Conversely, whole-home air cleaners, which are installed within the heating and air conditioning system, extract contaminants and move clean air throughout the entire home. More powerful than portable units, whole-home air cleaners are able to clean the air in every room of the home more thoroughly while operating silently. Whole-home air cleaners also use less energy and require only periodic maintenance as compared with portables.

"A whole-home air cleaner is the most efficient, cost-effective way to clean air in every room of the house," said Jon Paulos, product manager for Aprilaire. "Most homes require four or five portable units or more to clean the air throughout the home."