Air filtration can be an important step when it comes to water removal. As water is extracted airborne particles can lower the air quality of a room. This could be a serious health issue, so it is important to use an air filtration system when this happens. The air filtration systems we use are called air scrubbers (pictured above) or negative air machines.
These two different systems work differently on how they clean the air. An air scrubber does just that, it scrubs the air. When we use an air scrubber we place it in the affected area and it will recirculate the air. This reduces the amount of particles in the air by cycling the air through a filter. This system works with the air in your home’s environment, it doesn’t bring in new air.
The other system is a negative air machine. A negative air machine creates negative pressure. What this means is that it creates a different pressure between the room with the water loss and the rest of the exterior environment. This negative pressure causes new air to want to move into the room and the current air to be removed. In order to do this properly your water damage professional will have to set up a containment room. The containment room seals off all openings where air can come in. The room is made air tight and the negative pressure machine is installed in the space. It reduces the pressure inside the contained room and this makes new air want to come in.
Both systems are effective at containing airborne contaminates and depending on the situation one may be better to use than the other. Negative pressure is a great way to keep your environment clean but takes more preparation to set up when an air scrubber could already be working.
Ask your water cleanup company about what they are doing to protect the air quality of your home. If they are using a scrubber then a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter should be used. If they are using negative pressure they should seal the room first. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when it comes to protecting your family’s health.
