The Benefits of Home Air Filters for Children’s Health

It’s known that poor outdoor and indoor air quality is responsible for killing around 600,000 children each year. Learn how home air filters can help.

 According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution, both from indoor and outdoor sources, is responsible for approximately seven million premature deaths around the world. To protect themselves and their families, people are turning to home air filters designed to capture and remove airborne contaminants inside indoor spaces. Recent studies, however, suggest that these pollutants may have varying effects on groups of people.

How Air Pollution Affects Children’s Health

For starters, it is a known fact that the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with existing health conditions, and children face greater dangers from exposure to air pollution.

“Children are more vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe more than adults per unit of body weight,” Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “Children’s airways and lungs are still developing and they have detoxification rates and immature immune and defense systems.”

And the fact that many children spend a lot of time outdoors playing and practicing sports only adds to the disproportionate risk they face when exposed to poor outdoor air quality. The majority of children also live in urban areas with higher levels of contaminants produced by vehicles, industries and other human activity.

Asthma in Children and the Connection to Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

While the Cleveland Clinic notes that more children are indeed developing asthma at an early age, it doesn’t exactly know why. Some experts suggest that this may have to do with family history and exposure to allergens and cigarette smoke before and after birth. In any case, what experts do know is that children and young adults with underlying chronic health conditions like asthma face a greater risk of being affected by poor outdoor and indoor air quality.

Aside from the fact that their lungs tend to be weaker from asthma, children have faster breathing rates, which means they are not only breathing in more air, but also more air pollution. As this happens, it can have disastrous effects on their still-developing lungs.

The next point further elaborates on this point.

Protecting Lung Development with Home Air Purifiers

The installation of home air purifiers in homes may also protect the crucial stages of children’s lung development.

Studies show that air pollution can have a dramatic effect on lung development, with children between the ages of 8 to 10 and living in highly polluted areas having lung capacity reduced by as much as 10 percent than normal. While more research has to be done to determine if this effect can be reversed, researchers expressed concerns that this reduced lung function may never recover to normal capacity, even when the child has been moved to a location with better air quality.

Components of air pollution that are known to irritate the lungs or trigger allergic reactions include particulate matter (PM), ozone, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides among many others. The good news is that home air purifiers are designed to capture and remove these pollutants from indoor spaces.

Home Air Purification Systems May Also Reduce the Risk of Obesity and Diabetes

While much of the attention about air pollution tends to be focused on its effects on lung and heart function, there is evidence to suggest that clean air ‘treated’ by home air purification systems may also reduce the risk of children becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes.

In one study, researchers found that children between the ages of 8 to 15 who were exposed to higher concentrations of airborne pollutants developed a lower sensitivity to insulin. The same group of children was also found to have reduced beta-cell function and an above average body mass index (BMI) by the time they turned 18.

If anything, this proves that air pollution also affects the immune and metabolic systems of children. Scientists believe this may be due to how fine particulate matter (PM), specifically PM2.5 or particles that are 2.5 microns in size or smaller, are tiny enough to enter the lungs and cross into the bloodstream, reaching the body’s vital organs as a result.

Home Air Filtration Systems and Autism

Pregnant women may also have a special need for home air filtration systems, this after one study published in the journal Environmental International found that air pollution exposure may increase a child’s risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by up to 78 percent.

The study is far from conclusive, however, as the researchers admit that identifying the actual causes of autism is a tremendous task given the complexity of the disorder. Aside from environmental factors like air quality, water and diet, factors such as genetics and drug use may also play a role in the risk of developing autism.

Are Home Air Purifiers with HEPA Filtration Systems Worth It?

Given the host of health issues that children may experience after being exposed to air pollution, it’s clear that parents can’t go wrong installing home air purifiers with HEPA filtration systems in their households. It’s crucial, however, to choose an air purification system from a trusted manufacturer, which ensures the solution is actually appropriate for the contaminant issues and size of the rooms.

When in doubt, get in touch with the air filtration experts of Camfil USA. Contact our offices to learn what Camfil home air filters can do for your indoor air quality. You can also find more topics on clean air solutions by visiting our blog.

 

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WHO Conference Sets Ambitious Air Pollution Reduction Goals for 2030

Learn about the first WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health and its effect on indoor air quality, home air filters, and the fight against pollution.

As the problem of air pollution continues to raise concerns about its effect on public health, driving demand for home air filters and other air pollution solutions, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently took action by convening the first WHO Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health under the theme, “Improving Air Quality, Combating Climate Change: Saving Lives.”

Impact of the WHO Conference on Air Pollution and Health on Home Air Filters

The conference, held on October 30 to November, saw participants agreeing to reduce the number of premature deaths caused by air pollution by at least two-thirds by 2030. If successful, the initiative would crack down on concentrations of particulate matter—by far the most dangerous type of airborne pollutant in the atmosphere.

“Long-term exposure to ultrafine particles can induce respiratory and cardiovascular disease,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “It increases the mortality rates for people living in highly polluted urban areas.”

Need for Action to Improve Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality Acknowledged

Participants in the conference included ministers of health and environment from multiple countries, as well as national government representatives, health professionals, researchers, and members of sectors such as transport, energy, academia, and civil society. They acknowledged the urgent need to ramp up the international response to prevent diseases and deaths caused by poor outdoor and indoor air quality, which, according to statistics, claims up to seven million lives a year.

Attention was also drawn to the verifiable connection between air pollution and increases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as lung cancer, strokes, and heart attacks. Last but not least, participants also acknowledged how high levels of pollution in the atmosphere can accelerate climate change.

Where Home Air Purifiers Fit in the “Geneva Action Agenda to Combat Air Pollution”

The WHO conference also identified elements under the “Geneva Action Agenda to Combat Air Pollution,” which calls for specific actions to improve ambient air quality. For starters, it calls on participants to support cities in their efforts to improve urban air quality, whether it’s through clean technologies or solutions like home air purifiers, which keep air pollution out of indoor spaces.

Other elements of the Action Agenda include, but are not limited to the following:

• Improving air pollution education
• Improving collaborative action between the financial, health, and environment sectors
• Maintaining collaborative efforts to harmonize air quality monitoring programs through the Global Platform on Air Pollution and Health
• Supporting action to protect vulnerable segments of the population, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with existing health conditions
• Improving access to environment-friendly technologies in Africa and in communities with vulnerable populations

These and other efforts to fight air pollution are designed to contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as those relating to good health and well-being, clean energy in households, improved urban air quality, sustainable transport, and action against climate change.

Home Air Purification Systems Play Vital Role in “Silent Public Health Emergency”

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, air pollution is a “silent public health emergency,” accounting for more premature deaths than previously suspected. It’s also why interest in home air purification systems has skyrocketed in recent years, as more homeowners and families realize the dangers posed by outdoor air pollution on indoor air quality.

Air purifiers, whether portable or built to be attached to heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) units, can also capture and remove airborne pollutants from indoor sources, typically activities that involve heating, lighting, and cooking, as well as the use of cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, paints, and varnishes among others.

This bit is important, because most people consider staying indoors as being enough to avoid polluted air, when in reality, indoor air environments are prone to a buildup of indoor air pollution. In fact, in many poorly ventilated homes, air quality turns out to be worse than outdoor air conditions.

Vulnerable Populations Need HEPA Filtration Systems More

The WHO, along with agencies like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has warned the public about the risk of air pollution on certain vulnerable populations. As mentioned earlier, these include children, older individuals, and those with existing lung and heart conditions. While air pollution is bad for anyone, these individuals may have a more urgent need for high efficiency filtration systems in their homes to protect themselves from airborne pollutants.

Older adults face a greater risk of experiencing health problems from exposure to polluted air due to their weaker immune systems and likelihood of having existing health conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which can be aggravated by the toxic particles and gases that make up air pollution.

On the other hand, because children have developing lungs and cardiovascular systems, they are more susceptible to problems caused by polluted air. It doesn’t help that children breathe more air relative to their body weight compared to adults, putting them at a greater risk of suffering from the health effects of air pollution exposure.

To address both particulate and gaseous pollution, two stages of filtration should be applied in the air filtration system. For HVAC systems, a particulate filter with an efficiency of MERV 13 or ISO ePM1 is recommended and a carbon filter should be applied to remove gaseous or chemical pollution.

Stay Safe with Home Air Filtration Systems

At Camfil USA, we know that more people than ever are concerned about the indoor air quality in their homes, which is why we are committed to building the best commercial and home air filtration systems that money can buy. Get in touch with our team to explore our catalog of home air filters and get the best solution for your needs.

 

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Camfil USA Air Filters

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Why Is California’s Clean Car Initiative Betting Big on Green Cars?

Learn why California is betting big on green cars as part of an effort to ease dependence on commercial air filtration systems in preserving indoor air quality.

As the list of cities around the world turning to commercial air filtration systems to protect air quality inside homes and buildings continues to grow, a number of city governments are taking it upon themselves to reduce air pollution emissions from their very source.

California’s Push for Clean Cars May Ease Burden on Commercial Air Filtration Systems

Earlier this year, Mary Nichols, California’s top air quality regulator, refused to back down on pursuing the state’s clean car initiative despite threats of intervention by the federal government.

Nichols, who believes California’s vehicle standards may soon serve as the blueprint of the country’s federal standards, responded to then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s comments signaling his skepticism about states like California leading the charge against climate change. Pruitt’s comments even hinting that the EPA may rescind a state waiver under the Clean Air Act that allows California to enforce emissions standards for cars and trucks that were stricter than those of the federal government.

Pruitt’s comments were controversial, to say the least, as no EPA administrator has ever sought to revoke an existing waiver, not to mention the Clean Air Act doesn’t even use any language suggesting if it can be done.

Why Clean Car Standards Are So Important to Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality

California has long struggled with improving its outdoor and indoor air quality. According to the American Lung Association’s (ALA) ‘State of the Air’ report, eight out of the 10 cities with the worst air pollution are in California:  Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, Modesto, and Redding.

California’s air pollution woes are caused by high vehicle traffic and severe traffic congestion on major roads—a chronic problem in Los Angeles-Long Beach, which suffers from the country’s worst ozone pollution. Ozone is a key component of smog.

And all that air pollution can make its way inside homes and buildings.

“Internal combustion engines can be a source of indoor air pollution in offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, shopping centers and stores especially where garages are attached,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “In large cities with a high number of vehicles present, the ambient air is normally containing a high number of particles and gases.”

Commercial High Efficiency Air Filters Playing a Critical Role in LA

In 2017, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered building inspectors in the city to ensure that homes and buildings near freeways were outfitted with proper-strength air filtration systems like commercial high efficiency air filters. This change came after reports that areas near major roads, which saw traffic jams, showed the worst levels of pollution, specifically particulate matter (PM) and ozone—two major components of car exhaust.

Problems like these are precisely why California is adamant about pushing forward with its clean car initiative. In February 2018, Governor Brown signed an executive order calling for five million electric vehicles to be put on California’s roads by 2030 and dedicating $1.25 billion in cap-and-trade proceeds to reducing vehicle emission to improve public health.

Health Effects of Pollutants Removed by Home Air Purifiers

The ALA’s report on air pollution in California revealed that the two dominant types of pollutants found in the atmosphere are ozone and particle pollution, which is also known as particulate matter. The good news is that proper-strength home air purifiers can remove both pollutants, specifically, a combination of high efficiency filters and molecular filtration solutions

• Particulate matter – PM refers to liquid droplets and solid particles that are carried by the airstream. PM2.5, or particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, is particularly dangerous as these are small enough to be inhaled and end up in the deepest parts of the lungs. PM typically comes from car exhaust, forming around tailpipes as soot.
• Ozone – On the other hand, ozone is a naturally occurring gas molecule. But at high levels, it can lead to the formation of toxic smog, which can damage lung tissue when inhaled, not to mention cause acid rain.

Why Home Air Filtration Systems Are Necessary

When confronted by the problem of air pollution, most people think that the best solution is to stay indoors as much as possible and keep the doors and windows closed. The problem with this approach is that dirty air from the outside can still make its way inside homes and buildings through gaps on windows and doors, as well as cracks on the walls and ceiling. It’s for this reason that the EPA recommends that use of home high efficiency air filtration systems, particularly in homes and buildings near air pollution hotspots—freeways, industrial zones, and places with high construction activities.

Work with a Trusted Provider of Home Air Purification Systems

When seeking home air purification systems, it’s important to work with a trusted air filter manufacturer, one who can come in and provide the best solution for the specific air quality problem at hand. At Camfil USA, we have more than 50 years of experience protecting homes and buildings from the health effects of air pollution. Get in touch with our team to learn more about our air filtration solutions, or explore our catalog of home air filters to learn more about our product line.

 

Media Contact

Camfil USA Air Filters

Lynne Laake

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Source:

1. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-28/california-air-chief-to-pruitt-on-autos-call-me-maybe

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Why Are High Efficiency Furnace Filters Important in Your Home?

Learn about the importance of furnace filters in heated homes, and how they play a vital role in maintaining clean and safe indoor air quality.

Furnace filters ensure that people inside their homes breathe safe and clean air after it has been heated or air-conditioned by the furnace and released from a vent. While furnace systems have significantly improved over the years, they still have no way of telling clean and dirty air apart—a furnace simply sucks in whatever air it can heat or cool and distributes it around the home or building. That same air could contain allergens, mold, mildew, particulate matter (PM), and all other kinds of airborne pollutants.

Furnace air filters are important because they ensure that any incoming airflow is cleaned and comes out as air that’s safe to breathe. And as awareness about the dangers of indoor air pollution rise, furnace filters have never been more important.

“During the 1970s, the global use of energy became an important political and economic topic due to the energy crisis that took place in that decade,” explains Camfil USA’s Charlie Seyffer, Manager of Marketing & Technical Materials for commercial air filters and 37-year ASHRAE member and active committee participant. “New building construction techniques were developed to decrease the amount of heat transfer through walls and windows and reduce the volume of air infiltration or exchange through walls, windows and doors. As a result, the buildup of contaminants and moisture inside buildings that had previously provided a healthy environment became an issue.”

How Furnace Filters Maintain Good Indoor Air Quality

The ability of furnace filters to maintain indoor air quality is based on the minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating system. All furnace filters capture and remove airborne pollutants that pass through the furnace by using a fine mesh or fiber media. A filter’s MERV rating basically indicates how narrow the gaps are between the fibers of the filter media, which ultimately shows how effective it is at trapping airborne pollutants.

While it may seem that the best furnace filter for a home must have the highest possible MERV rating, this is not actually the case. In fact, this may end up doing more harm than good.

Higher MERV Ratings Not Necessary for Furnace Air Filters

It’s worth noting that tighter furnace air filters make it more difficult for air to pass through the furnace system. When airflow is sufficiently impeded, this can cause heat to build up in the furnace, causing temperatures to rise to dangerous levels.

When this happens, the furnace itself may be damaged, or worse, become a fire hazard. Air must be allowed through the furnace system smoothly, which means that the choice of filter media must not be too tight that it blocks airflow. In addition, another disadvantage of some high-MERV furnace filters is that they tend to become dirty much faster than lower-MERV filters, making constant maintenance a necessity. High quality, efficiency air filters are available for home application, and selection should be under the guidance of an air quality of air filtration professional. Seek a balance between filter efficiency and the product’s resistance to system airflow.

What Are HVAC Air Filters For?

Of course, many heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems also come with air filters of their own. The difference, however, is that HVAC air filters are designed to protect the efficiency and performance of the HVAC unit itself, not the people in the indoor space. The paper filters that come with an air conditioner or furnace may be designed to capture dust and debris, but these are air particles that pose a danger to the machine, not people.

Instead, a true furnace air filter is designed to capture the airborne pollutants associated with health issues, such as:

• Lung cancer
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis

Simply put, ordinary HVAC air filters are designed for HVAC systems, while high-efficiency furnace filters address the needs of people in indoor spaces.

Adding Home Air Filters into the Mix

Aside from installing furnace filters, it’s a good idea to have proper-strength home air filters in homes and buildings to remove airborne pollutants commonly found in indoor spaces. Air filters that use high efficiency filter media are especially effective at capturing fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, which refers to particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter.

Exposure to PM2.5 and other indoor air pollution such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon gas, and chemical fumes have been linked to sick building syndrome—a common label to describe symptoms that include headaches, nasal irritation, eye irritation, and fatigue caused by spending time in a specific room or building.

Choosing Home Furnace Filters and Home Air Purification Systems

Concerns about indoor air quality in homes and buildings have generated interest in furnace filters and home air purification systems. As long as the problem of outdoor and indoor air pollution persists, these filter systems will always be important.

When looking for air filter systems, be sure to avoid bargain filters. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Approach a trusted air filter vendor or manufacturer—one who can guide you through the basics of air filtration. If possible, based upon your system’s capability, select a filter with a  MERV of 13, or ISO ePM1 value. It will address most air quality situations.

At Camfil USA, we are committed to helping homeowners and business owners maintain great indoor air quality in their homes and buildings. Talk to our team to learn more about our air filters, or browse our extensive product catalog to order any of our air filter systems.

 

Media Contact:

Lynne Laake

Camfil USA Air Filters

T: 888.599.6620

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