Would personal air purifiers keep us all healthy?

Common-sense hygiene may be a better defense, experts suggest

So-called personal air purifiers promise to protect users from harmful viruses and bacteria, but experts say the devices may not work in real-world conditions, Laura Johannes writes in the Wall Street Journal.

Personal air purifiers—such as the AirSupply Minimate from Wein Products—are meant to be worn around the neck. They work by emitting electrically charged particles called ions. In theory, the ions transfer their electric charge to harmful particles, which are then repulsed from the user because like-charged particles repel each other.

Wein partially funded research at the University of Cincinnati to test its product. The results were published in the journal Indoor Air in 2005. Overall, the device was found to clear the air of half of the test particles in 15 minutes and almost all of the particles in an hour and a half. 

However, some experts are skeptical. Darryl Zeldin, scientific director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, says, "It sounds like it worked in a laboratory setting, but that doesn't say anything about whether it works in real life." 

For instance, some researchers argue the purifiers may struggle to actually clear air. "If you sit next to a person in an airplane, this person will sneeze and cough during the entire eight-hour flight," says Werner Bischoff, an infectious disease specialist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Moreover, many harmful germs are transferred via infected surfaces—which are unaffected by the purifier. Sergey Grinshpun, who the led the study, acknowledges that shortcoming, but adds "at least you reduce inhalation exposure."  

Why kids born in the U.S. have more allergies, asthma 

Anecdotally, representatives from Wein and other manufacturers say that customer feedback has been positive. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, some of the devices' infection-fighting prowess may be the result of the antibacterial effect created by air pollutants, such as ozone. Stanley Weinberg, CEO and chairman of Wein, says his company's product emits only a small amount of ozone. 

Ultimately, Bischoff says other common-sense methods might be a better way to guard yourself against infection than the purifiers. For instance, avoid touching your nose or mouth while on an airplane, he suggests (Johannes, Wall Street Journal, 3/16)

Dyson Expands Into Air Purifiers

An illustration of air purifier Dyson Pure Cool

 

Dyson Ltd.

Dyson Ltd., the British maker of bagless vacuum cleaners and bladeless fans, plans to use its flair for finding the unconventional in conventional appliances to expand into a new area: air purifiers.

Dyson Pure Cool fans will be available first in Japan, where the company has a strong brand profile and consumers are willing to pay a premium for the highest quality products, on April 28.

Its main selling point: Dyson engineers say their latest product can catch PM0.1, a particle that is much smaller than its more famous cousin PM2.5. While Japanese appliance makers already offer a wide range of air purifiers capable of catching substances as small as PM0.1, Dyson claims its product is more efficient.

In Japan, air purifiers have become a common household item as a great number of people suffer from hay fever in the spring and there are growing worries about yellow dust flying over from China. According to research firm Euromonitor International, Japan’s air purifier market has expanded by more than three times over the past 14 years, and is expected to keep growing. Sharp Corp. is the market leader, holding almost half of the market, followed by Panasonic Corp. and Daikin Industries Ltd.

Dyson has been selling its ultra-quiet bladeless fans in Japan since 2010, but the pricey fans have yet to gain a solid foothold in the world’s third-largest economy. That compares with Dyson’s vacuum business, which is a rare example of a foreign consumer electronics maker making a success in the country that is home to many global electronics brands. Its DC-vacuum series has the fifth-largest share in Japan in terms of volume, and Dyson is the only first-tier vacuum provider in the country whose sales have increased over the past few years, Euromonitor data show.

At a news conference Tuesday, Dyson also said it would open its first directly managed store in Tokyo’s ritzy Omotesando neighborhood, where many Italian and French luxury brands have flagship stores.

For Dyson, Japan is its second-largest market after the U.S. and it says–as a sign of respect–that Tokyo is where it has unveiled its new products globally in recent years.

While release dates or pricing for other markets have not yet been announced, the Dyson Pure Cool will retail for ¥65,000 ($535).

Grass roots NGOs, companies respond to the unprecedented public focus on environmental protection

While many Chinese cities have been blanketed by smog for many years, public awareness of the dangers of pollution had remained low until recently. The new Environmental Protection Law went into effect on January 1. On February 27, the new environmental protection minister was appointed. Smog has become a hot topic among lawmakers and political advisers, as well as on social media. The great deal of public attention that has been paid to pollution issues recently has laid a foundation for more effective law enforcement, according to NGOs that have been campaigning for action on pollution for many years.

Workers push a minecart at a coal field on March 4 in Huaibei, East China's Anhui Province. China is the world's largest coal consumer and 65 percent of its power comes from burning coal, which is considered a major contributor to smog. Photo: CFP

Despite China's chronic pollution problems, public awareness of the dangers of pollution has remained low. Following the introduction of the "strictest ever" new Environmental Protection Law, the recent appointment of a new Environmental Protection Minister and the ongoing efforts of campaigning NGOs, pollution has become a bigger issue than ever in China.

Environmental protection has been further highlighted during the ongoing two sessions.

During a meeting with National People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Jiangxi Province on March 6, President Xi Jinpingasked them to protect and treat the environment like "their own eyes and lives."

In the government work report given during the two sessions, Premier Li Keqiang vowed a "harsh strike" against illicit polluters and to impose a "strict penalty" on government officials who assist offenders.

Both Fu Ying, spokeswoman for the third session of the 12th NPC, and Chen Jining, Minister of Environmental Protection, stressed at press conferences that the new environmental protection law "has teeth."

Several provincial and municipal governors from Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong and Zhejiang have pledged to enhance their pollution controls, including measures such as increasing their usage of clean energy and shutting down polluting plants.

This has coincided with an increasing presence of discussions about the issue on social media.

Public awareness about the need for greater environmental protection has been raised and many have started to take some kind of action to fight pollution and its effects. These efforts range from tipping off the authorities about polluters, volunteering with NGOs or simply buying air purifiers for their home or workplace.

In response to the growing public interest in these issues, NGOs are busy raising funds and encouraging volunteers to help them, ready to turn this interest into concrete change.

 "The [pollution] situation is not helpless or hopeless. The widespread discussion works as a great call to action, which is vital to the country's crackdown on pollution in next 10 years," Ma Jun, the director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (PEA), told the Global Times.

Vital volunteers
The PEA, a non-profit environmental protection organization based in Beijing, has created a pollution map so people can see how clean the air is in their area and take the necessary precautions.

Through the app, which offers real-time emissions monitoring data from 190 cities across the country, in addition to monitoring the emissions of hundreds of businesses, users can alert authorities of problems at any time.

The app experienced technical problems at the end of February. "The number of people downloading the app soared suddenly and the growth was beyond our capacity. Too many users opened the app at once and caused traffic congestion," Ma said.

What surprised him more was that many users left messages expressing their support and said that they were happy to wait for the app to be improved, instead of complaining. Several leading Internet firms like Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent offered to help with software and hardware support, Ma said.

The app came back online after its capacity was expanded the following day, and the app was downloaded 1.7 million times in recent week according to Ma.

The website of Friends of Nature, another environmental protection NGO, was also overloaded due to the number of people visiting the site. Friends of Nature produced a short animated film to demonstrate how PM 2.5 particles enter the body and harm the organs.

Zhang Boju, secretary-general of the Beijing-based Friends of Nature, told the Global Times that a couple of IT engineers called them to offer technical help and several lawyers approached the NGO offering to help it file public interest litigation.

"Suddenly, more public attention was brought to environmental protection NGOs and people's passion to participate our activities was ignited," Zhang said.

Several NGOs have said that many more people have reached out to them recently and offered to volunteer, fund-raising has become easier and the environmental protection authorities have become more open to cooperation.

But some conservationists have expressed worries that enthusiasm is already cooling. Feng Yongfeng, head of the environmental organization Nature University, said on his WeChat social media account that the pace of online donations has already slowed down. "Is it because people think the smog has become a thing of the past?" he asked.

Where there's muck there's money
Companies that sell products that lessen the impact that pollution has on people's health have seen their stocks rise rapidly as more and more people have begun to seek ways to safeguard their health, such as purchasing face masks and air purifiers. Both of these products have seen a sharp spike in sales on online shopping platforms.

Yuan Chengjie, marketing manager of Near Inc., a producer of air purifiers that was established in June 2014 in Shanghai, said that they have seen a noticeable rise in the number of orders this year.

In early February, they started crowdfunding on jd.com, a leading Chinese online retailer, selling advance orders for their machines for 669 yuan. As of press time, it has raised more than 480,000 yuan from nearly 2,500 backers. They will begin to ship the purifiers after March 23.

"The recent discussion has rekindled people's concerns about the smog, widely raised their awareness about the risks it poses and aroused their initiative to buy air cleaners," Yuan told the Global Times.

"But I am concerned about how long the enthusiasm will last. As you know, the interest in this kind of discussion always fades quickly in China, even if it's concerning public health," he said.

But he is confident about the future of the air filter market. There are about 600 brands of air purifiers available in China today and investment in this area is expanding, he said.

"We hope the attention can also help to promote the issue of  universal Chinese criteria for air purifiers, so as to standardize the industry. Nowadays prices vary substantially and many makers even falsify test indexes," Yuan said.

Su Jun, director of mobile phone giant Xiaomi's air purifier R&D team, also acknowledged the public's rising concern about air quality.

He told the Global Times that Xiaomi has started to sell a batch of air purifiers once a week since December 16 and that each batch was snapped up in seconds every time. But he refused to reveal the exact sales volume and numbers of advance orders.

More than 100 firms in China begun making air purifiers last year and the domestic demand for air purifiers is and will be considerable, Su said.

An industrial estimate shows that the sales volume of air purifiers may reach up to 200 billion yuan in China by 2020, according to Su, who added that the country's air purifier penetration rate is 0.2 percent, much lower than in neighboring countries (It is 30 percent in Japan and 70 percent in South Korea.)

Meanwhile, so called smog escape tours and insurance claims linked to smog are another consequence of the growing awareness of this problem. After launching a "smog-travel insurance package" last year, China's leading travel company, Ctrip, released a report about smog-evasion tourism on March 6, which listed top destinations and routes taken by Chinese citizens to avoid air pollution.

A solid foundation
An important way of generating change is to bring issues to the attention of the relevant government organs. Several authorities have said that their pollution-reporting hotlines have blown up. The environmental protection bureau in Shenyang, capital of East China's Liaoning Province, claimed that the number of complaint calls they received daily tripled to 140 in recent months and they have tried to respond to every call.

There must be a transition period for the local authorities to learn to cope with a larger number of complaints than they received previously, Ma Jun from PEA said.

He said more than 300 enterprises that have their emissions monitored by the Pollution Map app have recently approached them directly or through environmental protection bureaus, either informing them about the measures they are taking to lower their emissions or claiming that the data was inaccurate due to defective equipment.

According to regulations, all manufacturers are required to install emission and waste monitoring systems, and the data should be collected and supervised by local environmental protection authorities, and this data should also be open to the public.

"But enterprises previously ignored the monitoring data as just a few people paid attention to it. Now it's different, more people have installed the app and more complaints have been made, the enterprises have become quicker to respond," Ma said.

He believes that public enthusiasm about the supervision of emissions should be maintained."It has laid a solid foundation of public opinion for law enforcement and anti-pollution campaigns, and we shall make full use of it," he noted.

Zhao Liang, a project coordinator with Nature University, said they have pledged to thoroughly investigate pollution in Hebei Province this year and write a blacklist of polluters for local law enforcement bodies.

He told the Global Times that they are trying to provide more chances for the public to get involved in reporting, supervising and cracking down on pollution, such as encouraging them to take pictures of pollution problems and forward them to NGOs and law enforcement bodies.

Tian Zuning, project coordinator with Tianjin Green Collar, an environmentalist NGO based in the city, said they are delighted about the rising public attention. "Limited funds sometimes restricted our activities and pollution testing equipment is usually expensive. But now we see more people want to donate to the cause, which has reinforced our confidence in the future activities," Tian told the Global Times.

Ma said PEA is scheduled to launch a new version of the Pollution Map next week and is going to change its name to Blue Map.

"Blue sounds positive. And we will add monitoring data about wastewater discharge, which means several thousand more enterprises will be covered by the app," Ma said, noting that some metropolises have also agreed to offer them data about small-sized plants.

Helping Customers Select Adequate HVAC Filtration

In a residential forced-air system, the filter shields HVAC equipment from becoming dirty and damaged while also protecting occupants from problems associated with poor IAQ. Replacing filters regularly and properly can help minimize or even eliminate IAQ concerns, yet many homeowners forget to do it or simply aren’t aware they should be changing their filters between maintenance visits. To remedy that, forward-thinking HVAC contractors are training technicians, educating customers, and even providing filter-delivery services on behalf of maintenance customers.

Dirty filters can negatively impact IAQ, reduce system efficiency, and even lead to premature equipment failure. Proactive HVAC contractors incorporate filter replacements in maintenance agreements and offer customers monthly subscription services.

Consumer Awareness

Poor IAQ can have potentially serious consequences, said Ben Hubbert, owner, Champion AC, San Antonio. “When you have an old filter, or a filter with too low of a MERV rating, particulates will still flow through the system and may enter the air cycle. Breathing in particulates and allergens can cause sneezing, a stuffy nose, and, in some cases, even intensify an individual’s susceptibility to catching the flu or other illnesses,” he said.

More and more homeowners are aware of these consequences, which is why they are becoming increasingly cognizant when it comes to maintaining clean filters.

“There is definitely more consumer awareness of furnace filters,” said Dave Knight, co-owner and director of sales and marketing, Thornton & Grooms, Farmington Hills, Michigan. “I believe this is due to media attention around sick building syndrome and the benefits of IAQ, better marketing from manufacturers and dealers, the code changes from more than a decade ago requiring filters to be placed external to the furnace, endcap presence in big-box stores, and increasing maintenance-agreement customers.”

Once a customer’s had a problem related to or caused by a filter — including allergies, freezing coils, or tripped limit switches — they are generally much more aware, said Ken Thorpe, manager, Powder River Heating and Air Conditioning Inc., Sheridan, Wyoming. “Unfortunately, we still see several homeowners who only change their filters after there has been a problem,” he said.

Mike Agugliaro, co-owner, Gold Medal Service, East Brunswick, New Jersey, acknowledged many homeowners don’t know when or how to replace their filters.

“Most homeowners know there is a filter; however, nearly 50 percent don’t know how often to change it, or they forget,” he said. “We find that most system breakdowns are from a failure to change the air filter and then starting the unit for air conditioning, which causes the inside coil to freeze up or the blower to fail. That’s why we offer a membership plan; that way, we can remind homeowners when it’s time to change a filter, why it’s important, and we offer to do it for them, that way it’s done right.”

Knight also said signing up for maintenance plans can help ensure filters are being replaced at the right time. “Replace too soon, and they are spending more than they need to,” Knight said. “Wait until the filter is loaded, and they put undue stress on the equipment and waste energy and money on inefficient system operation. We recommend customers sign up for our Comfort Protection Maintenance Plan. With this program they can rely on our service professionals to replace their filters at the proper time.”

Common Mistakes

In addition to forgetting to change filters altogether, homeowners often make mistakes when choosing and installing their own filters.

“The biggest mistake our techs see is that people do not understand their systems, or the previous HVAC contractor did not go through and explain the maintenance the homeowners need to provide,” Hubbert said. “A lot of customers don’t realize we don’t change your filters once a month. We try to educate them on extending the life, regular maintenance, filter programs, and filter replacement plans. The biggest thing we see is they don’t know they’ve had a filter in a return in a room that’s been in there for three years.”

“The biggest mistake we see is the use of a high-density 1-inch air filter — 3M Filtrete is the most prevalent,” Knight said. “These types of filters restrict too much airflow back to the furnace in most applications, which results in more frequent repairs, shorter equipment life, and reduced performance. Similarly, we see dealers install air filters without making the necessary changes to the duct system, such as proper size duct, proper location of the filter, radius fittings, and the use of turning vanes. Without the correct duct system modifications, the filter will be less effective and potentially cause the same issues mentioned for the 1-inch high-density filter.”

“The 90-day 1-inch filters bought from the big-box stores are very restrictive,” agreed Jon Sells, Jon’s Plumbing & Heating Inc., Mount Vernon, Ohio.

Some other mistakes homeowners make, said Paul Sammataro, owner, Samm’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Plano, Texas, are installing the filter backward and following manufacturer-recommended filter replacement dates.

“We explain the date is deceptive,” Sammataro said. “We explain how a filter sold nationwide can’t have the same 90-day replacement date in Maine during the summer as it does in Texas, for example.”

Agugliaro said it is common for customers to go for the lowest price instead of the best solution, or they assume every product is the same.

“Lower-grade filters may impede the efficiency and actually create issues instead of doing what they are meant to do — keep the unit clean,” he said. “To have the best air, homeowners need to have an expert help them make the best decision for their families; from a newborn to a grandfather, needs vary when it comes to air quality.”

Homeowners also sometimes attempt to “clean” a disposable filter, which is made to be thrown away, Thorpe said. They also sometimes install “top-notch filtration” in faulty ductwork. “The filter is only as good as the rack you are installing it in. If you have gaps around the rack, the air will bypass the filter or eliminate its effectiveness,” he said.

Thorpe recommended changing the filter more often than needed. “It is like the oil change on your car — it is the cheapest maintenance you can do for a system that costs thousands of dollars to replace and hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to operate,” he said. “Make it work as efficiently as possible to save the most money on your utility bill.”

Best Filter for the Job

Selecting the right filter depends on numerous factors, including contractor or homeowner brand preference, MERV rating, the homeowners’ needs, and more.

“We use several brands of filters and other products to improve IAQ,” Knight said. “At a minimum, we recommend the Trion Air Bear MERV 8 media air filter, which does a nice job of protecting the equipment and removing medium-sized airborne particles. It’s easy to change and find lower-cost replacement filters. We also use the Carrier Infinity Air Purifier — ideally as part of a complete Carrier Infinity system — which is a combination MERV-15 media filter with electronic air cleaning technology that improves the capture rate and then a ‘kill’ technology for bacteria, spores, and microorganisms. In addition to filtration, we offer products from Global Plasma Systems that actively improve IAQ by introducing negative ions into the air stream that proactively attack viruses, bacteria, odors, VOCs [volatile organic compounds], mold, and smoke.”

To find the best solution, Knight said his team asks customers numerous questions in addition to educating them on the value of good IAQ. “We then provide them options based on this information and let them choose the IAQ package that meets their wants, needs, and budget.”

Sammataro recommended pleated high-MERV filters from Honeywell, Aprilaire, and Glassfloss. “Based on their concerns, we match the type of filtering system they have or want with our recommendation.”

Hubbert said he tries to make sure customers are getting the best value for their money.

“Home Depot and Lowe’s are selling pleated filters for $10-$15 each, or even up to $20 each,” he said. “They’re only a pleated filter — it’s just a little higher MERV, but not to the point where you’re going to get a return on that investment.”

Agugliaro said it’s important not to install a filter that will restrict airflow, which can reduce system efficiency. “We use and recommend either a [Lennox] Healthy Climate or Air Defense filter with a minimum of a MERV-10 rating,” he said.

Like Knight, Agugliaro said his techs assess customers’ needs in relation to allergies and health issues in order to determine the best filter for the job. “In the end, the level of products and treatments we provide is based on the level of air the homeowner wants to breathe. From filter to air cleaner to air purifiers, there are different levels of treatments and products we can use to improve the overall air quality. Customers spend a lot of time in their homes breathing air that is trapped inside, so it’s important to invest in a quality product.”

Thorpe also said the best IAQ solution depends on the occupants’ needs. “It is all about communication,” he said. “Ask lots of questions and understand what their needs are — do they have pets, do they have allergies, what are their expectations from their filtration system, do they currently use some sort of portable room filtration system, and do they understand the benefits of whole-house filtration?”

Thorpe prefers to install a more expensive filter in his customers’ homes. “For our ‘standard’ pleated filters, we use the Farr 30/30s,” he said. “We get some complaints, as these filters cost a bit more than the hardware/discount store versions, and they have to be changed more often, as they actually work to take pollutants out of the airstream, but that is the point, right?”

Battling Poor IAQ with Knowledge

When it comes to helping customers improve IAQ, technician training and consumer education are vital.

For Knight, training comes in several different forms. “We bring in manufacturers to explain their products and answer our questions and implement personal use of products so our people get to experience the benefits they provide. We read trade journals; we assign our technicians research projects and have them present to the rest of the team; we use Carrier’s online training — in particular, the Carrier Healthy Air Expert certification; and we require our technicians to become NATE [North American Technician Excellence]-certified. It’s an ongoing process really to keep up with the changes in technology and the demands of our customers as they expect us to be professionals.”

The key to solving IAQ issues, Thorpe said, is for HVAC technicians, installers, and sales people to look at homeowners’ HVAC equipment as systems made up of multiple parts.

“The furnace/air handler is only one part of the system,” he explained. “The ductwork, grilles and registers, flue, combustion air, thermostat, and filter are also parts of the system — each one working properly and being properly designed is critical to the entire system working properly.”

In order for homeowners to understand the importance of IAQ and using the correct filter, contractors are finding that knowledge is power. “When you go in and explain your services and walk customers — especially new customers — through each filter and why they are what they are, it gets people thinking about changing them more,” Hubbert said. “That’s really helped us get more maintenance agreements on what they have and what they need. They have a better idea of what sizes they need as they have all the documentation.”

To make it especially easy for his customers to replace their filters with the appropriate products, Hubbert is launching a program to ship filters directly to customers’ doorsteps. “Our customers can purchase filters online, and they show up at their residences,” he said. “By getting the right serial numbers, we can customize each order for the homeowner. We’re scheduled to launch that service in May.”

Training and education of both the technician and the homeowner has helped Agugliaro better serve his customers. “We provide a healthy home survey, which allows our technicians to be experts, and we provide ongoing training for best practices. Our experts are trained to ask questions about the people in the home and to educate the customer about the solutions we offer for any IAQ issues. For our company, it is not just about the sale; our core purpose is serving customers and helping them feel comfortable and safe in their homes.”

Top-tier contractors aim to ensure customers have the best indoor environment possible while also maintaining their equipment, but making sure customers are doing their part between maintenance calls is an ongoing battle. Through education, contractors are hoping to change that.

“People don’t change their filters,” Hubbert said. “In a city like San Antonio, you’re talking about devastating your coil. We try to educate as much as we can, but we still get 10 new customers a day who don’t change their filters. People know they need to do it, but they don’t keep track of it. It’s one of those little check marks that doesn’t get taken care of.”

Publication date: 3/2/2015

Filtration Needs Depend on Homeowners’ Needs, HVAC Contractors Say

By Jen Anesi