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Whole-house air cleaners in Minneapolis
A portable air purifier cleans one room. A whole-house air cleaner on the furnace cleans the air in every room the ducts reach, every time the blower runs. We fit the filter or purifier to your system's airflow so it cleans the air without choking the blower.
- 24/7 calls answered
- Minneapolis service office
- Whole-house every ducted room
- Sized to airflow no blower strain
Quick answer
A whole-house air purifier in Minneapolis mounts in the furnace return and cleans air every time the blower runs. Media filter cabinets are the most effective and least fussy option, and they must be sized to the system's airflow; a typical 3 ton system moves about 1,200 cubic feet per minute.
Air Quality & Ducts
What actually cleans household air
The filter slot in most furnaces holds a thin one-inch filter, and higher-efficiency one-inch filters restrict airflow enough to hurt the furnace. A media filter cabinet holds a deep pleated filter with far more surface area, so it catches fine particles while letting air through easily.
UV lights and electronic cleaners address different problems. UV keeps the coil clean and reduces growth on wet surfaces; electronic units charge particles so they are captured. We match the product to the problem you actually have rather than stacking every device on one furnace.
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Which air cleaner fits your problem
| Device | Best at | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|
| Media filter cabinet | Dust, pollen, smoke | Filter change every 6 to 12 months |
| UV light | Coil and drain pan growth | Lamp replacement yearly or so |
| Electronic cleaner | Very fine particles | Wash collector plates regularly |
| One-inch filter | Protecting the equipment | Change every 1 to 3 months |
Cost factors
What moves the price
Air cleaner costs depend on the device and how it fits the system.
- Device type. Media cabinets, UV lights and electronic cleaners differ in cost.
- Cabinet size. Matched to the blower's airflow.
- Return modifications. Some returns need sheet metal changes to fit a cabinet.
- Electrical. UV and electronic units need power at the furnace.
- Replacement filters. Deep media filters cost more but last much longer.
- Thermostat fan setup. Continuous or scheduled fan settings if needed.
- Static pressure test. Confirms the system still breathes properly.
Media filter cabinets
A media filter cabinet mounts between the return duct and the furnace and holds a four or five inch deep pleated filter. The extra depth gives it much more surface area than a one-inch filter at the same efficiency, so it captures fine dust and pollen with less resistance. Filters typically last six months to a year depending on the house. We size the cabinet to the blower's airflow, seal it so air cannot bypass the filter, and check static pressure after install.
UV and electronic purifiers
Ultraviolet lights mounted near the indoor coil keep the coil and drain pan from growing mold and bacteria, which helps airflow and odors from a damp coil. They do little for dust. Electronic air cleaners charge particles and collect them on plates, which catch very fine particles but need regular washing and can produce small amounts of ozone depending on the design. We recommend them for specific problems, such as a coil that keeps growing mold or a household with severe allergies, and we are plain about their limits.
Wildfire smoke season filtration
Smoke particles are fine enough to pass through a standard furnace filter. On smoky days a high-efficiency media filter, with the blower running on continuous fan, cleans the whole house far better than a one-inch filter. We set up the cabinet with a filter rating suited to smoke and, where the thermostat allows, a continuous or scheduled fan mode so air keeps passing through the filter when the heat or AC is not running. Filters load faster during smoke events, so we show you how to check and change them.
What we see on calls around Minneapolis
A median Minneapolis home of about 1,867 square feet usually runs a 3 ton cooling system, which means a blower moving somewhere around 1,200 cubic feet of air per minute. Every air cleaner we install is sized to that number for the house in front of us, because a filter too small for the airflow either bypasses air or strains the blower, and neither cleans anything.
Step by step
How an air cleaner install runs
- 1
Identify the problem
Dust, allergies, smoke or coil odor sets the product choice.
- 2
Measure airflow
Blower airflow and static pressure checked.
- 3
Install
Cabinet or purifier mounted and sealed; power wired where needed.
- 4
Set the fan
Thermostat fan mode set if continuous filtration helps.
- 5
Test
Static pressure and airflow rechecked.
Brands we service and install
Air quality equipment usually mounts on Carrier, Lennox, Trane or Goodman furnaces, with Honeywell controls.
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What you can do yourself
| Homeowner | Our technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Change the filter on schedule | Easy and the biggest help | Right filter size and rating chosen |
| Run continuous fan on smoky days | Easy at the thermostat | Fan schedule set up |
| Swap in a high-MERV one-inch filter | Can restrict airflow | Media cabinet sized to the blower |
| Installing a cabinet or UV light | Needs sheet metal and wiring | Installed and pressure tested |
Questions we get on the phone
Air purifier installation questions from Minneapolis homeowners
For cleaning every room, yes. Portable units still help in a single bedroom.
A thin one can. A media cabinet gives high efficiency without the restriction.
Mostly they keep the coil and drain pan clean. They do little for dust.
Usually every six months to a year.
Yes, with a suitable filter and the fan running continuously.
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Call and we will match an air cleaner to your problem and your system's airflow.