back to blog

What Is an Air Scrubber & What Do They Do?

During the winter months, we tend to spend the majority of our time indoors, avoiding cold temperatures and wet weather. You may not realize it, but spending so much time inside can cause the quality of your air to suffer. Homes today are constructed with tight seals, heightened insulation, and less porous materials than in the past. While this is great for keeping out things like unwanted moisture, bugs, and pests, it also traps air inside your home. This stagnant air gets recirculated again and again, resulting in less than ideal indoor air quality.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality can be as much as five times more polluted than outdoor air. Although this is an alarming statistic, there are ways you can ensure your home’s air remains healthy and fresh.

Call Penguin today at (480) 747-6800 to speak with one of our indoor air quality experts or contact us online to schedule a consultation!

Understanding Air Scrubbers & Air Purifiers

What’s the difference between an air scrubber & an air purifier?
The most notable thing that differentiates air scrubbers and air purifiers is the level of clean that they achieve. While air purifiers are only able to remove particles that are airborne, an air scrubber can eliminate up to 99% of airborne microorganisms along with surface microorganisms, including black mold, staph, and MRSA.

So, how exactly do they work?
The basics of air purifier and air scrubber technology may evoke memories of your high school chemistry class. That’s because they both utilize molecular atoms. Recall that molecular atoms consist of positive, neutral, and negative elements known as protons, neutrons, and electrons. Having an equal number of protons and electrons makes an atom neutral. When an atom has extra electrons, it’s known as a negative ion, and when an atom has extra protons, it’s called a positive ion. It’s important to note that atoms always seek to be neutral – balanced atoms are happy atoms. This is where the air purifying and scrubbing technology comes into play.

Air purifiers and air scrubbers use what is known as “negative ionization” to clear the air of contaminants. Most pollutants in our home’s air have a positive charge. So, in order for the air to be truly clean at a molecular level, the air needs to be infused with negative ions to neutralize the positive contaminants.

To speak to one of our professionals on the importance of improving your indoor air quality, call Penguin today at (480) 747-6800 or contact us online today to schedule a consultation!

Air Purifiers

Air purifiers rely on a filter system to pull air in and neutralize negative contaminants, releasing balanced and clean air back into your home. The longer your air purifier runs, the more air it’s able to neutralize, resulting in cleaner air circulating within your home.

Air Scrubbers

Air scrubbers utilize your home’s duct system to create a search-and-retrieve approach to air sanitization. Specially coated tubes are inserted into your duct system, along with UVC lighting. This creates negative ions that are released into the air and attach themselves to positively charged contaminants. This not only neutralizes them but also weighs them down so that they can no longer stay afloat.

During the first few days of using an air scrubber, you may notice an increase in dust around your home, which can be vacuumed or wiped away. This is a sure sign that your air scrubber is doing its job. After this initial period, there won’t be much dust at all. An added benefit to air scrubbing is that it not only kills 99.9% of contaminants in your home’s air, but it cleans all surfaces as well.

Air Scrubbers have been proven to be effective in protecting your home from viruses and pathogens, including:

• Bird Flu
• Swine Flu
• MRSA
• E. Coli
• Norovirus
• Staph
• Strep
• Listeria

Call Penguin today at (480) 747-6800 or contact us online today to schedule your indoor air quality consultation!

Which Method is Right for You?

Air purifiers are plentiful these days – they are available at most retail home stores and are a great first step in ensuring clean air in your home. Air scrubbers are more complex and require professional installation within your duct system.

While air purifiers generally do a great job of cleaning your home’s air over time, air scrubbers extend their sanitizing prowess to all surfaces in your home, resulting in a more extensive clean.

If you’re interested in learning more about measures you can take to ensure optimal indoor air quality in your home, contact Penguin Heating and Air to discuss your options! Our licensed professionals are available around the clock to answer your questions.

Give us a call today at (480) 747-6800 to talk about indoor air quality in your home, or contact us online today to schedule your consultation!

You May Also Be Interested In:

5 Types of Air Cleaners to Keep Your Airflow Clean & Breathable

The Leading Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Air Quality & Energy Savings