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Health & Home
trends:
Growing health risks fuel rise in fresh air
systems
(NC)-Respiratory disease is steadily on the rise in Canada.
In fact, asthma has increased by 160 per cent over the last 15 years according
to the Asthma Society of Canada. One household out of four has a family member
who suffers from asthma, allergies, or another chronic respiratory disease.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) points to poor
indoor air quality as the culprit for this increase. Did you know the air inside
your home and at work can be up to 100 times more polluted than the surrounding
outdoor air and people spend up to 90 per cent of their time indoors?
These alarming facts are just some of the reasons why so many
Canadians today are turning to air purification systems to help control the
level of indoor air pollution in their homes.
There are many types and sizes of air cleaners on the market,
ranging from relatively inexpensive tabletop models to sophisticated whole-house
systems. Some air cleaners are highly effective at particle removal, while
others, including most tabletop models, are effective in only very limited
areas, such as a bedroom or living room.
What makes your indoor air
quality system effective?
The effectiveness of a system depends on how well it collects
pollutants from indoor air throughout the home and how much fresh air it draws
through the cleaning or filtering element. The most important factors in
determining the effectiveness of an air quality system are its ability to
eliminate excess humidity and control indoor air pollution levels. The best way
to achieve these goals is to increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors
through ventilation. Proper ventilation allows pollutants that are not
eliminated by filtration, such as volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide
and other harmful gases, to escape the home.
New Canadian technology
The most recent innovation in the industry is an air
exchanger manufactured by Canadian-based Venmar Ventilation. Venmar is the first
manufacturer of ventilation systems to offer a unit that integrates heat
recovery ventilation technology with HEPA filtration at an affordable price.
"With our system you can get the best of both worlds," says
Gerry Gagnon, Product and Market Manager for Venmar. "It works to provide fresh
air through ventilation and at the same time ensures the best indoor air quality
by trapping airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, pet dander, mold and
bacteria through its HEPA filter. The HEPA filter traps and removes up to 99.97%
of airborne allergens and assists in distributing fresh air throughout the home.
Health developments
Licensed as a medical device by Health Canada, Venmar's HEPA
series units have been found to substantially contribute to improving indoor air
quality in dwellings, and may improve the quality of life of individuals with
serious respiratory diseases. Individuals who acquire one of these specialized
units under prescription may be able to deduct the purchase price from their
income tax. More information on indoor air quality is available at
www.venmar.ca.
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