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How Filters Affect Indoor Air Quality
Reading time: 3.5 minutes
Although we can’t see the air we breathe, it can impact our health and overall wellness. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of the top reasons our health can be compromised.
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As a society, we spend as much as 90% of our time indoors, exposing us to pollutants—from off-gassing furniture to chemical cleaners to dust and skin—up to five times higher than outdoor air. While there are many factors to indoor air pollution, central heating and cooling ventilation systems play the largest role in making sure the air we breathe indoor is of proper quality.
Poor IAQ can not only lead to health issues such as respiratory illnesses, but studies also show it can contribute to low productivity for workers, school absences for children, and the spread of infectious particles in hospitals.
The Link Between Viruses and IAQ
It’s no secret that the pandemic brought IAQ to the top of our minds. The connection between viruses and health is often in part linked to the quality of air we breathe both in and outdoors. SAVRS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), as well as many other viruses, can be spread through respiratory droplets. Since droplets cannot stay in the air for long periods of time, they often fall to the nearest surface. Many factors, such as air temperature and humidity, influence how long viruses can live on surfaces.
If droplets are tiny enough, they can travel in the air as aerosol transmission.
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So, how can we minimize virus transmission in a commercial setting? One way schools are tackling the issue is by incorporating more controls to start the ventilation process before occupants arrive. In addition, by utilizing a decentralized system like Systemair’s Changeair Vertical Unit Ventilators, each unit controls the airflow for a specific area or room. Another option to minimize virus transmission is to make sure your filters are updated and follow a regular maintenance schedule.
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Filters’ Impact on IAQ
Systemair’s new virucidal air filter, DELTRI+, can neutralize or destroy 99% of viruses, including COVID-19. Comparable to the MERV 16 filter class (acc. ASHRAE 52.2), DELTRI+ is compatible with existing and new air handling units (AHUs) in standard sizes.
Tested by The Luxemburg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), this new virucidal filter destroys the genetic material of a virus.
In addition, it blocks replication and inactivates the viruses so they cannot survive, turning contaminated air flow into clean air flow.
DELTRI+ is a reliable, energy-efficient, and hygienic solution for integrating into your existing AHUs. They’re available as an optional accessory item for all new or installed Systemair Geniox and Topvex air-handling units, as well as replacement filters in standard sizes for existing air-handling units, regardless of the brand.
As an easy integration to the AHUs, DELTRI+ can quickly improve IAQ in commercial settings at minimal added expense to your ventilation systems, instead of upgrades to ventilation systems.
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