Clean Air Solutions: July 2018

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Code Orange Air Quality Facts To Know!

Learn What A Code Orange Air Quality Alert Means And When To Use Commercial HVAC Air Filters

Camfil Commercial HVAC air filters news – If you live in a city with severe air pollution, you may occasionally hear that an “orange air quality alert” has been announced. On the days that suffer from the worst air pollution, you may even hear that a “red” air quality alert has been announced in your area.

What does the color of these air quality alerts signify?

What does a code orange air quality alert mean for your health?

The colored air quality alerts are in reference to the Air Quality Index (AQI). The Air Quality Index is a system of rating the safety of the air within a particular region during a particular time. The AQI has several different levels and corresponding color schemes that indicate different concentrations of air pollution and the corresponding level of danger that citizens in the area are in when exposed to these air pollutants. It’s important to know how to interpret the Air Quality Index as it can tell you when to take extra precautions to protect your health. Knowing when it is safe to venture outside or when you should stay indoors and use commercial air filters and industrial air purifiers will minimize your exposure to toxic and deadly air pollutants.

Commercial Air Filtration Systems Deal with The Criteria Air Pollutants

The Air Quality Index was created to advise citizens about the safety of the air within their area. The AQI tracks levels of five different air pollutants: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, ground-level ozone, and particulate matter. These air pollutants fall under the purview of the Clean Air Act, and exposure to them can cause a number of different dangerous health problems. Commercial air filtration systems can filter out all of these pollutants, with the exception of carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that comes from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. Any device that burns fossil fuels can release it, though idling vehicles and various industrial processes are common sources of CO. When there are adequate levels of oxygen in an area, carbon monoxide combines with it to become the less dangerous carbon dioxide.

“Both sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released by fossil fuels used to produce industrial products, create energy, and propel motor vehicles,” says Camfil’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide come more from industrial facilities and fossil fuel-based power plants than they do cars, though cars are still substantial contributors to levels of atmospheric sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Levels of atmospheric sulfur have dropped significantly since the introduction of cleaner fuels which have reduced sulfur content.” (1)

Ground level ozone, or tropospheric ozone, is created by the interaction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with heat and sunlight. Tropospheric ozone is a damaging air pollutant, unlike ozone in the upper atmosphere, which protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Common sources of VOCs include industrial chemicals, paint, solvents, and gasoline fumes.

Particulate matter refers to any small particles of pollution that are capable of penetrating into people’s lungs and bloodstream, doing damage to the cells of the body. This means PM pollution can encompass a wide variety of different air pollutants. Particulate matter is usually grouped into three different categories, PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. These particles are smaller than 1 µm across, smaller than 2.5 µm across, and smaller than 10 µm across respectively.

Commercial HVAC Air Filters Can Prevent the Development of Asthma and Other Lung Conditions

Commercial HVAC replacement air filters should be used to provide protection against the various air pollutants that the Air Quality Index tracks and reports. Exposure to these air pollutants can cause devastating damage to one’s health, including asthma, pneumonia, and other respiratory or cardiovascular ailments.

Carbon monoxide exposure can quickly lead to nausea, headaches, dizziness, and interrupted thinking. The lungs are being deprived of oxygen as they are exposed to carbon monoxide, so high levels of carbon monoxide exposure can easily be fatal.

“Exposure to sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause a number of different respiratory health problems,” says Seyffer at Camfil USA. “Exposure to high levels of the two pollutants can cause difficulty breathing, coughing, and wheezing. These pollutants inflame the linings of the lungs, making them more vulnerable to infection and increasing the incidences of conditions like pneumonia, emphysema, and asthma.” (2)

Exposure to ground level ozone can cause difficulty breathing, much like nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide. High levels of ozone exposure can lead to dizziness and headaches. Continued exposure to ground-level ozone over long periods of time can permanently reduce a person’s lung function.

Particulate matter can cause a number of different health problems since it can damage the cells of the body. Particulate matter exposure has been correlated with many different cardiovascular and respiratory ailments like asthma, stroke, heart attack, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, and an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

How The Air Quality Index Reflects The Need for Commercial Air Filtration and Ventilation

The Air Quality Index ranks the air in a particular region with one of six different safety levels. These levels reflect the concentrations of air pollutants in that particular region at that particular time. The air quality rankings run from Good to Hazardous and each of them has a color value as well as a number value.

The first level of air quality index is Good air quality, and it covers the air pollution concentrations 0 to 50. Good air quality is represented by the color green on the AQI, and at this level, the air poses no risk to the general health of the population in the region.

The second level of the AQI covers moderate air quality, and the color yellow represents this level on the index. This covers air pollution levels 51 to 100, which means that although the air is generally safe for the majority of the population, those who have unique sensitivities to air pollution should be cautious.

“The third level of the AQI represents air that is unhealthy for certain sensitive groups, and it covers the values 100 to 150,” says Seyffer. “The air in this category isn’t typically harmful to the general populace, but those who are in sensitive groups like children and the elderly should minimize their exposure to the air at this level. It is represented by the color orange on the index.” (3)

The fourth section of the AQI covers the values 151 to 200, and it is represented by the color red on the index. The air quality at this level is dangerous to everyone, and those who are at special risk from air pollutants can begin to have serious health damage occur.

The fifth section of the AQI is represented by the color purple on the index and it contains all of the values which run from 201 to 300. Air at this level of pollution is dangerous to the entire population, and everyone may have severe health damage occur if exposed to it for long periods of time.

The sixth and final section of the AQI contains all pollutant values above 300. It appears as the color maroon on the index, and the air here is extremely hazardous. Air quality at this level is classified as emergency conditions and everyone should limit their exposure to it, as they are likely to be severely impacted by it.

What Commercial Air Filtration Units Should Be Used?

As the levels of air pollution increases, commercial air filtration units become more and more important for protecting people’s health from exposure to air pollutants like particulate matter and the other criteria air pollutants. Commercial air filters are rated with the MERV system which stands for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. The higher a filter’s MERV number is, the more particles of pollution it can remove.

“Filters rated 8 – 13 MERV are typically sufficient for use in most HVAC systems and will do an adequate job filtering particulate air pollutants,” Seyffer. “Yet those who live in areas where the air quality index reaches orange or higher may choose to employ industrial level HEPA air filters. HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, and these filters can absorb up to 99.97% of all pollutants as small as 0.3-micron in size. HEPA filters can be used in HVAC systems or as part of a portable air purifier.” (4)

Those who are considering buying a HEPA air filter should do their research and be sure that the filters are genuine HEPA filters. This is because some filters may advertise themselves as being “HEPA-like”, meaning that though superficial aspects of their design are similar to HEPA filters they can’t actually trap the smallest and most dangerous particles.

Commercial Air Purifiers by Themselves Aren’t Enough to Stay Safe

While commercial air purifiers can help protect you from the harmful pollutants tracked by the AQI, they shouldn’t be your only line of defense. It’s also important to monitor and understand the Air Quality Index, staying up-to-date on air quality reports in your region. The level of air pollution in your region will affect which steps you want to take to minimize your exposure to air pollutants.

The first couple levels of the AQI represent fairly clean air, which will pose little threat to your health unless you have a pre-existing respiratory condition. Yet beginning at the orange level of air pollution, you should begin taking steps to limit your exposure to air pollutants. Try to confine your periods of outdoor activity to early morning when air pollution levels are lowest, and stay away from major thoroughfares as concentrations of air pollutants are highest around them.

When air pollution levels are at either the very unhealthy or hazardous levels, limit the amount of time spent outdoors if possible. Portable industrial air purifiers can be used in the home to augment the cleaning capabilities of filters in home HVAC systems. Industrial grade facemasks can also be used to reduce the amount of pollution one breathes in if you have to venture outside in extreme air pollution.

Camfil USA commercial or industrial air filters can help you decide on the right level of filter for you, based on the AQI reports for your area. Contact Camfil USA industrial air filters today to have a professional help you choose the right air filter for your needs.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620,

E:Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality At Commercial Facilities

Factors such as chemicals and poor ventilation can compromise indoor air quality and affect the health of employees says Camfil Air Filters

Camfil USA, a leading air filters company explains how the owners of commercial facilities that prize the health of their employees must understand the factors that can cause poor indoor air quality, so that they can implement effective air filtration strategies.

Most people understand the definition of air pollution and how it can affect health and well being, but few really understand the factors that can make indoor air quality even worse than the quality of air outdoors.

Part of that disconnect is that air pollution is an umbrella term that refers to particulates and contaminants, but does not really identify the specific airborne contaminants.

Identifying these contaminants is the first step in improving indoor air quality through an air filtration system.

Factors That Affect Indoor Air Quality

One of the ironies about air pollution is that indoor air pollution is often worse than pollution outdoors. That’s because enclosed areas act as a kind of incubation for contaminants, and in many instances actually create a more hospitable environment for pollutants such as microbes and viruses to flourish.

So with that in mind, the most common pollutants that affect indoor air quality are:

Chemicals Chemicals are often used in laboratories; paint stores and auto repair shops, and are a major source of toxic vapors.

Suspended particles Tiny particles that become airborne and do not move through the air due to lack of proper ventilation or air filtration.

Microbes Fungi and viruses that grow in indoor facilities where moisture, leaking and humidity create the perfect storm for growth.

Pets Commercial facilities in which pets roam free can become storing houses for animal-sourced allergens that can worsen breathing ailments such as asthma and bronchitis.

Pests Dust mites, mice and cockroaches can also cause allergens from their droppings that can compromise indoor air quality.

Humidity The humidity level in a commercial facility is often tied to proper ventilation, but if the humidity level is too low, the air will be too dry and can cause skin rashes and other ailments. However, high humidity is also not ideal as this creates moisture and can lead to the growth of mold and fungus.

Ventilation Well-designed facilities are built with ventilation that allows air to circulate in a way that minimizes the intake of bad air. Ventilation must also be paired with air filtration devices to assure the best indoor air quality.

People Although not as commonly understood, people who walk in and out of a facility are another major source of indoor pollution. This is especially true if those people are smokers and bring nicotine and other particles into a facility. People can also bring in allergens from their homes. People also shed skin, at a rate of millions of skin particles per hour, contributing to the dust in the environment and creating food for pests like dust mites.

Clean Air Solutions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that commercial facility physical managers implement three methods to improve indoor air quality: Identifying pollution sources, improving ventilation and implementing air filtration.

Identifying pollution sources is vital in facilities such as paint stores and auto repair shops where pollution sources can be enclosed and sealed off to prevent them from becoming airborne.

Improving ventilation is another aspect of implementing clean air solutions in a commercial facility. Improvement could involve increasing the number of openings at a facility that bring in fresh air, and controlling how much outside air enters the facility.

The final method is the most important, because without air filtration such as the proper air filters in HVAC systems or air cleaners to filter contaminants, pollution will continue to accumulate and affect the health of those who frequent these facilities.

Camfil Provides Effective Air Filtration

For 50 years, Camfil Air Filters has offered air filtration devices for every commercial industry, including hospitals, automotive paint shops, labs and libraries. Camfil’s guiding principle is that clean air should be a human right, and the company strives to fulfill that principle by offering the most affordable and energy-efficient air filters on the market.

And by also providing on-site assessments, Camfil can help determine the indoor air quality of any facility, and then design an air filtration strategy to meet a facility’s unique needs.

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Why Museums Need Industrial Air Filters to Protect Staff and Artifacts

Industrial air filters and commercial air filtration units are capable of neutralizing major indoor air pollutants that harm museums and museum staff.

Museums are where some of the most important artifacts of our society’s culture and history are kept. If a collection in a museum is damaged, part of our history is lost along with the damage done to the item or artifact. Therefore, it’s important to preserve collections in museums. Unfortunately, museum collections can easily be damaged by a variety of indoor air pollutants. These pollutants can wear away at a canvas, degrade rock and limestone, and dissolve fragile paper or wooden artifacts.

Not only can the exhibits and collections in a museum themselves be damaged, the health of workers and visitors to a museum can also be damaged by indoor air pollutants. For these reasons, the use of high efficiency commercial air filtration units is highly advised. High efficiency commercial air filters protect both the health of the people within a museum and the integrity of the exhibits.

Commercial Air Filtration Units Capture Pollutants Like Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide and Particulate Matter

There are many different kinds of air pollutants. Pollutants can be found both indoors and in the ambient air outdoors. While many people are aware of the problems of outdoor air pollutants, due to exposure to photochemical smog and pollutants emitted from industrial facilities, fewer people think about the harm that indoor air pollutants can do. It’s difficult to draw a strict dividing line between indoor pollutants and outdoor air pollutants, as one can easily become the other. Yet some forms of air pollution are more common indoors, while others are more common outdoors.

Ozone is by far the most detrimental pollutant that can interfere with preserving museum items. It is nature’s oxidizer and it is capable of breaking down rubber, plastic, wood and paint. In the museum environment, it can lead to the fading of organic artists’ pigments and textile dyes that are present in paintings, tapestries and historically important clothing exhibits.

Ambient outdoor air pollution, introduced into museums by ventilation air and building leakage, includes the various pollutants emitted by the combustion of fossil fuels. These air pollutants are compounds such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Sulfur dioxide comes primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels in industrial facilities and power plants, as levels of sulfur in fuel for vehicles have dropped dramatically over the past few decades. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a strong odor and it can contribute to the development of smog and acid rain. Nitrogen oxides are different nitrogen-based pollutants that can also contribute to smog and acid rain. Nitrogen oxides are released by fossil fuel combustion in cars, power plants and industrial facilities.

“Common indoor air pollutants that can damage exhibits and collections include formaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, ozone, and other volatile organic compounds. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a category of air pollutants that can react with other pollutants in the air to form dangerous and toxic chemical compounds,” said Camfil’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Some VOCs can react with heat and sunlight to create ground-level ozone. Unlike ozone in the upper atmosphere, ground-level ozone is a dangerous air pollutant. VOCs can be released by many different sources including cleaning chemicals, paints, and varnishes.” (1)

Normal airborne particles consisting of mold, dust, dead skin cells and tiny VOC particles, can make up a form of air pollution called particulate matter. Particulate matter (PM) is a form of air pollution made of various tiny, yet dangerous particles that can enter the human lungs and bloodstream.

Dust and dirt can be tracked inside by visitors and staff, dead skill cells come from both visitors and staff, and mold can develop anywhere where standing water is found, such as bathrooms and basements.

Commercial Air Filtration Systems Can Protect Fragile Artifacts from Degradation

Commercial air filters are critical for museums to have because poor air quality within the facility can easily damage exhibits and collections. While the damage caused by any individual source of an air pollutant seems negligible, the results of exposure to all forms of pollution are cumulative and over time priceless artifacts can easily be damaged or destroyed beyond repair.

One of the issues that museums must grapple with is where to store their exhibits. Museum artifacts not on public display are often stored in areas that go uncontrolled for various airborne pollutants. The airborne pollutants in storage areas can come to rest in display cases alongside artifacts or within the storage units created to hold exhibits. As these pollutants enter the display case or storage case they can cause significant degradation and deterioration of the exhibit.

Acids like acetic acid and formic acid can wear away at the surface of a variety of materials, making them dangerous to whole collections. Chemicals sometimes used to clean or preserve can be dangerous to exhibits uncontrolled, and compounds like formaldehyde, bleach, and hydrogen sulfide can easily damage exhibits.

Museums are usually full of fragile objects like paintings, books, documents, and sculptures. Particulate matter pollution is typically abrasive in nature, and because of this, it can wear away at these fragile artifacts over time.

Commercial Air Purifiers Protect The Lungs of Visitors and Museum Staff

Not only is the condition and integrity of museum collections important, the health of visitors to the museum and the museum staff is important as well. Both organic and inorganic air pollutants can harm the lungs and other organs of people exposed to them.

Air pollutants like ozone, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide can cause asthma attacks in those with the condition. Continuous exposure to ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can decrease overall lung function and cause various cardiovascular ailments by making the lungs more vulnerable to infection.

“VOCs like formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and hydrogen sulfide can come from the off-gassing of composite building materials like boards, carpets, and paints,” warns Seyffer. “These compounds are thought to be carcinogenic in nature, meaning they lead to an increased risk of developing cancer.” (2)

Exposure to particulate matter pollution can damage much of the body, including the central nervous system and lungs. Exposure to PM can cause stroke, heart attack, decreased lung function, increased risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Using Commercial HVAC Air Filters and Ventilation

Commercial HVAC air filters can trap the pollutants found in museums, whether they are indoor air pollutants or outdoor air pollutants. Air filtration is the removal of particles from the air by using high-quality air filters in HVAC systems. Filtered ventilation should also be used to help reduce concentrations of harmful air pollutants.

Museum storage buildings often have low air exchange rates and they should be controlled with ventilation and filtration. A high air exchange rate is important for a building as it dilutes built up concentrations of indoor air pollutants. The optimal air exchange rate for a building can be ascertained by a professional, who will know if higher air exchange rates or air filtration rates are needed to control pollutants levels within a building.

Air Filtration And Ventilation Should Be Combined with Source Control Strategies

A combination of source control methods, filtration, and ventilation is one of the best ways to keep air quality within a building high. Source control strategies are those that are capable of stopping the emission of air pollutants where they develop. Museums can and should be cleaned of dirt, dust, and debris. Cleaning should be done with eco-friendly cleaners that limit the release of particles or VOCs back into the air .

“The emission of VOCs can also be reduced by implementing smart painting and maintenance strategies,” advises Seyffer. “Low aerosol painting methods should be used, and maintenance workers should be careful about dislodging debris or dust when cleaning. Mold is a persistent threat, especially in more humid climates. Museum bathrooms, basements, storage units, and ventilation systems should be frequently checked for the presence of moisture or mold.” (3)

Camfil USA commercial air filters can provide your museum with the filters you need to protect the artifacts and people within them. We will also support you with advice from air filter professionals. Click here to contact us today.

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620,

E:Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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