Reducing Airborne Transmission with HVAC Air Filters

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 by Filtration Team

Reducing Airborne Transmisssion with HVAC Filters - HVAC Filtration - Parker Hannifin Today, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping workers, patients and families safe from the spread of disease in facilities is more important than ever. For facilities managers, this means employing various strategies that can reduce the threat of transmission in:

Hospitals and healthcare facilities
Hotels and entertainment complexes
Food processing facilities
Microelectronics manufacturing plants
Data centers
Commercial office buildings
Schools and universities
Clean manufacturing facilities
Government institutions
Industrial manufacturing plants

Know how the disease spreads

Reducing Airborn Transmission with HVAC Air Filters - Medical Professionals with PPE gear. - Parker Hannifin The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) mainly occurs through respiratory droplet transfer from person-to-person within a close range of about six feet according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The virus can be transmitted on skin, objects, and surfaces that a contagious person may cough on, sneeze on, or touch.

Pathogens can also travel on dust and dirt particles as those particles move through the air. Therefore, the potential for airborne transmission through an HVAC system exists.

As part of a protection plan, maintaining healthier breathable air in facilities can help to reduce the risk of infection.

Parker reacts quickly

Our team members work collaboratively to solve the unique challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

One recent example is the collaboration between two Parker Divisions to provide a new government-approved HVAC filtration solution to up to 8 remote hospital sites in New Jersey—one of several regions in the U.S. where patient intake had greatly outpaced the capacity of local hospitals.

The team needed to develop a filtration solution for an air handling system used to generate clean air for emergency workers in medical tents set up for overflow care. And they needed to act quickly, turning around a solution in five days.

HVAC air filtration

To support a comprehensive protection plan that reduces the risk of airborne transmission for hospital staff and patients, Parker offers a range of high-efficiency filters that:

Offer the highest level of protection - up to 99.999% on 0.12 microns.
Provide 90% and higher efficiencies, capturing airborne particles that are the size of viruses.
Meet LEED requirements and are designed for commercial use.

HVAC filters can reduce but not eliminate the threat of infection. The coronavirus and the particulate it travels on is very small in size and can range from sub-micron (less than 1.0 micron in size) and larger. High-efficiency filters on the market today can trap particulate sizes that are likely to remain in the air. Selecting the right filter can reduce risk while improving the quality of indoor air.

Parker is dedicated to providing honest and transparent information about our filtration products to help customers decide which technologies provide the highest chances of trapping virulent pathogens before they enter a building or circulate to different rooms.

— Parker HVAC Filtration Division

IMPORTANT: Parker’s products can reduce airborne particulate in a controlled environment. They would not eliminate the risk of exposure to airborne viruses but can be part of a comprehensive plan to help reduce that risk.

Filtration guidance from the experts

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has developed proactive guidance for building industry professionals to help address the ongoing concerns of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Please visit www.ashrae.org to access the latest response resources from ASHRAE/Covid19 and other leading organizations with respect to the operation and maintenance of HVAC systems.

Recommended Parker filters for reducing airborne risk

Parker HVAC filters are manufactured in the U.S. and engineered to the highest standards of design, quality, and assembly. When selecting a filter to combat the threat of airborne transmission, we suggest a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating of 13 to 16. The higher the value, the better the filter will be at capturing small particles. Our Sub-HEPA, HEPA, and ULPA filters provide the highest level of protection (up to 99.999% on 0.12 microns). Our MERV 16 rated filters provide 90% and higher efficiencies, capturing airborne particles that are the size of viruses.

The following high-efficiency filters are designed for commercial use. All of them meet Leadership in Energy Design (LEED) requirements. They can be ordered through our global network of dealers and distributors.