Massage & Bodywork

MARCH | APRIL 2021

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60 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k m a rc h /a p r i l 2 0 2 1 CLEAN AIR DELIVERY RATE ˆCADR‰ The CADR represents an air purifier's efficiency and measures how fast it can filter the volume of air in an enclosed space within an hour. To find out the CADR of the air purifier unit you need, follow these steps. 1. Measure the length, width, and height of the room. Let's use an average room of 8′ × 10′ with an 8-foot ceiling. 2. Multiply the three measurements together to obtain the overall cubic footage (cf ), which is the volume of the space (L × W × H = Volume, or 8′ × 10′ × 8′ = 640 cf ). 3. Multiply the volume by the ACH you want. We want 12 ACH, so 640 × 12 = 7,680. 4. Divide that number by 60 (the number of minutes in an hour): 7,680 ÷ 60 = 128 cubic feet per minute (cfm). If you're not comfortable with math, there are several CADR calculators you can find online, including the Harvard-CU Boulder Portable Air Cleaner Calculator for Schools found here: tinyurl.com/12yp2b8y. Look for HEPA air purifying units that have a high cfm. The higher the cfm, the higher the CADR and the more efficient and capable the unit. WATCH CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS AND VENTILATION With every breath we take, we consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide (CO2). Indoor spaces prevent ventilation, so that CO2 can build up until it dominates the available air in the space. This can lead to poor cognitive function and drowsiness, and more built-up, stale air means an increased risk of harboring airborne infections. We're aiming for the freshest air possible, and the best way to measure that is to find out how much CO2 our indoor areas contain. You want your indoor air CO2 levels to be as close as possible to the clean outdoor air CO2 levels. You can monitor this by purchasing a small device that measures the CO2 levels in the air. light to be anything more than a pretty lamp that may increase the ozone levels in your room and damage your interiors over time. Ionizers are not supposed to emit ozone, but many are not built within regulation and can create high levels of ozone that linger. Ozone is dangerous in high levels and can damage the lungs. 8 If you have a large space, you may need more than one air purifying unit. Think of each HEPA unit as a portable window—they are most effective at ventilating the room if there's a good cross breeze, so place multiple units in a way that mimics that effect. AIR CHANGES PER HOUR ˆACH‰ The ACH tells you how many times an air purifier cleans the air in an hour. The higher the ACH, the faster the air is cleaned in the room. For professional health and wellness practices seeking infection control, the best advice is to seek 12 ACH, the equivalent of new hospital requirements for air exchanges. 9 more the unit is used, the more charged dust accumulates, and thus, the ability to snatch 0.125 particulates is increased. 6 Most HEPA air purifiers have a pre-filter that picks up larger particles, dust, and fur, and a carbon layer that aids in absorbing odors. In some models, these layers can be washed and reused; others require regular replacing. HEPA filters themselves cannot be washed, as doing so would ruin the electrostatic charge and texture of the ultra- fine fibers that make them work. The following are some general considerations when purchasing a HEPA air purifier. EFFICIENCY Don't focus on special features, but pay attention to the overall efficiency of the unit instead: how effective the filter is, how much energy the machine uses to do its job, how high the clean air delivery rate (CADR) is, and how much replacement filters cost. I recommend Levoit and Blueair products for their high efficiency, efficacy, and overall cost. Coway and Winix are also fine alternatives. (Author's note: I am not sponsored by any company; this is not a marketing promotion.) You definitely don't need to pay extra for combination units that have UV or ionizing functions. HEPA filters with these features will clean the air, but the air needs to be exposed to UV light for a sustained 20–30 full minutes for the process to be effective as a purifying function. 7 Air moves too quickly through the unit for the UV The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) is a paid certification service that rates a number of products that filter air. They are not a regulatory body, but they do help with clarifying and testing the claims of the products they review and certify. While finding products rated by them is helpful, it certainly is not required. Ž The standard modern enclosed space is 0.2 ACH. Ž One open window will give you about 0.35 ACH. Ž Two open windows will get you to 1 ACH. Ž One HEPA air purifier will give you 2–5 ACH, depending on the size of your room, what setting you have your unit on, and the capacity of the unit itself, which is measured by cubic feet per minute (cfm). Ž This means you probably need two or more small HEPA filters in one room to reach the rate of ACH you need for effective infection prevention.

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