How effective are Anti Pollution Masks in Indoor spaces with Air Conditioners and Air Filters?

With the summers approaching, anticipation of rising heat will result in Air Conditioners turned on to the Max. The Air Conditioner industry is thriving on their latest and innovative technology which claims to turn itself into an Air Purifier. Television will be bombarded yet again with commercials by Air Con manufacturers that they can transform the indoor air into “Dust-free”, “germ-free”, in fact some even offer “healthy air” in their sales pitch. Accessorized with advanced filters and anti-bacterial coatings, they claim that they will be able to remove and provide Clean Air.

Let us do an in-depth analysis on how much of it is really true.

Air conditioners recirculate Air after cooling it down and have some basic dust filtering capabilities. Some with Improved Filters may remove Pollens, Dust mites and Pet Hair from the Indoor Air but when it comes to smaller particles like PM2.5, our air conditioner is not competent enough. Removal of acute pollutants like PM2.5 from the air is impractical as this requires heavy duty filters and this severely restricts Air Flow. If we are to install HEPA filters or other heavy duty filters in our ACs then we shall restrict Air flow thereby making ACs work longer to cool the same space. As a result we would totally lose the energy efficiency and star ratings of the Air Conditioner resulting in large Electricity consumption per AC and Higher Electricity Bills in total. Not to add this will result in low refrigerant pressures, coil freezing issues and poor temperature control in the area meant to be cooled.

Air Conditioners are not great Air Purifiers and can't be retrofit with layers for filtration without losing out on efficiency.

Some research also tells us that indoor air is way more toxic than the polluted air outside, emerging as one of the top five environmental health risks. The dangers being:

• Mold - It can trigger wheezing problems, throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, cough as well as skin irritation.
• Lead Particles present in Wall Paint - High levels of lead exposure may cause lead poisoning, anemia, impaired brain and nervous system.
• VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde are severe irritants to eyes, nose and upper airways. Cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing and hobby products are sources of VOCs.
• Carbon monoxide (CO) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) - generated through gas stoves, tobacco smoke and heaters. Carbon Monoxide is a killer and is Invisible.
• Biological pollutants - Bacteria, viruses, animal dander and cat saliva, house dust, mites, cockroaches and pollen. This is due to wet surfaces, high humidity inside homes which could be from damaged wet walls, leaking and water accumulated areas in the home.
• High PM2.5 and PM10 levels usually seep indoors through openings and cracks and are major contributors to indoor pollution.
• Limited ventilation and maximum circulation traps pollutants in air-conditioned spaces, increasing exposure and health hazard.
• Most Indoor Air Pollutants are suspected carcinogenic and neurotoxic in nature.
• Breathing recirculated Air in a closed room with an air conditioner switched on for very long brings along with it different health risks of its own. Hence, it is recommended to open the windows for a few hours to let the environment change once in a while.

Note: A Recent Case study has shown that Restaurant goers in Wuhan, China were infected with Coronavirus when they sat in the path of Virus carrying Air Conditioned Air. The Restaurant AC was re-circulating Air within the restaurant and certain people sitting in the path of the draft were infected with the Virus which was being carried by a person who was sitting in the path of incoming AC Air. Incoming draft picked up the virus from the carrier and then recirculated that air again into the Room. People sitting in the path of outgoing air then contracted the contagion.

Conclusion:

Indoor Air Pollution awareness is low and Air conditioners can be misunderstood as one of the cleaning systems for indoor air Pollution.

Air-conditioning systems might work excellent in keeping our home cool, but not Pollutant-Free.

Nasal Filters (Anti Pollution Masks) can provide a balanced solution to this problem of indoor as well as outdoor pollution. They are air filters designed to fit inside the human nostrils (nares) to prevent the nasal inhalation of allergens, pollutants, vehicle exhaust and irritants such as dust, smoke and foul odours. We can wear these filters at anytime, anywhere - whether inside the comfort of our homes or outside, they protect us against pollution 24*7, unlike the purifiers or air conditioners which work only in the spaces where they are installed.

In addition, CLENARE Nasal Filters (Anti Pollution Masks) are almost invisible and these nose air filters that do not require covering our faces like in the case of masks. They provide a comfortable fit and there is no trouble in breathing, talking and eating while wearing them.

So, having a Nasal filter should be seen as a practical solution to the dangerous levels of air pollution around us - both indoor and outdoor. With CLENARE Nasal Filters, we can continue our daily outdoor routine of cycling, walking, commuting etc and at the same time, we can enjoy our pets at home, follow our home exercise regime, do our regular household chores of dusting and keeping our homes clean without worrying about dust, mold, spores, pollen, pet dander and other allergens and bacteria.

It is the most practical solution to adopt to fight this menace.