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~ Indoor Air Quality Terms ~ |
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ACTIVATED CARBON or AC
Activated carbon is the generic term used to describe a family of carbonaceous
adsorbents with a highly crystalline form and extensively developed internal
pore structure. Activation creates a fast internal pore network and imparts
certain surface chemistries (functional groups) inside each particle.
Thus activation gives carbon its unique filtering characteristics.
ASHRAE
Is the American Society
of Heating, Refrigerating
and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
ASHRAE publishes Standards for Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.
CADR
Although there is no universally accepted method for comparing air-cleaning
devices, several investigators of portable air-cleaning units have expressed
their results as a ”Clean Air
Delivery Rate”
or CADR. The CADR is the product of the unit efficiency and the airflow
rate, and is a measure of the number of CFM of air it cleans of a specific
material.
CARBON
Carbon, the sixth most abundant element in the universe, has been known
since ancient times. Many natural substances of base materials are used
to make carbon. The most common of these are wood, coal, lignite, and
coconut shell.
Amorphous carbon is formed when a material containing carbon is burned
without enough oxygen for it to burn completely.
CFM
CFM (Cubic Feet
per Minute) a measurement of air flow.
CLEANING CAPACITY
An air cleaner must constantly recirculate indoor air in order to effectively
reduce concentrations of airborne particulate contamination. Cleaning
the total volume of air contained within a room is the equivalent of completely
changing the air in that room. Air cleaner filtration capacity is expressed
as the number of air changes per hour (ACH). For air cleaners of equivalent
filter effectiveness, a higher ACH rating yields higher levels of air
quality improvement.
DOP
The DOP Military Standard is the standard set by the federal government
to rate particle reduction by HEPA filters. This test rates high-efficiency
filters by the percentage of 0.3 micron size particles of dioctylphthalate
(DOP) smoke they remove.
ELECTROSTATIC
Electrostatic units filter the air using static electricity have a static
charge on the filter to allow airborne particles to "stick"
to the filter, just like static-charged clothing sticks together.
HEPA
HEPA stands for High Efficiency
Particulate Air,
and like the name says, these filters are designed to remove 99.97% of
all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes
through the filter (these include tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen).
IONIZER
Ion generators act by charging the particles in a room so that they are
attracted to walls, floors, tabletops, draperies, occupants, etc. Abrasion
can result in these particles being resuspended into the air. In some
cases these devices contain a collector to attract the charged particles
back to the unit. While ion generators may remove small particles (e.g.,
those in tobacco smoke) from the indoor air, they do not remove gases
or odors, and may be relatively ineffective in removing large particles
such as pollen and house dust allergens. Although some have suggested
that these devices provide a benefit by rectifying a hypothesized ion
imbalance, no controlled studies have confirmed this effect.
MICRONS
A micron is a unit of length equal to 1 millionth of a meter or .000039th
(39 millionth) of an inch. Another name for micron is micrometer.
MOLD SPORES
Molds produce tiny spores to reproduce, just as plants produce seeds.
Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When
mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting
whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are molds that
can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or
water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur, particularly
if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or unaddressed. Molds can
trigger asthma episodes in individuals with an allergic reaction to mold.
OZONE
Ozone, a lung irritant, is produced indirectly by ion generators and some
other electronic air cleaners and directly by ozone generators. While
indirect ozone production is of concern, there is even greater concern
with the direct, and purposeful introduction of a lung irritant into indoor
air. There is no difference, despite some marketers' claims, between ozone
in smog outdoors and ozone produced by these devices.
Repeated exposure to ozone pollution may cause permanent damage to the
lungs. Even when ozone is present in low levels, inhaling it triggers
a variety of health problems including chest pains, coughing, nausea,
throat irritation, and congestion. It also can worsen bronchitis, heart
disease, emphysema, and asthma, and reduce lung capacity.
OZONE GENERATOR
Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the
gas ozone. Often the vendors of ozone generators make statements and distribute
material that lead the public to believe that these devices are always
safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution.
Some vendors suggest these devices have been approved by
the federal government for use in occupied spaces. To the contrary, NO
agency of the federal government has approved these devices for use in
occupied spaces. Because of these claims, and because ozone can cause
health problems at high concentrations, several federal government agencies
have worked in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
to produce this public information document.
PRECIPATATOR
There are many simple electronic devices that claim to clean the air in
your home by making negative ions and ozone. The claim is accurate--they
do make both ozone and negative ions, and they do clean the air in your
home. However, that's not the whole story. First, ozone may have the "fresh"
smell that occurs after a thunderstorm (a potent producer of ozone), but
ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent and chemical irritant that's considered
an environmental pollutant rather than a charming scent. The manufacturers
are taking a nuisance effect and touting it as a "valuable feature."
Second, the negative charges emitted by these electronic devices attach
themselves to dust, ash, pollen, and smoke particles and cause those particles
to bind themselves to your walls and furniture. The air really does become
cleaner, but every surface in your home becomes dirtier as a result.
PRE FILTER
A pre filter is the primary layer of filtration that collects large particles
before they reach the HEPA filter. Eliminating these larger particles,
dust and hair extends the life of your HEPA filter. Occasional vacuuming
of the exterior of the unit will help extend life of the filters. Frequent
pre filter changes will also prolong the HEPA filter life.
PSF
Pounds per Square
Foot (PSF). a measurement of air pressure.
ROOM AIR CLEANER
Room air cleaners help with allergies by helping people live in cleaner,
healthier environments. By sleeping in a room with an air cleaner, you
will breathe much cleaner air all night long. And by also having an air
cleaner in your office, or any other room where you spend a lot of time,
you will maximize your clean air intake and minimize the allergens you
breathe. Even if you have a good filter on your central air conditioning
system, a room air cleaner will increase the purity of the air you breathe.
RPM
Revolutions Per
Minute (RPM) is a measure of speed for any
rotating device. Typically found in specifications for motors.
SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
The term "sick building syndrome" (SBS) is used to describe
situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort
effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific
illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in
a particular room or zone, or may be widespread throughout the building.
The following have been cited causes of or contributing factors to sick
building syndrome:
- Inadequate ventilation: Inadequate ventilation, which may occur if heating,
ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems do not effectively distribute
air to people in the building.
- Chemical contaminants from indoor sources: Most indoor air pollution comes
from sources inside the building. For example, adhesives, carpeting, upholstery,
manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides, and cleaning agents
may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde. Environmental
tobacco smoke contributes high levels of VOCs, other toxic compounds,
and respirable particulate matter. Research shows that some VOCs can cause
chronic and acute health effects at high concentrations, and some are
known carcinogens. Low to moderate levels of multiple VOCs may also produce
acute reactions.
- Combustion products such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen
dioxide, as well as respirable particles, can come from unvented kerosene
and gas space heaters, wood stoves, fireplaces and gas stoves.
- Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources: The outdoor air that enters
a building can be a source of indoor air pollution. For example, pollutants
from motor vehicle exhausts; plumbing vents, and building exhausts (e.g.,
bathrooms and kitchens) can enter the building through poorly located
air intake vents, windows, and other openings. In addition, combustion
products can enter a building from a nearby garage.
WHOLE HOUSE AIR CLEANER
An air cleaner panel will clean the air in your entire home by installing
into your existing HVAC or central heating system, in place of your current
filter. This electronic air cleaning device takes the place of a furnace
and imparts an electrical charge into a filtration media inside the unit.
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