From daycares to universities, allergens can be very problematic in schools and educational institutions. While educators have taken great lengths to help accommodate children with food allergies, there are also millions of children suffering from airborne allergens. This includes pollen, dust, dust mites, dirt, dander, mould, and more.
Students suffering from allergies in the classroom aren’t able to function as well as when they aren’t experiencing symptoms. Allergies can lead to fatigue, sleeplessness, disordered breathing, distraction, and absenteeism, all of which impact the students’ learning and education. Severe allergies can also lead to severe reactions requiring Epipens or inhalers, which can be a disruption to the entire class.
Air Filters for HVAC Systems In Schools
Using the right air filters in all areas of a school, including hallways, lunch rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, and auditoriums is key for ensuring all these spaces are free from harmful air particles. Especially in spring and fall when pollen from the outdoors can easily make its way into a building, having robust ventilation systems filters to capture irritants in the air is key for reducing the effects of allergies and asthma among students.
As studies have shown, using MERV 11 air filters in schools instead of MERV 6 or MERV 8 options save time, money, labour, and help keep the air cleaner. These high efficiency air filters in schools help keep HVAC ductwork cleaner, reducing the amount of maintenance required, lower disposal costs, are energy efficient, and remove 65-79.9% of particles at 1-3 microns in size. Particles at this size are known to cause lung irritation, infection, and possible disease.
Ensuring the air filters in HVAC systems are replaced regularly (depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations) is also key for keeping the air free of these harmful particles. Air filters for HVAC systems should also be supplemented by robust filtration solutions in other areas of the schools as well.
Can HEPA Filters Help?
Using proper air filtration methods such as HEPA filters are key for helping to prevent students from suffering from allergies at school. Used properly and efficiently, a school can reduce its airborne allergens significantly. HEPA filters remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns or greater. This includes dander, pollen, dust, and mould – key triggers to many allergy-sufferers and asthma attacks in the United States.
Remove Class Pet Dander and Allergens
HEPA filters remove pet dander and other associated pet allergens from the air. If your classroom has a rodent as a class pet, allergens can come from the animal’s fur, saliva, dander, feces, food (like grass or hay), and their cage bedding. While some classrooms with pets will choose lizards who have less allergens, even these can still cause irritation for some students.
HEPA filters remove pet dander, pollen, dust, and other irritants from the air that can stem from classroom pet cages. Removing these from the air can help prevent allergic rhinitis, sore throats, itchy skin, asthma, and watery eyes in students who may be allergic or irritated by the particles. All without needing to sacrifice the important lessons that can come from classroom pets.
Floor Cleaning Equipment
Many HEPA filter applications are used passively in large systems to filter the air. However, in professional cleaning equipment like vacuums, sweeper scrubbers, and other floor cleaning equipment, HEPA filters can be used to ensure particles on surfaces are filtered out of the air instead of being blown or moved around. Using HEPA filters in floor cleaning equipment is key for keeping surfaces free from allergens that can easily end up in the air or on a student’s skin.
Custom Filtration
HEPA filters can also be made with other custom features to meet the needs of your particular systems and facility. They can be used in conjunction with granular activated carbon (GAC) to remove odours that could cause irritation from the air, or antimicrobial filters to kill bacteria and viruses caught on contact. With custom HEPA filters, you can find the solution that’s perfect for your education facility to remove irritants from the air that can cause allergies or asthmatic reactions in your students.
Ready to Upgrade Your Air Filters?
APC Filtration provides air filters and custom HEPA filters and more to educational facilities across the United States. If your school district, post-secondary institution, or private organization is looking to upgrade its air filters to help students’ health, contact us. We can design the perfect air filter for your systems to ensure that harmful particles are removed from the air and your students can flourish.
Contact us today for more information about custom HEPA filters and other air filtration options for schools. We will find the solution that’s right for you!
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