Whole house air purifiers retrofitted to a home sounds like a wonderful idea – until the contractor presents you with the estimate. Is there a way to get around the hefty price tag? Well, you can always install your home air filters yourself!

The best air cleaners for whole home use are the electrostatic ones of the pleated variety. Aside from not costing an arm and a leg, they are so easy to set up that you will not need a contractor.

If you aren’t really inclined to retrofitting your home with filters by yourself, opt for contractor-installed electronic cleaners instead. These electrostatic precipitators attract particles using a fan. High-voltage wires charge the particles, which are then collected with electric plates.

Whole house air purifiers simply attach to a home furnace’s cold air return. But how effective are they? Well, these air cleaners remove 95% of airborne dirt and 85% of small airborne particles.

If you get your materials from a heating contractor, you will probably spend no more than $900 including installation. But you can easily spend as little as $300 (including installation) if your home set up is not complex – which can be even less if you do it yourself.

Collector plates with well-known brands could cost you most of your budget with prices running to $500 for brands such as Carrier. So check your contractor for lesser known brands or generic plates.

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