Air Quality

Air Quality

Air Treatment - Air Purification
                 Air Treatment Facts
                           -EPA FACTS
                           -3 classes of contaminants in the air
                           -Symptoms of poor indoor air quality
                    Air Filter Types
                          Fiberglass Filters
                          Passive Electronic or Self Charging Filters
                          Active Electronic Filter with Metal Collector Plate & Ionizer
                          Active Electronic Filter with Fiber Plates - No Ionizer
                          Pleated/Media Filters
                          Pleated/Media Filters with Photo Catalytic Air Purifying
                          HEPA Filters
                     Air Filter Performance Measures
                          ASHRAE Arrestance Testing
                          Atmospheric Dust Spot Test
                          MERV Rating
Air Treatment - Humidification

Air Treatment - Air Purification

Air cleaning systems for homes have become a very hot topic over the last number of years as health concerns from poor air quality are growing at an alarming rate. Anything that concerns the health and welfare of our families is of paramount importance. Unfortunately most homeowners do not have a basic understanding of the facts of air cleaning. The information listed below will hopefully give you a more clear understanding of indoor air cleaning

Air Treatment Facts

EPA FACTS

   50% of all illness is caused/aggravated by polluted indoor air.
    Airborne pollutants are 7 times more indoors than outdoors.

(Back to Top)

There are 3 classes of contaminants in the air:

   Bioaerosols - Living organisms such as fungi, mold spores and bacteria. Make up 34% of the contaminants in the air.
   Particulates - Dust, pollen and dander. Make up 35% of the contaminants in the air.
   Volatile Organic Compounds - Chemical gases that emanate from carpeting, adhesives, fresh paint, upholstered furnishings, pressed wood products (such as cabinets and furniture emit formaldehyde) and household cleaners.  These compounds make up 31% of the contaminants in the air.

(Back to Top)

Symptoms of poor indoor air quality:

   Bloody nose
   Blurred vision
   Fatigue
   Allergies and asthma
   Headache/low grade fever
   Itchy, burning, watery eyes
   Dizziness
   Sleep apnea
   Spread of flue and other diseases

(Back to Top)

Air Filter Types:

   Fiberglass Filters: The most inefficient filters with an efficiency of approximately 15% for very large particles.  The inefficiency of the filter allows for substantial amounts of dust to collect on blower assemblies, heat exchangers and cooling coils.
   Passive Electronic or Self Charging Filters:  Constructed of synthetic materials that are interwoven to create multiple air change directions meant to create a  passive electrostatic charge which allows for higher efficiency in collecting household dust. These filters are only marginally better performers than the throw away filters of the same density. For a passive electrostatic filter to work, it must be very dense and therefore it is very restrictive to air flow. This restriction of air flow can greatly reduce the efficiency and longevity of the heating and cooling system as well as induce service related problems.
   Active Electronic Filter with Metal Collector Plate & Ionizer: Uses a grid of ionizer wires (which focus and intensify an electric field) to positively charge particulate. Once the particulate passes through the ionizer grid it is collected on a metal collector plate and removed from the air stream. This works fairly well as first, but as the metal plates load up they lose their attraction and the air cleaner loses a great deal of efficiency. It is paramount to clean theses filters frequently to maintain their efficiency. These filters are generally cleaned in a dishwasher which again reduces the effectiveness of this filter.  Additionally as the filters become dirty you will begin to notice more dust deposited on the furniture throughout the house. This is due to the fact that particulate on the metal plates work like an insulator and looses that strong magnetic charge. Once this occurs the strongly positively charged particulate bypasses the cells and now will strongly be attracted to any solid grounded surfaces in the home. This air filter produces ozone which can create and trigger many harmful consequences.  People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone.
   Active Electronic Filter with Fiber Plates - No Ionizer: The particulate passes through a fiberglass filter that is actively charged in order to remove particulate from the air stream. Due to highly charged nature of the filter they are very efficient at removing particulate. As these filters become loaded with particulate they become more efficient. These filters are also very restrictive to air flow. This filter needs to be replaced 3 times a year on a heating and cooling system. Some of these filters have a thin layer of carbon mesh sandwiched between 2 fiberglass filters. Due to minimal amounts of carbon used, the duration of time that these units remove VOC's are minimal.
   Pleated/Media Filters: The pleated filter is much more efficient than the fiberglass or passive electrostatic filters. These filters are constructed of tighter material weaves, but due to their increased surface area, can be constructed not to greatly impact the restrictive value of the filter. This filter needs to be replaced once a year. These filters all have a MERV rating number assign to them. The higher the MERV rating, the higher the efficiency of the air cleaner.
   Pleated/Media Filters with Photo Catalytic Air Purifying: This filtration system uses a pleated media to capture particulate and bioaerosols. It also removes odors and chemical vapor by a process known as photo-catalytic oxidation. This type of purification is similar to the process used by the Dept. of Defense to combat germ warfare and it works as follows:

          As the odor and chemical filled air stream flows over the titanium dioxide-coated mesh filter, they are exposed to an intense bank of ultraviolet lights. The light energy activates the titanium dioxide catalyst, which generates hydroxyl radicals. These particles, which are more than twice as  powerful as chlorine, break down the odors and chemicals into carbon dioxide and water. The conversion process occurs as the carbon components of the odors and chemicals react with the hydroxyl radicals creating a permanent bond. Lamps and media are to be replaced annually, while the titanium dioxide coated mesh filter is to be replaced every 5 years.

  HEPA Filters (High Efficiency Particulate Filer): Designed to remove 99.7% of particulate .3 micron in size. HEPA filtration was designed by the military for use in masks for bio-terrorism. HEPA filtration media is very restrictive to air flow and requires an independent blower to handle the restriction.

(Back to Top)

Air Filter Performance Measures

   ASHRAE Arrestance Testing: Used to evaluate low efficiency air filters. A standard dust test is used in chamber to determine the amount of dust collected by the filter. The collected dust weight is deducted from the weight of the sample introduced, and the efficiency of the filter is determined.
   Atmospheric Dust Spot Test: Used to evaluate medium efficiency air filters. The efficiency rating is based on the filter's ability to reduce soiling of paper  media in the test chamber, and a much finer particle is employed in the testing than is used in the arrestance test.
   MERV Rating: MERV is the acronym for Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. It is generally used for rating pleated media filters. This test method provides a numerical value for filtration efficiency with values assigned between 1 (lowest) and 20 (highest).

The knowledgeable staff at American Vintage Home, Inc. can help you with any indoor air quality questions. If it's as easy as maintaining your equipment's efficiency and longevity, or as complicated as a particular health problem you are experiencing we have the air cleaning solution for you.

(Back to Top)

Air Treatment - Humidification

According to medical experts, many viruses thrive in low humidity and can increase the likelihood of getting colds, flu and upper respiratory ailments: but dry air damage doesn't stop there. Unhumidified heated air also dries out the wood in your home, shrinking the wood framing around doors and windows. Gaps then occur, allowing more cold air in, making your home less energy efficient. Dry air also causes wall and ceilings to crack and even wood floors and trim to separate. The problems described above can be easily solved by adding an automatic power humidifier to your home. These units can automatically add up to 24 gallons of moisture per day to your home, and are controlled by a humidistat which is like a thermostat, controlling the level of humidity in your home rather than temperature.

A lot of homeowners are unaware that a radiator heated home can also be centrally humidified. We have a product especially designed for these older homes and have been installing them for decades. Please feel free to call us anytime so we can help make your home more comfortable, and preserve it for years to come.

(Back to Top)

HOME HEATING COOLING PLUMBING DESIGN STUDIO SPACEPAK AIR QUALITY SERVICE INSTALL ABOUT US