Air Cleaner FAQs
Air Cleaner FAQs
You cannot see the most dangerous and hazardous dust.
Our highly efficient air cleaners are designed to separate dust and particulates down to a level of 0.3 micrometers. These particulates are so small that they are not even visible to human eye however, they cause extreme damage as they can settle deep into your lungs. Silica dust for example is spread whilst working with plaster, mortar, concrete or bricks.
Clean air for all environments
CAS-Hire highly recommend all involved with carpentry, demolition, renovation and building construction works to include one of our air cleaners as a source of extraction. CAS-Hire industrial air cleaner range are also suitable for other hazardous dust contaminated environments such as bakeries, food industry and industrial or factory applications. All of our models are designed and equipped with speed regulation allowing them to operate at night or in order to conserve energy.
How dangerous is the dust in my workplace?
Many airborne breathable particulates i.e. silica dust dangerous MDF fibres can create horrendous damage potentially leading to silicosis and cancer.
Are good dust extractors enough?
Hand held tools like grinders and sanders are some of the main causes for spreading dust therefore we recommend a source extraction system should be used along with an air cleaner as the best approach.
Do I need an air purifier / air cleaner ?
With our ever increasing British city populations, brings a steadily increasing level of Particle Matter (PM) air pollution. A large percentage of us live in areas where our pollution levels are often extremely dangerous to breathe. In Great Britain the largest man-made pollution arises from heavily congested slow moving motorised vehicles and fuel combustion created from central heating boilers etc. Road vehicles contribute the primary particles from engine fuel emissions, however tyre and brake dust are other large contributors. Additional large contributors can include construction, manufacturing or quarrying. Secondary (PM) is created from fumes of ammonia, SO2 sulphur dioxide and other oxides of nitrogen including emissions from organic compounds from both combustion and vegetation sources.
However, it’s not all about what’s outdoors, as indoor air on average is two to five times poorer quality than outdoor air, and in some instances it can be even up to a hundred times worse. Indoor air is full of pollutants such as dust, mould, pollen, carbon monoxide, radon, silica amongst other hazardous chemicals. These key pollutants contribute to a large range of health issues including asthma, lung disease, lung cancer to name but a few and are particularly hazardous to children and people with compromised immune response health related issues, The frequent use of an air purifier / air cleaner removes these hazardous particles from the air and reduces the risk of these health issues.
Which type of air cleaner do I need?
We suggest you consider a couple of issues before hiring or buying an air cleaner / air purifier.
Select the appropriate sized air cleaner for the job in hand . Air cleaners are designed, tested and rated based on their recommended room size capacity. We suggest you always hire or buy an air cleaner with the same recommended room size or greater than your room.
When comparing air cleaners one of the key points to consider is the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). CADR ratings stands for the measurement of the efficiency produced by an air cleaners from an independent organisation. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). This certification is voluntary and considers room size and measures the volume of clean air produced each minute. This measurement is generally calculated in cubic feet per minute (CFM), the greater the CADR means higher performance from the air cleaner. Calculated by the three most common indoor air pollutants, dust, smoke and pollen, the CADR can produce different ratings for different pollutants therefore we suggest you consider the CADR for the pollutant that suits your requirements best.
Power consumption can easily be forgotten about when choosing air cleaners, but it is important to remember, higher energy consumption means more expensive to run. Air cleaners are intended to run 24/7 therefore lower wattage are cheaper to operate.
There are four different types of filter ranging from Hepa filters, Carbon filters, UV filters and Ionic filters. When looking for an air cleaner / air purifier one of the key points is to select the correct type of filtration that suits your specific requirements the best.
High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are highly efficient filter that are designed to remove 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles. Effectiveness of these filters are measured by particle size known as Most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS filter). HEPA filters are designed to extract and remove dust, bacteria, pollen, allergens, and mould.
Activated carbon filters are not designed to remove dust or allergens etc from the air. Carbon filters create a chemical reaction to odour pollutants such as smoke, chemical fumes, gas and other smells as they flow through their adsorbent filter processes.
UV light filtration processes produce amazing results in extracting bacterial viruses etc however they are not capable of removing dust or other solids out of your air. Some air cleaners / air purifiers use UV light and electromagnetic radiation to breakdown and remove influenza type bacteria and viruses.
Ionisers cleverly filter by using high voltage though electro statically charged plates to positively or negatively charge ions that draw and collect positive airborne particle pollution similarly to what static electricity does. This method of filtration is only designed to deal with air borne matter and is not suitable to extract dust or particles from surfaces within the effected room.
Are ionisers dangerous?
No. Our range of ionic air cleaners at CAS-Hire have cleared rigorous government safety standards which stipulate that an ozone output of no more than 0.05ppm deemed acceptable.
Do your air cleaners remove smoke and dangerous gases?
Our carefully selected range of air cleaners / air purifiers are designed to perform to the highest standards in removal of smoke, car exhaust fumes, household chemical fumes, smelly odours and other hazardous VOC’s ( Volatile Organic compounds).
Do your air cleaners / air purifiers defend against airborne bacteria and viruses?
Yes. Whether it’s at home, hospital, classrooms or nurseries or open plan office our range of air cleaners / air purifiers use specially patented filter technology to catch 99.97% of air borne bacteria. Our products defend against influenza and other bacterial viruses that spread rapidly within our everyday indoor environments. Our super silent and extremely efficient air filtration products not only help to protect against airborne bacteria they also ensure the germ particles are not released back into the air.
What are microns? What are their relevance regarding air cleaners?
Microns are a unit of measurement categorising particle sizes equalling a millionth of a meter. We can rate these particle sizes into three groups Small, Medium and Large.
The Small group consider levels less than 1 microns which include the following examples. Chemical Fumes, smoke, viruses and other small airborne bacteria’s.
The Medium group considers levels between 1-100 microns which include the following examples. Small dust particles, Pollen and Large Bacteria’s.
The Large group includes levels of 100microns and above which examples include Room Dust, Pet dander and some moulds.
The relevance of these levels when considering hiring or buying one of our air cleaners are the most hazardous known particles to us are measured as low as 0.3microns. Particles this size are small enough to be inhaled through our nose and mouths into our lungs however are too big to be easily exhaled. As these particle get stuck in our lung tissue they can then develop and become dangerous to our health creating a varied range of potential conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease, headaches and even cancer.
Why am I required to renew my filters frequently?
Clogged filters can lead to increasing too much resistance on the fan motor duty causing it to overheat and eventually damage the air cleaner.
If you do not replace filters frequently the efficiency of your air cleaner will decrease and your aggravating room pollution will rise.
Dirty filters can also increase the running cost of your air cleaner as it will require to work harder to overcome the dirt build up in your filters.
Where can I buy replacement filters and how much do they cost?
CAS-Hire can provide replacement filters and costs vary depending on model and type of filter required, from between £15.00 – £600.00. Contact us for more details.
Does the outdoor air quality affect the air we breathe indoors?
The simple answer to this is Yes.
Do you live, for example, on a new unfinished construction site, centre of a busy large city, close to a busy road, motorway or airport?
Do you work in an environment surrounded by flowers, fields or shrubs producing high levels of pollen during the summer months?
Are chemicals or fertilizers sprayed regularly to maintain weeds, insects or enhance lawn growth nearby?
Do you suffer health issues during house refurbishments e.g. new carpets, flood damage or have you recently moved property?
Do you, family, colleagues or students suffer from ongoing health issues? such as Asthma, hay fever, allergies, headaches, tired, irritated eyes, nose or throat or easily susceptible to influenza and other viruses and germs?
Each of these scenarios release particles or gases that can affect your indoor air quality every time you open a door or window thus potentially creating you adverse health effects .
If you had an air cleaner supplied by CAS-Hire this would help defend against the risk of the above scenarios affecting at least your indoor air. This would allowing you a better opportunity to go about your everyday business without being targeted by these potential healthcare risks.
Should you be affected by any of the highlighted scenarios would suggest the requirement of an air cleaner / air purifier.
If you buy or hire an air cleaner / air purifier does it remove the requirement to dust?
Unfortunately air cleaners do not remove the requirement to dust as surface dust is too heavy to remain airborne therefore would not be drawn through your air cleaner. The best practice is to either leave the air cleaner running continuously or to insure it’s operated frequently.
Unanswered questions?
Should you have any questions that have not been answered above please contact CAS-Hire on freephone 0800 525082 or email us at info@cas-hire.co.uk and one of our trained staff will be on hand to provide you assistance.
