Best air quality option - EAC or PurAir + HRV

[hanna256]

We are building a new house and heard mix comments on what it good and what is better than good from the salesman...

Here are what the last 2 people told us:

1- Install an HRV with a HEPA PureAir filtration. The furnance will be filtered with the normal furnace filter.

2- Intall the furnace with electronic air cleaner (Space Guard) and run the HRV with to the furnance.

What is the best option in your opinion? Is the HEPA filtration overrated or is it really that good? Is it worth to install both option 1 and 2 (HRV with HEPA and furnace with EAC)?

We don't have any allergies but have 1 kid and another one in the next 6 months. We are in Ottawa Canada if that makes any difference.

[genesis]

Hanna HEPA is the ultimat filtration. But it has its draw backs when installed in an residential HVAC system. In order to get 100% use of the HEPA filter you have to maintain 1 1/2 in static pressure in your system and unfortunetly most residential air handler will barely do an inch. What this means is that 100 dollar filter will load up about 50% and your system can no longer pull air through the filter. So you have a half used filter that yo have to throw away for a fresh one. Electrostatic systems Im not a big fan of. Ask some one to show yo scientific results of there electrostatic system and see what you get. A UV system with a merv 8 to merv 12 filter with photo catalysis is the newest thing on the market. There is no one techlolodgy that does everything I don't care what sales adds say. A combination of several things in one unit is what you are looking for.
Im glad to see HRVs brought from commercial use to residential use. This is a great addition to the system and the added energy management is a bonus.