Curing The Sickness In The Air

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

When it comes to indoor air quality, few places have needs and requirements as demanding as hospitals and medical centers. Not only can patients’ conditions be aggravated by airborne dust and allergens, but many diseases and illnesses can be spread through the air as well.

Clean But Still Contaminated

The need for a medical facility to remain clean can sometimes become a double-edged sword. There is an obvious need to remove harmful virus and bacteria from the environment, but the cleaning products used to do so can leave behind all kinds of pollutants that are harmful to staff and patients in other ways.

Cleaning products, paints and floor finishes often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are released into the air during and after use. Many times the fragrances used to give these cleaning products their sweet or clean smell are actually the worst offenders. It could actually be that the better a room smells, the worse the air quality in that room actually is.

These types of contaminants in the air are known to be bad for people with respiratory problems, allergies and asthma, but it’s worse for regular staff.  The entire staff of a facility is exposed to these substances in the air several times per day over long-term periods. The resulting health problems from this kind of exposure can become serious.

Getting Sick From Going To The Hospital

According to estimates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two million people in the United States become ill as a result of antibiotic-resistant infections, with at least 75,000 of those people dying. Healthcare associated infections are actually responsible for claiming the lives of more people every year than AIDS, auto accidents and breast cancer combined.

Healthcare associated infections, also known as hospital acquired infections, or HAIs, are transmitted in many different ways. They can be passed from person to person through physical contact, through the use of injections or through insertion of medical devices. The most common vectors for transmission, however, are airborne contact with open wounds and breathing airborne particles.

Air Filtration Aids Prevention

Air filtration is considered to be a primary defense against the transmission of airborne diseases and bacteria. With each complete change of air in a given environment, virtually all of the contaminants can be removed, dramatically reducing the risk of transmission between patients and staff.

In addition to removing infectious particles from the air, a good filtration system will also remove other pollutants and irritants such as gases, VOCs, dust and chemicals left behind by cleaning products.

Negative Pressure Environments

In addition to filtration of the air, setting up negative pressure rooms in areas where infection sources are located can further reduce the spread of airborne pathogens.

Negative pressure is created by utilizing air circulation systems that are designed to make sure air flows only into (not out of) a specific area from adjacent rooms and corridors, preventing the escape and spread of contaminants to other areas. This is achieved by tuning ventilation systems so that more air is removed from a specific area through mechanical means than is supplied. The result is a negative pressure space that constantly draws air in from the outside.

Camfil Filters Make A Difference

Camfil has been developing and improving on air filtration technology for more than 50 years and has designed air filtration solutions for hospitals and healthcare facilities in every major global region.

Not only do Camfil’s filtration solutions remove particles from the air down to the sub-micron level, they are designed with the utmost efficiency in mind.  Camfil solutions are recognized for their low energy-design, thanks to the use of high efficiency fans, energy-efficient filtration and reduced need for fresh air supply through effective filtration of recirculated air. In existing systems, just switching to Camfil premium air filters can reduce energy costs by 20% or more while lasting twice as long as traditional air filters.

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The Hidden Danger Of Air Quality in Indoor Firing Ranges

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

Lead can damage the brain, blood, nerves, kidneys and reproductive organs.. Does The Gun Range Use Quality Air Filter?

Indoor gun ranges are popular with both professionals who use guns as a part of their job and hobbyists who just enjoy guns and shooting. They provide a safe place to practice, sheltered from unpredictable winds, extreme temperatures and all types of inclement weather.  It is estimated there are over 10,000 indoor shooting ranges patronized by gun enthusiasts scattered throughout the United States.

What many patrons of gun ranges don’t realize though, is that there is a hidden danger present in these places where enthusiasts come to practice and evaluate equipment. Safety, of course, is a huge concern at all gun ranges. There are strict rules that must be followed by everyone in the building. Building architects employ special designs to minimize the chance of bullets ricocheting or otherwise flying into any area where they could endanger life. But even with all of these precautions, bullets and guns can still be deadly, just not in the way you might think.

Slow Poisoning With Serious Effects

There’s a phrase that was popular when cowboy westerns were the biggest genre coming out of Hollywood. At least once in just about any western film you’d hear some rough and tumble gunslinger utter the words, “I’m gonna fill you full of lead.” This was, of course, a reference to the fact that bullets were, and still are, made with lead.

Certainly, a hunk of lead flying toward you at the speed of sound can be deadly, but that’s not the only way lead can kill you. We have taken steps to remove lead from many things in our daily lives because of the poisonous effect it has when it accumulates in the human body. At one time there was lead in the pipes that carried drinking water, in the gas we used to fuel our cars, even in the pencils we gave to school children so they could write.

Lead poisoning is something that usually occurs over time, as a result of repeated exposure to small amounts of lead. Although treatment can remove lead from the body to prevent further poisoning, any damage already done is irreversible. In some cases, lead poisoning can be fatal. It has been proven to create symptoms such as abdominal pains, fatigue, high blood pressure, memory loss, kidney dysfunction and other severe forms of mental and physical impairment.

The Air Feels Heavy

At indoor firing ranges, lead is quite literally everywhere, if air conditioners are not maintained properly, and could contaminate even in the air you breathe. Every time a gun is fired, minute particles of lead, some less than 100 nanometers in size or nearly 100 times smaller than a red blood cell in your body, as well as other chemicals released by the combusting gunpowder, are released into the air. More lead is broken loose and released into the air when bullets impact with a surface. All of the energy from that bullet impaction causes millions of tiny particles to be discharged into the air throughout the indoor range. Some particles will remain airborne while others will settle and coat surfaces like walls and floors.

In December of 2013, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study at a gun range and store in California. Of 6 employees at the store, three were found to have levels of lead in their blood high enough to be deemed unsafe. Every single surface that was tested showed positive for lead. In addition, all employees were found to have lead on their hands and shoes at the time of leaving work to go home. Employees were actually spreading the contamination back to their homes. All of this occurred in a shop that followed a strict regimen of daily cleaning, as well as a weekly “deep cleaning” and used an air circulation system that constantly pulled fresh air into the building, never recirculating the air inside.

Circulation Without Filtration Is Not Enough

In environments like this, circulating or refreshing air from outside is not enough. Sufficient air filtration and properly designed ventilation systems are absolutely essential in maintaining a safe environment for staff and customers. The surest way to remove the lead and other chemicals from the environment is to filter it from the air before dangerous substances have a chance to settle on surfaces, and spread further through human contact. Secondly, insuring proper air movement throughout the indoor range is just as important as the air filtration products you are using.

Camfil firing range air filtration products are designed specifically for environments where toxic substances are a part of day to day business. Camfil filters are capable of removing the microscopic particles of lead from the air to help ensure the highest level of protection. In addition to superior air filtration, they provide increased cost savings over competitive products by providing a significantly longer filtration service life, reducing the quantity of filters that need to be ordered and disposed of, reducing the power consumption of fans and circulation equipment. From replacement filters to complete air filtration systems and analysis, Camfil has a solution to fit any need. Camfil gun range air filters capture more lead dust and last longer than any other filter on the market today.

 

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Media Contact: Lynne Laake, Camfil, 888.599.6620, Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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How to Choose the Right Commercial Air Filter

Clean Air Solution by Camfil USA. Leader in Air Filters for Commercial and Industrial applications.

When it comes to selecting a commercial air filter, or air filtration system, there are many variables that have to be considered. In general, the choice of which air filter can be made a bit easier by first defining the overall goal that you are trying to achieve which is usually one of two options. Is the purpose of the filter to protect the air circulation equipment, or is it to provide a better environment for the occupants of the building?

Different air filters in different systems serve — you guessed it — different purposes. Some filters are meant to keep internal parts of the HVAC system from becoming coated with dust or other particles, other filters are in place with the additional purpose of purifying the air to make the environment safer and healthier for building occupants. Using the wrong filters in the wrong place can have negative effects on an HVAC system’s efficiency. Air in the environment won’t be as clean as it should be, and the system will most likely consume more power than it should in order to function.

How Are Filters Classified?

The latest standard concerning air filters, set forth by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), is Standard 52.2, which identifies a filter’s performance based its ability to remove particles through defining specific particle size ranges. Test results are reported as Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value, more commonly referred to as a filters’ MERV. Particles that are removed are classified by their size in microns. To help you visualize an example, a human hair is about 100 microns in diameter.

This standard makes it easier to judge which filters are going to work best for different purposes. As the MERV level rises, the efficiency of the filter to remove smaller sub-micro size particles rises. These particles can be detrimental to human health as they can work their way into the lungs and cause permanent damage.  Higher MERV level products will produce cleaner air, but, depending on design, may require a stronger fan in the system to push the air through them.

If The Goal Is Keeping Equipment Cleaner

The first step should be to identify the MERV level of existing filters. From there, considerations can be made to see if it is worth upgrading to filters with a higher MERV level.

A MERV 6 filter, for example, will remove 49.9% of particles between 3 and 10 microns in size. The level of filtration can be pushed up to 84.9% of particles being removed by switching to a MERV 8 filter. That’s a 70% increase in the filtration rate, which keeps equipment cleaner and in turn, maintains better efficiency.  What’s more, the difference in cost between the two filters is small.  In fact, in most situations, the extra cost associated with purchasing a more efficient filter is more than offset by the energy savings appreciated once equipment is running more efficiently due to cleaner fans and less dirt accumulation on coils.

If The Goal Is Cleaner Air for Building Occupants

If the goal is to provide cleaner air for building occupants, then filters with a MERV rating of 13 or higher are generally recommended. To give you an idea of what these types of filters can do, a filter rated at MERV 13 will remove 90% of particles from 1 to 10 microns in size, but less than 75% of particles in the .3 to 1-micron size range. If we go one step up to a MERV 14 rated filter, 90% of the 1 to 10 micron particles are still removed, but the amount of .3 to 1 micron particles removed jumps up to 75% to 85%. This can make a big difference to the health of people in the building. That is why MERV 14 filters are the minimum standard of care in medical facilities, a place where small airborne particles can be detrimental to patients, visitors and employees.l

It is also worth noting that for LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, a building must be using at least MERV 13 filters to receive points toward being certified.

Whatever Your Goal, Camfil Has A Solution

Camfil has been a leader in the commercial air filtration industry for more than 50 years, and offers products that represent the very latest in commercial and industrial air filter technology and innovation. We’re positive that once you browse through our product catalog, you will find the perfect air filtration solution for your air quality needs. From maintaining healthy environments  in a common office environment to meeting the strictest requirements of high technology cleanrooms and medical operating rooms , Camfil filters will get the job done. Our products will keep your air cleaner, and provide lower total cost of ownership than competitive air filter solutions. You’ll be able to breathe better, while simultaneously saving on operating costs. It doesn’t get much better than that.

 

Browse our catalog visit http://bit.ly/1P3DZbc

Media Contact: Lynne Laake, Camfil, 888.599.6620, Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

SOURCE Camfil

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