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FAQs About Products for Mold Abatement, Disaster Restoration,
Construction & Renovation Projects
(Questions with links to answers below)
- Why is negative pressure important to
mold abatement, disaster restoration and renovation projects?
- A negative pressure environment will help to contain
the mold, dust, particles and odors within the workspace containment barrier.
Air always flows from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower
pressure. Creating and maintaining negative pressure creates inward airflow
direction through any leaks or openings in the containment barrier. This
prevents airborne contaminants from escaping into and contaminating other
parts of the building.
- How do I create a negative pressure
environment using Abatement HEPA-AIRE Portable Air Scrubbers?
- In order to create a negative pressure environment, more
air must leave the space than enters it. First of all, the project area
must be walled off with permanent or temporary construction barriers. Secondly,
the Abatement Portable Air Scrubber(s) must be placed inside the construction
area. Ductwork should be run from the system to somewhere outside of the
project area, preferably to the outside of the building. Since the air is
HEPA filtered, it is not mandatory to exhaust air to the outdoors.
- Which size Abatement Portable Air Scrubber
is needed for my current project?
- Six or more air changes per hour (ACH) are recommended
for effective air cleaning during mold abatement, disaster restoration and
renovation work. To determine the amount of airflow and the number of HEPA-AIRE
PAS units required for your particular project, please click
here.
- How is the amount of airflow that must
be removed from the containment zone to maintain negative pressure calculated?
- The general rule of thumb is that at least 10% more air
must be exhausted from the area than is supplied to it. For example, if
500 CFM is coming into the work zone, then at least 550 CFM must be filtered
and exhausted by the HEPA-AIRE PAS. A larger airflow differential will of
course add a margin of safety.
- Why do I need to monitor air pressure
in the work area during the project?
- Room pressure conditions should be monitored to ensure
that proper pressure relationships are maintained and have not been compromised
for some reason. Abatement’s portable and fixed differential pressure
monitors provide a reliable way to continuously monitor and document pressure
conditions 24/7. For more information on Abatement Technologies differential
pressure monitors, please click here.
- What if we don't/can't exhaust the
filtered air to the outside?
- Negative pressure will still be maintained if the HEPA
filtered air is exhausted into an adjacent area inside the building. HEPA-AIRE
PAS can also be utilized for continuous air cleaning, by recirculating 100%
of the filtered air within the containment area. This will boost the ACH
in the project zone and provide HEPA filtration, but it will not create
negative pressure.
- Which particulates can HEPA-AIRE Portable
Air Scrubbers capture?
- All models are equipped with multiple filters designed
to capture a wide range of particles, including a HEPA filter tested and
certified to remove 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns and larger,
to provide "operating room clean" filtered air. One micron is
1/1,000,000 of a meter. A 0.3-micron particle is 300 times smaller than
a human hair and 30 to 50 times smaller than the human eye can see.
- Why is HEPA filtration required during
mold abatement, disaster restoration and renovation projects?
- HEPA filters are the only type of filter recognized by
USEPA, CDC and other government agencies, and by environmental health professionals
as effective for capturing these invisible particles and microbial spores
that can potentially cause fungal infections, such as Aspergillosis. Airborne
bacteria and fungi are typically 3 microns (0.0001”) and smaller in
size, small enough to easily pass through most filters. Air filtration devices
must therefore be equipped with true HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air)
filters, designed to capture at least 99.97% (9,997 out of 10,000) particles
as small as 0.3 microns (0.00001”) in size.
- Why does Abatement use only metal frame
HEPA filters?
- CDC Guidelines state that: “Wood (HEPA frames)
can compromise the air quality if they become and remain wet, allowing the
growth of fungi and bacteria”, and CDC recommends replacing these
filters with metal-frame filters. Filters should also meet UL900 Class II
flammability requirements.
- Will Abatement HEPA-AIRE Portable
Air Scrubbers remove odors?
- Yes, when equipped with special 2-inch deep Vapor-Lock
carbon filters available for all HEPA-AIRE PAS models. These high-performance
filters provide substantially more odor adsorption (not absorption) capacity
than most other carbon filters, and are effective against a wide array of
commonly encountered odors. Special Vapor-Lock filters are also available
for capturing certain low molecular weight compounds that are not effectively
captured by carbon alone.
- What are the differences between HEPA-AIRE
Portable Air Scrubbers and negative air machines?
- We manufacture both types of products. Although they
perform similar functions, they have distinctly different designs and markets.
In most instances, contractors involved with mold abatement, disaster restoration
and facility renovation or remodeling find that the much higher level of
portability and flexibility provided by HEPA-AIRE PAS make them a much better
choice. For more detailed information on the differences, which you should
select and why, please click here.
- Can HEPA-AIRE PAS also be used for
positive pressure?
- All models can be configured to create positive pressure
in an area by locating the PAS outside of the area and ducting clean, HEPA-filtered
exhaust air into that area. This configuration is most often used to protect
a room or area from airborne contaminants in other parts of a building.
- Does Abatement Technologies offer
any solutions for capturing and removing particles that drop out of the
air and land on walls, floors and other surfaces?
- Yes. Surfaces should be frequently cleaned with a HEPA
vacuum to further reduce the chance that harmful particles could migrate
out of the area and become airborne again. Abatement Technologies offers
two HEPA vacuum models, the V8000WD
canister model and the V1300H
backpack model.
- How often do Abatement HEPA-AIRE filters
need to be changed?
- Typical average filter life with continuous operation:
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- Primary filter: 1 day
- Secondary filters: 3-7 days
- HEPA filter: 800 hours
However, actual life can vary based on the size and concentration of
airborne contaminants, temperature, humidity conditions and duration
of use. |
- How do I know when to replace the filters?
- As the filters become loaded with particulate matter,
the airflow capacity of the unit decreases and the static pressure differential
across the filter increases. All models are equipped with easy-to-read and
simple to use filter change indicator lamps that illuminate when filters
should be replaced. Unlike gauges, these lamps do not require operator interpretation
or calculations.
- With all of the performance and quality
features, will I be able to afford Abatement’s Portable Air Scrubbers?
- Our units may cost more than some other units initially,
but portable air scrubbers are an investment, and cheap products are usually
cheap for a reason. As the sayings go, “You get what you pay for”
and “You can pay me now, or pay me later” applies in this situation.
Unfortunately, too many contractors have learned the hard way how costly
a low-priced piece of equipment can be if it does not perform properly,
is too big and bulky, and breaks down often. Knowledgeable contractors throughout
North America come back to us time and again because HEPA-AIRE PAS provide
superior performance, productivity and profitability with many years of
reliable, trouble-free use. They also love the low operating costs with
savings of thousands of dollars alone in replacement filter costs over the
life of the unit.
- What does Abatement mean by “aircraft
type construction”?
- Our stainless steel units are manufactured using solid
rivet construction, for the same reasons aircraft manufacturers use them–solid
rivets are exceptionally strong, durable and leak-resistant. In addition,
closed-cell neoprene gaskets between the two layers of metal further ensure
that critical seams are airtight. Sheet metal screws, hollow pop rivets
or nuts and bolts are far cheaper, but they are also far more prone to failure
and leakage. Would you want to fly on an airplane made that way?
- What Abatement accessories are needed
for negative pressure applications?
- HEPA-AIRE Portable Air Scrubbers include an exhaust collar
for attaching inlet or exhaust ducting. Flex duct and other items are sold
as accessory products.
- What is the warranty of Abatement
Portable Air Scrubbers?
- All systems are covered by a comprehensive limited warranty
to the original user against defects in materials and workmanship for a
period of one year after date of purchase. This warranty excludes filters,
which are consumable items that require ongoing replacement.
- What is the estimated shipping time
of Abatement PAS?
- Typically, large inventories of all models are maintained
in our U.S. & Canada warehouses to meet customer requirements for same
day or next day shipment when possible. Approximate shipping time by common
carrier within the continental US or Canada is two to seven days.
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