Tag Archives: filtration

AeraMax Professional had a great chance to spread the Gospel of Clean Air when it was invited to shed light on air purity challenges in the dental lab industry during a two-part interview featured on the Voices from the Bench podcast recently. Voices from the Bench, hosted by industry professionals Elvis Dahl and Barbara Warner Wojdan, explores a variety of dental lab topics, ranging from emerging technologies to industry news.

AeraMax Professional sheds light on air purity challenges in the dental lab industry.

 

For a two-part interview (episodes 25 and 26, available here) ), the pair created a roundtable with Tad Friess of Rockert Dental Labs, Mike Booth, AeraMax’s Senior Global Market Manager—Air Treatment, and Blake Bobosky, AeraMax’s VP/GM of Air Treatment Sales, North America. The group discusses the challenges facing dental lab owners and employees who work in dust- and odor-filled environments. Friess also recounted the work done by staff at AeraMax Professional to identify previous poor air quality issues at his lab, as well as the solutions provided through the installation of AeraMax Professional air purification units, stating that the installation completely eradicated the dust and air quality issues.

LISTEN HERE:

Part 1

Part 2

These days, facility managers have more responsibilities. More occupant interaction, more belt-tightening decisions—and more opportunities to truly affect change in their facility. This is why the director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment, Joseph Allen, Ph.D., stated that a facility manager has more of an impact in the health and well-being of the occupants than physicians.

Find out more about how you can clean smarter, not harder.

It seems like every news cycle is dominated by talk of air pollution and poor indoor air quality. There are ways, however, to influence the quality of indoor environments.

Here are four quick changes that facility managers can make to improve indoor air quality.

1. Boost ventilation.

One simple way of helping alleviate air issues is by boosting the flow of air throughout a facility by opening windows. Oftentimes, facility managers try to improve air by putting additional filters in place by cranking up the HVAC, but that drags down airflow (there’s a better solution at Number Four on our list!). Also, note that bacteria and spores grow in warm, wet environments, so consider getting dehumidifiers for problem areas, like areas of water leaks and damage.

2. Remove problems.

Certain types of carpeting and office furniture give off vapors that are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which in turn affect respiration and exacerbate asthma symptoms. That’s why many companies opt for wood or tile flooring. Look to replace things like toxic wall paint to with non-toxic alternatives, too.

3. Go green.


“Cleaning for Health” is a huge trend these days and focusing on green cleaning techniques can improve overall indoor air quality. Get started by downloading our whitepaper.

4. Get AeraMax® Professional.

Quite simply, the most effective way to positively impact indoor air quality is by installing AeraMax Professional commercial grade air purifiers. These units remove 99.97 percent of indoor contaminants like germs, bacteria, allergens and VOCs, making indoor air livable and breathable again. Each also is effective at removing odors from indoor spaces, making them ideal for high traffic areas. The air purifiers come in wall mount and stand units in a variety of sizes to suit most indoor spaces, and offer an easy way to get ahead of indoor air quality issues.

Climate Change

Climate change has really done a number on the US this winter: Southern California has been deluged by torrential rains, the East Coast has been hit with summer-like weather, and tornados—usually seen in late spring and early summer—have cropped up in February in the Midwest. And in the Southeast? Winter meant nothing, with Atlanta experiencing an average temperature increase of nine degrees; New Orleans had an eight-degree uptick and Charlotte had almost a ten-degree increase.

Allergy Seasons Starting Sooner

All that wet and warm weather means one thing: allergy seasons will start sooner and will be prolonged, because in some areas, allergy producing blooms emerged in late February. In fact, according to the National Allergy Bureau, tree pollen is already a problem, with reports of high concentrations throughout the South and into the farthest tip of Florida.

With such an early start to the season, people are already experiencing allergy symptoms. According to Thomas Johnson, MD, of Allergy and Asthma Care of Florida, in Ocala, FL, sufferers should get tested to determine exactly what pollens they are allergic to, before getting medication or trying over-the-counter remedies.

Additionally, people can track pollen counts at the National Allergy Bureau website (www.aaaai.org/nab) to minimize exposure and start treatment before the allergy season hits hardest.

What to do at Home?

At home, allergy sufferers should consider:

  • Doing outdoor activities after it rains, or in the evening, when pollen counts are generally lower
  • Avoiding hanging clothes outside to air dry
  • Showering after outdoor activities to remove any clinging pollen.
  • Frequently washing eyes to remove contact with airborne allergens.

What to do at Work?

At work, employees who are allergy sufferers should ensure that doors and windows are kept closed, and should talk with facility managers about ways to remove allergens from the indoor air.

Facility managers themselves should understand that allergens are brought in from outdoors in a number of ways: from fresh air being pumped into facilities; on the clothing of people coming in from outdoors; and by opened windows.

AeraMax Professional Fights Allergy Season

Key to helping alleviate sufferers’ symptoms is ridding the air of allergen spores to begin with, by using AeraMax® Professional commercial-grade air purification. Each AeraMax Professional unit removes up to 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants, like germs and allergens, from indoor air, greatly reducing the triggers for seasonal allergies. Indeed, helping allergy sufferers requires facility managers to “clean for health,” using air purification as a foundation for fighting allergy season.

 

The Problem

Some governments have been known to avoid the persistent problem of poor air quality, but a recent decision in Britain could possibly set the (low) standard.

Seems the British government has identified a large number of “hotspots” for pollution in the idyllic peninsula of Cornwall. The cause: major roadways in close proximity to villages and towns mean a heavy concentration of diesel fumes.

A Radical Solution

But instead of tackling the pollution problem with restrictions, heavy-vehicle taxes, the construction of an overpass to eliminate the proximity to affected villages or other measures, the government is planning on relocating residents. That’s right—instead of treating the problem, the government is considering moving the people affected by the problem.

The Cornwall Council says relocating families is a cheaper alternative to building an overpass and is floating the idea of developing an area farther from pollution sources for residents in the towns of Camborne, Pool, Redruth, Bodmin, Tideford, Gunnislake, St Austell, Truro and Camelford. Another option is removing people from homes closest to the roadway, bulldozing the homes and widening the road to reduce traffic backups and standing traffic.

Lost in the announcement is the fact that the government isn’t addressing poor air quality; instead, it is avoiding the problem with a plan that uproots lives without eliminating pollution. Critics have suggested taxes on diesel vehicles as an incentive to drive less, a law to migrate drivers of such vehicles to cleaner alternatives and restrictions on travel in the area. Still, the council is seriously considering the relocation as a “best option.”

Aeramax Professional a True Pollution Solution

The move in Britain is similar to instances when people avoid addressing the root of indoor air quality issues, opting instead to mask odors or simply boost HVAC outputs. Instead, cleaning the indoor air is the only effective way to increase air quality. And we think the most effective solution is installing AeraMax® Professional commercial-grade air purifiers in shared indoor spaces. Our complete line is designed to remove up to 99.97 percent of airborne contaminants, like germs, allergens, bacteria and volatile organic compounds from indoor air, offering a true pollution solution for facility managers.