Dust Control, Air Purification and Filtration: Information and Resources for Improving Indoor Air

Articles / Guides:

Maintenance Engineering: Dust Collectors

CONTROLLING INDOOR AIR PROBLEMS: HOW TO KEEP THE BUILDING WORKING WELL -- part 1

CONTROLLING INDOOR AIR PROBLEMS: HOW TO KEEP THE BUILDING WORKING WELL -- part 2

• Indoor Air Quality -- from our series Fundamentals of Building Science



• Fundamentals of Woodshop Dust (and How to Control it)



• Ventilation: How to Create an Energy-Efficient Home



• Cheap vs. Expensive Furnace Filters



• Indoor Air Pollutants — Where to Find Them and What to Do
  • Health and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
  • Particulates
  • Combustion Gases
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
  • Radioactive Contaminants
  • Environmental Tobacco Smoke
  • Molds
  • Moisture



• Building Green and Indoor Air Quality:
  • Introduction
  • Setting Standards for Exposure
  • Contaminants and their Impact on Health
  • Building Products that Off-Gas
  • The Cure for Dirty Air
    
    
• Wood Shop Dust Collectors
  • Two types of Shop Waste
  • Shop Vacs and Portable Dust Collectors
  • Central dust-collection system
• Ventilation and air filtration



• Compressed-Air Systems
• Choosing a compressor
• Installing a compressed-air system
• Filtrating and regulating air
• Selecting Air Hoses
• Installing quick-release fittings



• Dehumidifiers
  
  
• Humidifiers
  
  
• Dust as a Fire Hazard
  
  
• Our Top Allergy-Fighting products
  
  
• Toxic Mold:
  • Toxic Mold (introduction)
  • Toxic Mold Symptoms
  • Toxic Mold Testing
  • Toxic Mold Tort Experts
• Allergy-Fighting Products
  
  
• Woodshop Dust Control
  
  
• Safer Indoor Air Using Air-Cleaning House Plants, Dust-Control Filters, and Other Methods
  
  
• Guide to choosing and using masks and respirators
  
  
• Articles about Dust Control, Air Purifiers, Air Cleaners and Filters

Job Site and Landscaping

• Minimize Renovation Construction Health Risks
• Reduce Construction Waste

The Modern Home Workshop

• Controlling Workshop Dust

Info on Air Cleaners:

Concern with health has caused air cleaners to become increasingly popular products in the US. According to the EPA, poor indoor air quality is among the top five environmental risks. Some say that pollutants in your home’s air can cause dizziness and headaches, and aggravate allergies and asthma. In order to make your home’s air free of pollutants, there are three steps you can take—remove the source of the problem, ventilate the area, or clean the air. Remember that air cleaning alone can't adequately remove all of the pollutants typically found in indoor air.

Also...

There are a few simple steps you can take to keep the air in your home healthy to breathe:

• Clean your home regularly
• Store chemicals in tightly sealed containers and dispose of any waste properly Control humidity and temperature
• Monitor your home’s air through air testing
• Hire an HVAC technician to make sure air-cleaning equipment and ducts are properly installed, sized, and sealed

Types of Air Cleaners:

There are a wide range of products available for helping to clean and regulate moisture levels in the air you breathe in your home. Unlike traditional air filters on your heating system, air cleaners are designed to filter out particles that are unseen by the human eye. These tiny particles are easily inhaled and are believed to cause or irritate health problems. Some air cleaners are designed to be installed in ducts as part of a central heating or air-conditioning system and others can be stand-alone units that are portable, working just in a concentrated area of the home.

Above: Whole-house dehumidifier -- If excess moisture is a problem in your home, you will benefit from ventilation and a dehumidifier. Shown here, the Humiditrol whole-home dehumidifier system installs in the home’s existing duct system.

Above: Electronic air cleaner -- An electrical field traps charged particles, preventing them from entering your HVAC system. This air cleaner removes particles and bio-aerosols down to 1 micron.

Above: Humidifier -- Indoor moisture levels can be regulated by using a humidifier. This can enhance air quality and comfort. The model shown here works with most forced-air systems.

Above: Germicidal light -- One way to keep air purified and surfaces clean and sterilized is with a germicidal light. Using ultraviolet energy, it can quickly reduce concentrations of airborne bio-aerosols.

Above: Filter -- Air filters remove particles from the HVAC system as new air circulates into the unit. This air filter removes particles and bio-aerosols down to 3 microns, and is easy to replace.

Above: Ventilation control system -- Gain indoor air quality and increase comfort with a whole-house ventilation system that automatically monitors the outdoor temperature and indoor humidity levels.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Modern energy efficient windows, proper insulation, vapor barriers, and sealing all joints with caulk help reduce energy bills and increase the efficiency of a house. The problem is that a house functions best when it can still breathe. Houses need to be ventilated. Without proper ventilation in a home, moisture and mold can become a problem. For optimal comfort and health, experts say that the home’s relative humidity levels should range between 35 and 50%. By maintaining this humidity level, you may also be reducing the opportunity for mold and mildew problems.

Want to know more about why air cleaners are important health tools in today's polluted indoor-air environment? Read our article:

Safer Indoor Air: Using Effective, High-Quality Air Purifiers, Air Filtration and Dust Control

eBook for the Dust Control Industry Professionals | Indoor Air Quality/Dust Control resources (EPA links)

Okay, I'm gonna go off-topic because I found a really great resource for outdoor air quality:

Airnow.gov an air-pollution alert system.

I had previously assumed that protecting ourselves from air-pollution hazards was somewhat beyond our control. and while Weather.com, and a few similar sites, have some basic pollution-reporting features, they are not that great.

The U.S. government is rightfully stepping in to level the playing field with airnow.gov, an EPA project. While I'm not sure exactly how long the site has existed, this *topically-dedicated* government resource is functionally and informationally *way superior* to Weather.com and the like.

A particularly useful tool available on Airnow is EnviroFlash: "a free service that provides you with information about various environmental conditions. This service allows you to sign up to automatically receive customized environmental information. The following types of data are currently available:

EnviroFlash Air Quality

EnviroFlash Air Quality provides notifications about air quality action days as well as forecasts of air quality for the upcoming day(s), and allows you to select your level of air quality concern.

EnviroFlash UV Index

EnviroFlash UV Index provides notification of UV Alerts and the next day UV Index."

Unfortunately, this service is young and alert areas are still a bit sparse. But the service should mature in time.

Aren't curve-squaring tools great ;)!

Posted: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:11 AM

Resources: KH Internet consulting

Modified: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 15:58