Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Air Filtration Products Make Breathing Cleaner And Easier At Home Or Work

By Marla Mills


A home or place of business can collect numerous contaminants from various sources such as smoke, pollen, and pet dander in its air supply which makes it less healthy for those breathing it in. People with allergies are particularly susceptible to the effects of inhaling these substances. Fortunately there are air filtration products on the market that help make one's home or work environment a cleaner one.

Different types of purification systems are available which effectively remove contaminants from a building's air circulation. Many homes have one such system built into their furnaces or central AC, in the form of an air cleaner. This unit requires a removable filter made of fiberglass or another material that requires changing occasionally. It stops certain particles from entering the airflow throughout the building.

HEPA, or "High Efficiency Particulate Air" filters are designated as such by meeting certain standards stipulated by the Department of Energy. In order to qualify as a HEPA filter, a model must allow less than 0.03 particle penetration for molecules 0.3 micrometers or larger. It also needs to allow a particular amount of airflow, which varies according to its size. This type of system is efficient at eliminating airborne dust and allergens.

Another design is the ionizing purifier. This system generates charged ions through an electrical field known as "corona discharge". The largely neutral particles in the air which are drawn into the filter's positively and negatively charged metal plates will either gain or lose electrons, thus creatin polarity in them which causes them to bind together and and fall out of circulation, effectively removing them from the atmosphere of a room.

Ozone generators work similarly to the ionizing system, but the main difference is that the oxygen molecules are the one affected by the corona discharge, which sits them up into individual atoms, some of which will form ozone. When ozone is released into the atmosphere of a building, it is believed to purify the air and also produce other benefits to health.

Some other filter designs work by adsorption, to eliminate unpleasant odors and airborne substances. Most contain activated charcoal or another porous material which serves the purpose of trapping various particles and filtering them out of the environment. UV filters operate by circulating air through a powerful UV beam which rids it of many infectious viruses and bacteria.

Industrial settings use a type of filtration system that is capable of filtering a much larger volume of air than residential designs. Some industries require the constant removal of pollutants from the environment before or following the manufacturing process. Examples of systems used to accomplish this include scrubbers, mist collectors, high-density filters, and extraction units.

Besides using effective air filtration products, there are other basic steps people can take to reduce contaminants in the home or workplace. These include regular cleaning, not permitting smoking indoors, and taking remedial action against any mold problems. Allowing fresh air to circulate through the building from time to time is also helpful. Certain types of filters are better suited to specific contaminants such as tobacco smoke or pollen, and in some cases this will be indicated on the product's packaging.




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