If you’ve been shopping online for ways to improve the air quality within your home, you may have encountered air scrubbers. Owning one in your home has plenty of benefits, but do they have any disadvantages? By learning the pros and cons of air scrubbers, you can start weighing out your decision if this system is right for you.

Over the last 15 years and counting, we’ve seen a growing demand for air scrubbers for homes across Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we’ve seen how the advantages of air scrubbers are enticing homeowners to have them installed in their homes in an effort to improve air quality. Conversely, we’ve also seen how the few disadvantages of air scrubbers may convince homeowners to seek other air-purifying options. 

Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of air scrubbers. 

The pros of air scrubbers include:

  • Improve air quality
  • Low maintenance
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Versatility 

While the only disadvantage of an air scrubber is that it can increase the number of times the air filter on your HVAC system must be replaced.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a better picture of how the pros and cons of air scrubbers weigh with one another to see if this system is truly a good fit for your home.

 

Pros of Air Scrubbers

The list of pros of air scrubbers may seem long, but it speaks volumes about the effectiveness and credibility of this system. The following list looks at the most important benefits of air scrubbers to serve as a starting point for your consideration. 

 

Air Scrubbers Improve Air Quality

The primary function of air scrubbers is to improve the air quality of a home by reducing up to 99.9% of contaminants in the air and on surfaces. Air scrubbers operate while an HVAC system is running to ensure that the indoor air remains good. One air scrubber can cover up to 2,000 square feet indoors, providing better air quality for medium-sized homes. 

Using ActivePure Technology, air scrubbers create molecules released into the air and actively target specific contaminants and pathogens. While an HVAC system such as a furnace or air conditioner is running, the targeted pollutants are either killed by the UV light within the air scrubber or are trapped by the air filter. 

Some of the pollutants affected by an air scrubber include pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, MRSA, E. coli, and more. Other contaminants include dust, pollen, and pet dander. 

Thanks to its effectiveness, ActivePure Technology is used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to maintain good air quality inside spacecraft. Despite operating non-stop, air scrubbers are low maintenance. 

 

Air Scrubbers Are Low Maintenance 

Once installed, air scrubbers require little to no maintenance to operate. According to Aerus, the leading manufacturer of air scrubbers with ActivePure Technology, replacing the bulb inside the unit once a year is recommended. Failing to replace the bulb may make the air scrubber less efficient at cleaning and maintaining the air quality inside a home. 

Air scrubbers are duct-mounted systems, so it can be difficult for some homeowners to replace the bulb without the assistance of a certified technician. The entire process can take less than 30 minutes and be part of an annual HVAC tune-up so that homeowners can have efficient heating and cooling and improved air quality. 

Besides requiring little maintenance, air scrubbers are also environmentally friendly.

 

Air Scrubbers Are Environmentally-Friendly

Homeowners can install an air scrubber in their homes without worrying about releasing harmful chemicals into the environment, thanks to its low carbon footprint. Air scrubbers with ActivePure Technology are certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) thanks to their ability to provide cleaner air. 

Although air scrubbers use 17 watts of electricity, far less than other household appliances. By using less energy, air scrubbers contribute very little to electrical grids that power homes across cities. 

On their own, air scrubbers provide an entire home with improved air quality and offer versatility that homeowners can take advantage of. 

 

Air Scrubbers Are Versatile 

Air scrubbers can be mounted to an existing or new HVAC system, come in portable sizes, and can be combined with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to provide maximum air purification. Although whole-house air scrubbers are popular, some homeowners can take a portable air scrubber with them to keep in their office or car. 

HEPA filters are highly effective at trapping a wide range of contaminants that some average air filters can’t catch. Yet, these filters are passive filtration, meaning they depend on pollutants to pass through them. 

On the other hand, air scrubbers are active, meaning they release molecules that seek out pollutants. By combining a HEPA filter with an air scrubber, HVAC systems have increased efficiency at capturing contaminants.

Dust accumulation can negatively affect an HVAC system’s heating and cooling efficiency. Homeowners can protect their HVAC systems from dust and other pollens with an air scrubber and HEPA filter. 

Great versatility is just one of the many benefits of air scrubbers, but the following section will review one of the disadvantages of these systems. 

 

Cons of Air Scrubbers 

 

Increases Air Filter Replacement

Air scrubbers work hard to capture all sorts of contaminants, but it can quickly lead to dirty filters requiring replacements. Air filters help capture dust and other particles that would otherwise circulate throughout a home. With an air scrubber installed, air filters can catch more particulate matter.

All the contaminants targeted by air scrubbers that aren’t killed by its UV light waves are trapped in the air filter. These contaminants will remain trapped until the filter is disposed of. Failing to replace air filters can cause HVAC systems to work harder to provide heating and cooling, which may lead to increased energy costs.

Air scrubbers may require homeowners to replace their air filters every few months instead of once or twice a year. Fortunately, air filter replacement is an easy task that many homeowners can complete on their own. 

 

Are Air Scrubbers Right for Me?

We’ve reviewed all the pros and the single disadvantages of an air scrubber so you can determine for yourself if this system can truly benefit your home. Ultimately, the decision will fall on the homeowner, but with this information, you can weigh out the good with the bad to see if an air scrubber is a great investment. 

Since 2007, we’ve worked with the top brands to provide homeowners with various air purification systems, including air scrubbers. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we’ve seen how the pros and cons of air scrubbers can provide homes across Los Angeles with improved air quality at the cost of increased air filter replacement. 

If you’re interested in an air scrubber installation, contact us using one of the buttons below. You can also book an appointment with any of our certified HVAC technicians through our HVAC online scheduler

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