Resources

What is an air filtration unit (air purifier)?

An air filtration unit(air purifier) is an air handler that uses HEPA and or Carbon Filters to remove particulate and VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) from the air we breathe. Air Marketing Group has air purifiers that combine the two and are tailored to specific applications such as asthma prevention, smoke removal, allergy relief, etc.

What is the difference between carbon and HEPA filtration?

Ultimately the difference between carbon and HEPA filtration is the type of contaminants they remove from the air we breathe. Carbon filtration is used to remove VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) which would be considered odors and or chemicals from the air. HEPA filtration is used to remove particulate such as pollen, mold, dust, pet dander, etc. Although both of these types of air filtration are different the best units actually utilize both to filter out any and all contaminants.

Why should indoor air quality concern me?

Today's modern homes are sealed tight to insulate us from the cold and heat as a result air circulation is kept to a minimum. Our indoor air meanwhile, contains minute particles such as dust, pet dander, pollen and mold spores that can aggravate asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. In addition, many of today's cleaning products, furniture, carpets and building materials release chemicals, which also end up in the air we breathe. What's most sobering is that fact that while our bodies have natural defenses against air borne particles, we have no natural defense against airborne chemicals! These, in fact, can go straight into the blood stream! A high efficiency air cleaner can help neutralize airborne particles, chemical and odors. However, make sure you buy a purifier that contains both carbon and HEPA filtration to trap the particles and chemicals, gases and odors. So many people are disappointed when they bring home an off-the-shelf unit that does nothing for odors and airborne chemicals.

What kind of technology is used in today's modern air purifiers?

Among the cleaning methods used in air purification today are HEPA and activated carbon filters, electrostatic filters and ultraviolet lamps. While electrostatic filters and ultraviolet lamps can be effective for individual applications, HEPA - carbon combinations neutralize airborne particles and chemicals, gases and odors. This dual action cleaning power offers you the best air filtration available without generating additional pollutants like ozone.

What are the advantages of using a carbon filter rather than a cheaper electrostatic filter?

While electrostatic filters help collect dust particles, they cannot remove chemicals and odors from the air. An activated carbon filter actually traps chemicals, gases and odors; this combined with a HEPA filter offers you the most efficient air purification possible. Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC) has the strongest adsorption power of any material known to man. In one pound of carbon there are over 200 miles of tiny pores to trap gases and odors. It¡¯s safe, cost efficient and so effective the military uses it in their gas masks!

Why is ozone so dangerous for my health?

EPA's answer: "The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and, throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections(www.epa.gov - How is ozone harmful)" : The same chemical properties that allow high concentrations of ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with similar organic material that makes up the body, and potentially cause harmful health consequences. When inhaled, ozone can damage the lungs. Relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and, throat irritation. Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures (US EPA, 1996a, 1996b). Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen. Ozone is a toxic gas with vastly different chemical and toxicological properties from oxygen. Several federal agencies have established health standards or recommendations to limit human exposure to ozone.

What is a true HEPA filter?

A True HEPA filter has the highest proven efficiency, cleaning 99.97% of all airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.

I recently discovered mold in my basement. What should I do? Will an purifier help?

Mold can be a very serious issue, so depending on the severity of your problem you may need to consult with a professional. Make sure to clean the mold at its source using an effective and safe, non-toxic product like one of our enzyme cleaners and try to eliminate any moisture in the area. The mold needs this moisture to grow. An air purifier with a UV lamp can help in both the short and long term by trapping the airborne mold spores preventing them from reproducing. Air Marketing Group would also recommend taking a look at our Dehumidification page. (Make Dehumidification an link to the actual page that they can click.)

What does MCS mean?

MCS stands for Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. People having MCS feel uncomfortable in the presence of any smell. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is basically a subset of Environmental Illness (EI), which is caused by living in a toxic world. The chemicals that were synthesized after World War II (including, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, cleaning products, detergents, etc.) are mostly "petro-chemicals" (petroleum based) and are quite toxic to humans. There have been virtually no studies done on the majority of these chemicals to see how they affect humans - the industry just placed the chemicals in the environment with the assumption that they are "safe, till proven toxic", instead of the other way around. One of the biggest offenders is PERFUME and other scented products. Did you know that many of the ingredients in your perfume are the exact same ingredients found in GASOLINE??!! I didn't either! The scary thing is that the perfume industry is NOT REGULATED at all - they can put any number of chemicals in fragrance without revealing what those chemicals are - or how they affect humans.

What does VOC mean?

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds, molecular gases such as formaldehyde and ammonia that are extremely dangerous for your health.

What is a dehumidifier?

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air that is circulating through the unit. The resulting reduction of relative humidity helps prevent rust, rot, mould, mildew and condensation within the room, shelter or other enclosed spaces where the dehumidifier is used.

A dehumidifier consists of a motor-compressor unit, a refrigerant condenser, an air circulating fan, a refrigerated evaporator, a means for collecting and disposing of the condensed moisture and a cabinet to house these components.

The fan draws the moist room air through the cold evaporator coil which cools the air below its dew point. Moisture forms on the evaporator and is collected in the condensate tray then lead away to a permanent drain. The cooled air then passes through the hot condenser, where it is re-heated with the same energy removed during the cooling phase and the addition heat derived from the compressor. The air is therefore discharged into the room at a slightly higher temperature but at a lower relative humidity than that at which it entered the unit. Continuous circulation of room air through the dehumidifier gradually reduces the relative humidity of the room.

Dehumidifiers can be used in a range of applications such as basements, crawl spaces, indoor pools or spas and even commercial and industrial manufacturing processes.

What is the difference between mechanical and desiccant dehumidification?

Mechanical dehumidifiers use cold coils to dehumidify. When warm moist air flows over the cold coils the moisture condenses and drops into a pan or into a drain line/condensate pump to be removed from the space. Desiccant dehumidification uses a silica gel wheel to adsorb moisture from the air. Desiccant dehumidifers use what we call reactivation heat to then blow the moisture off the wheel and out of the space. Mechanical dehumidification is more efficient at removing large amounts of moisture from a particular area but not good at getting below a 45% relative humidity, where desiccant is the opposite; it is not good at removing large amounts of moisture at a time but can get below 45% relative humidity if needed.

How to choose the best dehumidifier for your application?

Call Air Marketing Group (1-800-782-9175) with the following information and let an expert choose for you.

• Room Size – L x W x H
• Room Temperature
• Relative Humidity Desired
• How many windows and or glass doors
• Type of electric you have; Voltage and phase
• Surface area of pool and or whirlpool if applicable
• Number of people in the space

Mechanical Dehumidification Process