example, a whole-home active air purifier does not wait for indoor air pollutants to travel through a standalone device. Instead, it utilizes an active air component to seek out and destroy air pollutants. (Such as bipolar ionization encouraging particles to stick together creating larger, easier targets for the air filter to capture.) Unfortunately, the majority of portable air-cleaning systems are not active. They must lie in wait for air pollutants to travel from all corners of the house to its location.
#3
Whole-home solutions require less maintenance overall. For example, a whole-home humidifier borrows water from a home’s plumbing system which requires absolutely no effort on the part of the homeowner. On the other hand, portable humidifiers require regular refills as well as routine cleaning. This may be a frequent task depending upon the size of the room in which the portable humidifier is located.
Healthy Home IAQ: Curious which whole-home air quality solution would work best for your space? There are five indoor air quality control solutions to choose from, check out or helpful guide and learn all about your options here →#4
Whole-home solutions are quiet. This lack of disruption allows homeowners to maintain a comfortable indoor atmosphere. Whereas portable solutions may be as loud as a window air conditioner. Constant banging, clanking and rattling make it extremely difficult to perform a number of activities.
#5
And, whole-home air quality solutions are smart. Operating in tandem with your existing HVAC system, these solutions are designed for easy operation. Whole-home humidifiers and whole-home dehumidifiers are equipped with a humidistat. The humidistat alerts the system when indoor humidity is above or below your ideal range. The system responds automatically by increasing or decreasing humidity until the ideal range is achieved. That makes these systems a one-and-done solution—requiring a single setting for healthier indoor air. While occupants can detect an increase or decrease in humidity and adjust the portable device accordingly, it is unlikely that the device itself can detect and adjust as easily as a whole-home solution.
Air Quality Benefits of Whole-Home Solutions
The bottom line: you don’t live in one room of your home. Whole-home IAQ control is better than portable simply for that fact alone. Why work to improve the quality of one room, when you can create a healthier, cleaner indoor environment throughout the entire space. And—do so at once!
Whole-Home Air Quality Solutions Are Worth It
It is obvious that whole-home solutions have numerous benefits that portable solutions simply cannot compete with. Overall, they are more efficient and effective with regard to improving indoor air quality. If you’re looking to save time, energy and money, it is best to invest in whole-home solutions.
