- What you should know about Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)?
"Indoor air quality is a high ranking public health risk." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. www.epa.gov
"Indoor air quality has tremendous impact on human health." American Lung Association. www.lungusa.org
"Preventing exposure to environmental allergens and irritants may help prevent asthma" World Health Organization. www.who.int and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. www.nhlbi.nih.gov
"Poor indoor air quality can impact the comfort and health of students and staff, which, in turn, can affect concentration, attendance, and student performance. In addition, if schools fail to respond promptly to poor IAQ, students and staff are at an increased risk of short-term health problems, such as fatigue and nausea, as well as long-term problems like asthma." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. www.epa.gov
- What is photocatalytic oxidation?
- Where did PCO technology originate?
- How does Garfield's Innovative PCO™ technology work?
- What is TiO2?
- What does Garfield's Innovative PCO™ technology do?
- What does PCO mean?
PCO involves the action of ultra violet germicidal irradiation light focused on a catalyst in the presence of water vapor, which generates hydroxyl radicals that destroy microbes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The Department of Defense originally developed PCO to battle chemical and bioterrorism.
A reaction is created when ultraviolet light is focused on a titanium dioxide (TiO2) coated substrate destroying substantially all particulates and harmful gases in its path.
A white, water-insoluble powder, TiO2, used chiefly in white pigments, plastics, ceramics, and for delustering synthetic fibers. In Garfield's Innovative PCO™ process, TiO2 is the semiconductor photcatalyst that reactes to destroy microbes and VOCs. www.dictionary.com
PCO breaks down VOCs into harmless water vapor and trace amounts of carbon dioxide. It also breaks down and disables the DNA of particulate matter (living organisms), such as bacteria, mold spores and viruses.
PCO is the abbreviation for photocatalytic oxidation.
- What is a VOC?
- What is a particulate?
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions. www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html
There are things floating around in the air that you may not be able to see and are a kind of air pollution called particles or particulate matter. Particulate matter may be the air pollutant that most commonly affects people's health. Some examples of particulate matter are: pollen, pet dander, mold spores, dust mites, bacteria, viruses. The dictionary says that particulate matter is, "Material suspended in the air in the form of minute solid particles or liquid droplets, especially when considered as an atmospheric pollutant."
- What is an allergy?
- What causes allergies?
- What is asthma?
- What are the causes of asthma?
- What is an antigen?
- What is an antibody?
- What is an IgE?
An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. Allergy-producing substances are called "allergens." Examples of allergens include pollens, dust mite, molds, danders, and foods. To understand the language of allergy it is important to remember that allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction in certain people. www.medicinenet.com
The immune system is the body's organized defense mechanism against foreign invaders, particularly infections. Its job is to recognize and react to these foreign substances, which are called antigens. Antigens are substances that are capable of causing the production of antibodies. Antigens may or may not lead to an allergic reaction. Allergens are certain antigens that cause an allergic reaction and the production of IgE. www.medicinenet.com
The aim of the immune system is to mobilize its forces at the site of invasion and destroy the enemy. One of the ways it does this is to create protective proteins called antibodies that are specifically targeted against particular foreign substances. These antibodies, or immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD), are protective and help destroy a foreign particle by attaching to its surface, thereby making it easier for other immune cells to destroy it. The allergic person however, develops a specific type of antibody called immunoglobulin E, or IgE, in response to certain normally harmless foreign substances, such as cat dander.
To summarize, immunoglobulins are a group of protein molecules that act as antibodies. There are five different types: IgA, IgM, IgG, IgD, and IgE. IgE is the allergy antibody. www.medicinenet.com
Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.
Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds. Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Still, in others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted. In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in allergy-causing substances (called allergens or triggers). Triggers include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, cold air, tobacco smoke and other pollutants, stress, food, or drug allergies. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) provoke asthma in some patients. Approximately 20.5 million Americans currently have asthma. Many people with asthma have an individual or family history of allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Others have no history of allergies.
A substance that is capable of causing the production of an antibody. Antigens may or may not lead to an allergic reaction. Allergens are antigens that cause an allergic reaction and the production of IgE. www.medicinenet.com
An immunoglobulin, a specialized immune protein, produced because of the introduction of an antigen into the body, and which possesses the remarkable ability to combine with the very antigen that triggered its production. The production of antibodies is a major function of the immune system and is carried out by a type of white blood cell called a B cell (B lymphocyte). Antibodies can be triggered by and directed at foreign proteins, microorganisms, or toxins. Some antibodies are autoantibodies and home in against our own tissues. www.medicinenet.com
Immunoglobulin E is a class of immunoglobulins that includes the antibodies elicited by an allergic substance (allergen). person who has an allergy usually has elevated blood levels of IgE. IgE antibodies attack and engage the invading army of allergens. The E in IgE stands for erythema (redness). www.medicinenet.com
- How does Garfield's Innovative PCO™ compare to other technologies?
- How are energy costs affected by Garfield Industries'™ Innovative PCO™?
- Are health care costs affected by the use of Garfield's Innovative PCO™?
There are no products on the market today that utilize PCO as effectively as Garfield Industries™. The primary differentiator is that Garfield's PCO enables high efficiency cleaning to continue without maintenance for many years... product longevity, while removing BOTH particulates and VOCs. Always check competitors recommended maintenance intervals for a true comparison.
Energy costs may marginally increase to less than the cost of a 100-watt light bulb.
In classroom studies, air quality has improved and student attendance has increased, which directly correlates with less sick days for students, thus reducing healthcare costs.
- Are toxic chemicals used?
- Is the UV light feature safe?
- Does Garfield's Innovative PCO™ technology emit ozone?
No toxic chemicals are used.
The UV light is a powerful light source. It is safe and effective but must be installed in accordance with installation instructions. Safety processes and procedures must be adhered to.
Garfield's Innovative PCO™ technology does not produce ozone. Research shows that on the ground level ozone is a respiratory irritant, and can aggravate the respiratory tract and also asthmatic conditions. Conventional medicine considers ozone to be an air pollutant and a poisonous gas, and it is a major contributor to the production of smog. Some air purifiying products have been proven to emit ozone.
- Does Garfield's Innovative PCO™ require special skills to install and can I use my existing HVAC technicians?
- Is Garfield's Innovative PCO™ only for new construction?
- Can Garfield's Innovative PCO™ be retrofitted into my existing HVAC system?
- With Garfield's Innovative PCO™, do I have to clean my existing duct system and HVAC equipment?
Installation of Garfield's Innovative PCO™ does not require special skills or materials to install. The installation process is typical to any electronic filter installation.
Garfield's Innovative PCO™ technology can be applied to existing HVAC systems. We highly recommend that you have your ductwork and HVAC air handler unit/coil cleaned by a licensed HVAC technician for maximum results.
Yes, in most cases. A licensed HVAC technician will be needed to review installation requirements and assess the viability of upgrading the current system with Innovative PCO™.
It is recommended that a licensed HVAC technician clean your ductwork and HVAC air handler unit/coil for maximum results.
- What is a normal filter in a home or business in standard HVAC applications?
- What is a pleated air filter?
- What is a HEPA filter?
- What is an electronic air filter?
- What is an electro-static filter?
Typically, manufacturers install an inefficient particulate filter, such as one purchased at a local retailer.
Pleated air filters were designed to provide a larger surface area with a reduced pressure drop in order to accommodate higher volume HVAC systems. The efficiency is based on the filter medium that is utilized within the filter, ranging from inefficient filter media to true HEPA filters. Their appearance is distinctive.
HEPA filters are an example of mechanical filtration. HEPA filters are not designed for standard HVAC application due to their high pressure drop characteristics, which requires power consuming motors to drive high-efficient fans. In a home/room setting, the advantage to this filtration method is there is no reduction in its efficiency at removing the particulates from the air over time. The disadvantage to this kind of filtration is that these air purifiers tend to be noisy, especially on the higher speeds. Their filters are replaceable and can be rather expensive, especially on the more efficient air purifiers which remove more from the air over a shorter period of time.
Electronic air filters use a media charged filter. This filter requires an outside power source to charge the media, such as 120 volts. This means it has a electrostatic filter that will collect the particles by being oppositely charged to the ionized particles and therefore able to collect particles again as small as 0.1 of a micron. The biggest decrease will be in the smaller particles. It is not able to mechanically remove the microscopic particles, because it is not as fine and thick a filter. It will however maintain its ability to filter out the larger particulates better than the electrostatic precipitator because its filter media is small enough to collect the larger particles without having to rely on the opposite charging attraction needed for the smaller particulates. The efficiency of the electronic air filter is primarily based on regular cleaning intervals and in some cases more often than one week maintenance. Ozone is a by-product of this filter.
An electrostatic precipitator consists of a series of metal collection plates that are oppositely charged to the ionized particles. This filter does not require an outside power source to activate. The particles will be attracted to these metal plates like a magnet with the net result being the ability to collect particles as small as 0.1 of a micron. The drawback to this type of filter is that it is difficult to maintain. As the collection plates collect the particles, their surface area becomes covered by the particulates and the ability to attract the particles will decrease until the plates are taken out and cleaned. These filters were designed for residential and light commercial use and the maintenance costs are high.