Blog Tag: bacteria

My Grandparents used a lot of old cliche’s and sayings when I was a young man and some of those come to memory when a situation arises that links to one of their “words of wisdom” comments. My Father used to say “never make the same mistake twice and never take anything for granted.” On many occasions I found myself thinking about those words when I realized I had fallen prey to one or both of those tenants.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade, certified HEPA based air filtration systems for the commercial, institutional, industrial, medical and residential markets since 1985. For over 28 years PAS has been providing systems that remove over 99.99% of all airborne contaminants at or below 0.3 microns in size. Within this size range falls all types of bacteria and viruses. The removal and/or reduction of these airborne allergens and pathogens is critical in maintaining a safe environment for not only healthy individuals but more importantly for those individuals with significant poor health conditions.

One of the main challenges facing the medical community today is dealing with infections caused by certain types and strains of bacteria. One of the virulent strains is MRSA or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. This strain of bacteria is very difficult to treat and in many cases it has been the primary cause of limb removal or death. Since most bacteria range in size from 1 to 10 microns ( your hair is 100 microns in diameter) they are invisible to the naked eye and easily transmitted through contact or via air currents.  Obviously antibacterial surface cleaners can be effective at reducing the bacteria from surface areas and hands. However, airborne bacteria, are impossible to remove unless you are using a HEPA based air filtration unit or system(s).

Most Hospitals and Surgery Centers use HEPA based filtration systems in their surgery, bone marrow transplant and infectious disease control facilities. However, many of the patient care rooms and recovery rooms are not well filtered. In addition, because of the high cost of medical treatments many patients are now sent home within 1 to 3 days for their post-operative recovery. For the most part, the majority of the general public does not have any type of filtration system suitable for maintaining a “clean-room” type of environment that is really necessary to reduce and eliminate the possibility of infection. That is why there are a significant number of  patients being treated for infections at the same Hospital from which they were released often within in 2 to 5 days after being sent home.

Pure Air Systems makes a wide selection of true, HEPA based air filtration systems that meet or exceed the requirements for removal of airborne contaminants in even the most critical of applications. These systems can be used either as stand-alone units or as part of an existing HVAC system.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA based systems please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com.  You can also follows us on Twitter a @pureairsystems  or call us at anytime on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

Just like some songs become more iconic as they get older, some products are better appreciated over time. This increase in appreciation  is usually a result of both past and future comparisons of other songs or other products that promised performance and value. Once we begin to realize that what we heard before from some musical group (in this case Metallica) or the performance of lesser expensive, similar products that failed to live up to their hype, the appreciation of what we have is increased 100 fold.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. Their use of HEPA filters early on in the “air filtration” and “indoor air quality” era was somewhat of a “odd man out” process. Up until, the mid-70’s and early 80’s, HEPA filters were used exclusively in the commercial electronics industry. Some were used in the asbestos removal market and some in the medical industry but none were used in the residential market.

During the early years of air filtration products for the home market, electronic, electrostatic and ozone generators dominated the scene. The makers of these relatively inexpensive devices made all sorts of claims include the ability for these systems to be as effective as HEPA filters in removing harmful airborne allergens from the air. As people began to use these ‘air purifiers” they realized there was more hype than substance to the products. Some people even went as far as to purchase four or five different air filtration devices, each a little more expensive than the last, hoping to find a product that was as good as a HEPA system before eventually purchasing a HEPA unit from PAS.

Today, with over 20,000 units in the field and 28 years in business, Pure Air Systems has developed a strong following of customers from all phases of industry, the medical profession and residential and commercial markets. The acceptance of HEPA based filtration over other methods is fairly common especially in the light that all hospital surgery suites, the CDC, micro-chip fabricators, optics companies, Homeland Security and others now only use true, commercial grade, certified HEPA filters for all their critical operations.  The continued use and purchase of the PAS products confirms the systems perform at or above expectations for the applications to which they are applied.

Looking back on the early days of air filtration devices, filters and processes one has to remember that knowledge of indoor air quality and the ability to deal with those issues was an on-going learning lessen for everyone involved. But because there were significant performance requirements needed for airborne particulate removal the market quickly determined that moving up the ladder in quality, performance and durability was the best solution to their air quality needs.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsytems. Of course you can always contact us on our toll-free line at: 800-869-8025.

A number of years ago the H1N1 Bird Flu created a scenario where a potential epidemic could occur. This turned out to be “much ado without nothing.” Today, another strain of the Bird Flu, H7N9, found in China again has been authenticated as the cause of death in a 35-year old Chinese women. She died of kidney and respiratory failure. As with the H1N1 virus there is no vaccine available at this time to combat this new virus. The CDC () has been trying to isolate the virus so it can develop a viable vaccine and track the extent of the contamination. As of this writing the H7N9 has only  been found in five Chinese provinces.

For more information go to the following link (http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/04/14/177087374/scientists-race-to-stay-ahead-of-new-bird-flu-virus)

If you have followed this blog for the past few years you know the ability to avoid contact with various strains of harmful bacteria and viruses is very difficult. Exposure by contact is difficult to prevent but exposure by airborne pathogens can be significantly reduced and eliminated. The use of highly effective HEPA air filtration systems along with best ventilation and pressurization techniques can prevent the spread of these pathogens. Whether it is a commercial, institutional or residential  facility, with the proper equipment a little ventilation know-how, people can effectively isolate themselves from contraction of these deadly viruses.

The CDC, like all organizations that deal with pathogens, use HEPA filter systems in all of their material handling facilities. Most use redundant HEPA systems and the majority use ULPA or SULPA HEPA filters for maximum security against airborne virus contamination. HEPA filters have been used since 1941 and to-date, no other filter media has been developed that has the effectiveness and efficiency of HEPA media.

Pure Air Systems has been using commercial grade, certified, scanned HEPA filters since 1985 and today is one of the leaders in high volume, fan-powered, variable speed controlled HEPA air filtration devices. Used throughout the world, the HEPA systems from PAS meet and/or exceed the requirements for all commercial, medical, institutional, industrial and residential air filtration requirements. And, the same rugged, commercial grade design that was the basis for the units in 1985 is still used today. Newer ECM, variable speed drive motors and digital controllers have replaced the induction motors and analog switches that have enhanced the overall performance of the units and allowed for use in countries that use 220 volt, 50 Hz electrical current.

The amount of people on this planet coupled with the enormous growth in business, air pollution, climate change, and new wonder drugs have forced the viruses and bacteria to adapt to this new environment. As a result, new drug resistant strains of normally treatable bacterial and viral infections are now prevalent. This new H7N9 Bird Flu is just one more pathogen to deal with. In my previous post I discussed the MRSA problem and the fact that the medical industrial complex is having some real challenges in coming up with viable solutions for these new virulent strains. Maybe the Bible was correct when it said…”and the meek shall inherit the earth.”

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based products from PAS please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com. Or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems or you can call us anytime on our toll-free number. 800-869-8025.

MRSA or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It is also call mutlidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

One of the big challenges in treating this type of infection is the growing concern that the existing antibiotics now used to treat MRSA are no longer effective and once the MRSA infection sets in it is often a losing battle to keep the infection from spreading. This issue is now a major reason for new procedures regarding sterilization of all surfaces in hospitals and clinics.

Post-operative infections affect over 5% of the people that enter hospitals for surgery or wound treatments costing hospitals and health insurance companies hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Many of these patients require extensive treatments and often succumb  to the MRSA infections. Hospitals, Clinics, nursing homes and other health care related facilities are all taking special precautions to minimize the possibility of infections recognizing how quickly these types of bacteria can spread by contact.

Pure Air Systems, has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA air filtration systems since 1985 and has extensive experience in placing its HEPA systems in various types of medical facilities including hospitals, clinics, oncology wards, isolation ( both positive and negative pressure) rooms, pharmaceutical manufacturing and portable surgery suites (both US and overseas). With systems ranging in capacity from 50 CFM to 2,000 CFM and the use of the new variable speed ECM digitally controlled motors, the PAS HEPA units meet and/or exceed the optimum performance requirements to remove or reduce the number of sub-micron airborne particles at a minimum efficiency of 99.99% at 0.3 microns or larger. With efficiency approaching 97% below 0.3 microns.

Over the past 10 years a number of air filter technologies have been tried to compete with HEPA systems in the removal of harmful airborne contaminants. Ozone generators, electronic air cleaners and specially treated filter medias have been used in-lieu of HEPA systems due to their much lower costs and size. However, after many trials of these alternate systems it has been determined that none of these other systems even comes close to the removal efficiency of the HEPA systems, not to mention that these alternate units could only operate in the 50 CFM to 250 CFM range.

HEPA medias are more expensive and require more powerful fan motors to pull the air through the HEPA filters. But is their air restrictive density that allow for the capture of sub-micron particulate and this design feature differentiates the use of HEPA with all other types of air filtration systems and products. Few companies have the know-how to design systems that get the most out HEPA filters and even fewer have systems that can move in excess of 2,000  CFM through these HEPA filters.

The thousands of installations of HEPA units in the past 28 years has provide PAS with the knowledge and experience to properly apply this technology in applications ranging from odor control in police stations to providing clean -room environments for sensitive testing equipment and everything in between.

For more information on the unique HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems offered by PAS, please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems. If you want to contact us directly you can reach us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

The prophets of gloom and doom are always out on the side lines predicting the demise of man…self made no less. It seems like every change by a despot or ruler of a foreign county constitutes major peril to the entire world. The  sequester, changing of the guard in North Korea and climate change are but a few of those apocalyptic events that seem to rock the universe. To those problems  I say…Eh!

The truth is there are more real issues in the world that could eliminate or minimize the level of humans who live on this sphere in the universe…and they are very, very tiny. Yes, we are talking about bacteria and viruses. Those tiny, less than 10 micron sized living entities that dominate the earth in astounding numbers. It has been proven that despite man’s attempt to change human kind and the planet we are facing the reality that “nature always finds a  way” to adopt. New pesticides for farmers has generated a new strain of bugs that love the stuff. But the battle of finding new vaccines and antibiotics that will kill the ever evolving drug resistant bacteria and virus strains may just be the one battle we may lose.

There are now serious concerns on the part of the medical community that many people will die as a result of these new drug resistant strains. The fact that the flu vaccine this year had little effect for those who got vaccinated is a good indication of just how fast these new “bugs” evolve.  Close quarters and crowded spaces make the transmission of these airborne pathogens simple and easy. This is also complicated by the transmission of surface born pathogens that can affect hundreds of people that eat in just one restaurant or take a vacation on a cruise ship.

Airborne bacteria and many viruses can be removed from the air by using commercial grade, certified HEPA based air filtration devices. Systems such as those produced by Pure Air Systems, have the ability to move up to 2000 CFM of HEPA filtered air and come in a wide range of sizes and configurations. Since 1985, Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing these high end, commercial grade, high performance HEPA systems that are now used around the world. Many of the PAS systems are used in hospitals, clean rooms, clinics, laboratories and critical applications where reduction and or removal of  harmful airborne particulate is required.

The PAS systems are currently used in applications including, institutional, industrial, residential, medical, commercial and governmental. In many instances, the PAS systems are the only HEPA unit available on the market that can provide the type of sub-micron particulate removal needed to ensure the safety of people and equipment.  The PAS line of HEPA and Carbon based systems can either be attached to existing air handlers or HVAC equipment or be used as stand-alone systems.

For more information on the complete line of air filtration systems available from PAS please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems. You can also call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

For those of you who like to visit grave yards for historical value you will often find some rather creative epitaphs mixed in among the typical “Here Lies So and So” and their birth death dates. One of the more creative mementos chiseled in granite is the ” I Told You I Was Sick” message. I find this funny and somewhat philosophical all at the same time. It may have been done purely as a joke ….or perhaps it was more on the “true” side of their demise. Whatever the case, being somewhat prophetic about your death makes some sense.

It so happens that people who work in dirty environments or in locations where dust, dirt and other airborne debris are present may make the same statement. Even those technicians and medical personnel that are subjected to a wide variety of antibiotic strains of bacteria may call out this phrase. In today’s world of ever changing pathogens it is almost impossible to keep yourself at a safe distance from being the next person to kiss the earth on a permanent basis.

We are constantly surrounded by people…at work, in the stores, on elevators, trains, buses, airplanes, schools, etc. etc. Unless you work at home and live the life of a Monk, you are going to have to come in close proximity to another human being. The latest round of the flu bug has become a nightmare for millions of people and this particular strain is relatively nasty and long lasting. This makes avoiding contact with other humans even more important. Yet still difficult to do.

Almost every indoor environment has a forced air, ducted heating/cooling system that takes all the air through the return air ventilation ducts, heats and cools it and then redistributes the air back into the room. This process aids is circulating all the airborne pathogens and allergens and evenly spreads your germs to the other individuals in the room. This is how and why students at school continue to keep getting sick once a flu epidemic starts. It is a continuous process of passing the viral infection from student to student. This same process is repeated in offices and shopping centers around the world.

Central or whole house filtration systems that incorporate HEPA based filters, such as those offered by Pure Air Systems. PAS has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based systems since 1985 and has thousands of units installed in commercial, institutional, medical, industrial and residential facilities in North America and around the world. These extremely effective air filtration systems can move from 50 CFM up to 2,000 CFM and work either in conjunction with HVAC systems or as stand-alone units.

The ability of the HEPA filters to remove up to 99.97% of all airborne particles 0.3 microns in size or lager makes this type of filtration system a potential cure for the early grave. These same filters are used in surgery rooms, the CDC and any operation that requires extremely clean air. It has been shown that working and living in environments that use HEPA filters for complete air filtration significantly reduces the number of colds, flu and other respiratory infections. A simple solution to an ever growing problem.

For more information on Pure Air Systems and their complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to their website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow them on Twitter @pureairsystems. You can always call them on their toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

As humans we take a lot of things for granite. Rotation of the earth which produces gravity, land to walk on and water to swim in, and the ever present source of life, the Sun.  Being able to breathe the atmosphere in our environment is also something we take for granite. Interestingly most of us know little about the air we breathe. For example, the atmosphere we exist in is comprised primarily of oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen comprises 21% while Nitrogen comprises 79%..( actually a little less than 79% as there are some trace elements in the atmosphere as well). In reality we are actually Nitrogen breathers although at the surface pressure of 1 atmosphere our bodies don’t absorb the Nitrogen, but they do take in the Oxygen.

When you have a cold or some form of upper respiratory infection you often find it is difficult to breathe. In actuality the lungs are probably full of mucus and the surface capacity of the lungs to take in Oxygen are significantly reduced, therefore requiring longer and deeper breaths just to get the amount of Oxygen your body requires. This same problem exists when you have lung damage due to smoking or breathing large quantities of airborne particulate in your work place over long periods of time. Ingestion of small, sub-micron sized particles create challenges for the lungs as these particulate tend to stay logged in the lung linings and mucus membranes.  People who smoke have difficulty in running or walking long distances as they get “short of breath” very quickly.

Small concentrations of harmful, respirable sub-micron sized particles, inhaled over a long periods of time can also significantly impair the lungs ability to take in Oxygen. Individuals who work in environments where dust is generated on a continuous basis are more susceptible to lung damage than those working in an office type environment. Even when technicians where masks or respirators, these individuals are more at risk than most.

In 1985, Pure Air Systems was founded to provide a series of commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based systems for the residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and medical markets. Today, the PAS line of HEPA, fan powered systems are used in a wide variety of high performance applications around the world. Removal and reduction of small particles are the key benefit of using HEPA filters. Those used by PAS are initially rated at 99.99% removal of particles 0.3 microns or smaller and approach 98% removal of particles 0.12 microns and larger.

Over the years many home owners have purchased the HEPA units from PAS and found the number of colds, upper respiratory infections, allergies and even headaches were significantly reduced. The same is true of those companies and medical operations that used the PAS HEPA systems. Product through-put, reduction in transfer of airborne pathogens and allergens, increase in product quality and reduction in loss work time for employees were all positively affected when using the HEPA systems on a regular basis.

For more information on the complete HEPA and Carbon based product line please go to our website at: https://www.pureairsystems.com or you can follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems or like us on our Facebook page. Of course you can always call us on our toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

As humans we tend to look at the future with our family, our friends and ourselves in the picture. Then something happens; an accident, illness or some unfortunate mishap and the picture changes. For some reason we are always surprised at the turn of events, even though the reality is that everyone at some time or another will leave this earth. We try to be cautious, not take too many unreasonable chances and take care of our bodies. Or believe we do those things.

With the ever increasing cost of health care and the realization that health issues early in life can significantly alter your financial position now and in retirement, it is more important than ever to take a long hard look at your life style. The food you eat; the liquids your drink; the exercise you do; the air you breathe, all impact your health….and you have complete control over all of them…really.

The engineers at Pure Air Systems have been making certified, commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. They understand the relationship between the reduction and removal of harmful airborne allergens and pathogens and your health. Even for individuals with a healthy immune systems, small concentrations of allergens or airborne contaminants inhaled over long periods of time can create chronic health challenges for anyone. The tighter, more energy efficient homes, offices and industrial work places all create environments that keep more of the airborne particles inside and with the additional lack of outside fresh air, create a “terrarium” effect of sorts. A very unhealthy place to live, work and play.

The real problem with these indoor air quality issues is the ability to live a normal life in, what is normally considered, a typically safe environment. Typical household items, cleaners, paper products, etc, can become a potential immune system threat over a long period of time. Thus making if difficult to breathe or operate normally without medication or complete change of environment. The HEPA based air filtration systems can and do offer a solution to this problem.

For over 27 years Pure Air Systems has been providing HEPA filtration systems to the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial markets to remove airborne contaminants with a removal efficiency of no less than 99.99% of the particles  0.3 microns or larger. This extremely effective method of removing harmful airborne contaminants has allowed thousands of home owners the live well and safe in their own homes. These systems have proven themselves in hospital surgery suites, isolation rooms, clean rooms, micro-chip manufacturing operations and hundreds of other applications.

To learn more about the overall capabilities of the PAS HEPA systems please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems. You can also like us on our Facebook page or call us on our toll-free number.: 800-869-8025.

As a young man I was intrigued by the “Invisible Man” movies. Filmed in black and white they offered a look into what it would be like to go anywhere and not be seen. Of course you had to be naked as clothing was not invisible, so outside temperatures had to be taken into consideration as well as some other issues. Being invisible gave you the opportunity to strike without warning and that was the premise behind the story line. Realizing the invisible man was in the same room but not knowing when or how he would attack you created a special element of fear.

When we take in a breath of air we inhale a fairly large volume of airborne particles made up from dust generated by the carpet, floor, books, plants, etc. You don’t notice this because these particles because they are invisible to the naked eye. As an example of size, one strand of your hair is about 100 microns in diameter. Particles that are smaller than 20 microns are not visible and the amount of particles under 10 microns in most residential environments ranges from 200,000 particles per cubic foot to over 900,000 particles per cubic foot.

The lungs have a tremendous capacity to filter out a very large percentage of these particles. However, the smaller, less than 1 micron sized particles may remain in the lungs or mucus membranes for a period of time as these tiny particles are not easily expelled. This could be a problem as most bacteria range in size from 1 micron to 20 microns and viruses are usually less than .01 microns in size and these particles will remain in the body for long periods of time.

There is no doubt that larger sized airborne particles, those you can see with the naked eye, can be a real health threat as well. Industrial and heavy commercial construction and manufacturing operations can produce harmful airborne particles larger than 100 microns in size. In most cases, however, individuals working in these conditions wear masks or respirators to reduce the ingestion of these particles.

To remove and or reduce the levels of small, harmful airborne contaminants requires special air filtration systems that use HEPA filters. These commercial grade, certified filters are designed to remove over 99.99% of all particles 0.3 microns and larger and approach that same efficiency below that size range. HEPA filters are used in a wide range of commercial, institutional, medical and industrial applications as well as many residential applications.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985 and is the leader in large capacity HEPA systems. Their HEPA systems range in capacity from 100 CFM to 2,000 CFM and are designed to be used in either a stand-alone configuration or attached to an existing ducted HVAC or air handler  system. For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems go to their website at: www.pureairsystems.com. Or, follow them on Twitter @pureairsytems or you can contact them on their toll-free number at: 800-869-8025.

The acronym HEPA stands for “High Efficiency Particulate Absolute” filter. The word absolute means just that. A HEPA filter by standards means it will capture, initially, 99.97% of all particles 0.3 microns in diameter or larger. This means if you had 10,000 particles in that size range and put them through the HEPA filter only 3 are allowed to pass through the media. There are scanned HEPA filters which have a minimum efficiency of 99.99% at 0.3 microns, ULPA filters with minimum efficiency of 99.9995% at 0.12 microns and SULPA filters with minimum efficiency of 99.99999% at 0.12 microns. In every case the overall efficiency of the filters is directly proportional to how the filter in sealed, or contained in the holding frame or air filtration device.

There are a number of small, portable style HEPA filtration systems sold on the market today. The majority of them are designed for residential applications; specifically bedrooms and small living areas. These systems have very small fans and can only move about 50 to 200 CFM of filtered air and have HEPA filters that are not necessarily sealed tightly in their housings. Then there are fewer than 5 portable type HEPA units that are designed to be used in the commercial markets where optimum performance is required. When we get to the larger, stand-alone HEPA filtration systems, those that can move from 100 to 2,000 CFM of filtered air, there are only two companies in that arena.

HEPA filters are expensive. They requires very special equipment to manufacture them and highly sophisticated, expensive test equipment to certify them and ensure they meet all the regulations and standards that allow them to be certified as HEPA filters. They are usually framed in aluminum or steel and have a gasket on one side to allow for compression sealing in their prospective housings. Unless the HEPA filter is completely sealed, air will by-pass around the filter and render the HEPA filter useless.

Companies and individuals purchase HEPA filtration systems to perform a certain function; removal of harmful airborne sub-micron particulate. The airborne particles may be allergens, pathogens, dust and dirt particles or particles from a manufacturing operation. In almost every case, the performance of the equipment is tantamount to the price of the systems. Since the lack of performance is directly proportional to the overall efficiency of the specific operation, the inability of the HEPA systems to perform can cost hundreds of times more than the equipment itself.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade, certified HEPA based air filtration systems since 1985 and its systems are considered one of the premier units on the market today. The fact that PAS has been in operation for over 27 years is a testament to their ability to meet or exceed the expectations of their customers. The medical, commercial, institutional, environmental, military and industrial markets all look to PAS to help them solve their critical airborne particulate problems. Performance is their primary concern.

For more information on the complete line of  HEPA based air filtration systems from Pure Air Systems go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems and like us on Facebook. Of course you can always call us at: 800-869-8025.