Decoration Pollution

China Daily Newspaper reports that more than 80% of newer Grade A buildings in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Wuhan suffer from unsafe levels of pollution, such as formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene and VOC’s. This toxic air pollution is due to the off-gassing of poor quality construction and decoration materials used in apartments and offices around China. People that live or work in these environments are subject to a number of physical ailments due to exposure. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, fatigue, skin rashes or irritations, shortness of breath and an overall feeling of being not well. Collectively called “Sick Building Syndrome”, these reactions to toxic air cost companies millions in lost productivity and rack up medical bills from multiple hospital visits. If you have lived in China long enough, you certainly know people that have had to move from one home to another or have experienced one or more of the above symptoms from indoor air pollution at work.

Decorating and remodeling your house and office can also damage air quality. Whereas couches, cushions and old carpets give off mold and mildew spores, new furniture and carpets can off-gas for months after installed because of the chemicals used to make them, the chemicals added to protect these objects from stains, and the chemicals in the adhesives used to glue them down. Painting and furniture restoration with oil paints, latex paints, varnish, and stain products with high levels of petrochemicals usually releases harmful volatile organic chemicals. Copiers, copier toner, adhesives, glues and paints used in newly remodeled offices release bacteria and fumes.

Air cleaners will help with the removal of all internal pollution and smells providing a cleaner and healthier environment to live or work in.

Recommended Models

The IQAir Perfect 16 offers the highest level of whole-house air purification available. The professionally installed system works in conjunction with the home's central heating or air conditioning system. The Perfect 16 is the world's first MERV 16 rated whole-house air purification system. It is capable of reducing airborne allergens in the entire home by 90 - 95%.

The IQAir HealthPro 250 is equally recommended. While offering a slightly higher efficiency for particles, this system provides a smaller (2.5 kg / 5.5 lbs.) wide spectrum gas phase filter that deals with low concentrations of tobacco smoke.

The Allergen 100, which features the same advanced micro- and nano-particle filter technologies as the HealthPro models, but in a compact design, is suitable for small apartments and offices. It efficiently withdraws every kind of particulate air pollutant, including all common allergens and types of dust.

If fumes and gases are the main concern, the IQAir GC MultiGas is the best choice for home and office environments. It features multiple independent filter stages to remove ETS. and its filter uses both physical adsorption and chemical oxidation processes. As a result, more odors and gases are removed with a higher efficiency.