Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) or Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is extremely important to our health and well-being. The Environmental Protection Agency named IAQ as one of the top five environmental health risks, because improvements in energy efficient construction materials have led to reduced air circulation indoors — and that causes a dangerous accumulation of disease-causing particles in the air we breathe. The EPA notes that indoor air pollution rates are two to five times worse than outdoor air pollution rates. Indoor air pollution contributes to significant health problems, such as lung disease, respiratory tract infections, asthma and lung cancer. With the general population spending more than 90% of our time indoors, the correlation between indoor air quality and long-term health is more important than ever before.

AtmosAir Bi-polar ionization (BPI) is the indoor air purification technology used by AtmosAirTM. AtmosAir BPI works by adding an engineered amount of both positive and negative oxygen ions to the supply air of an air handling system. An ion is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost an electron. Both positive and negative ions exist in the air. Negative, or charged, oxygen ions attract unwanted particles such as mold and VOCs, then fall to the floor, thus improving air quality to ‘fresh air’ levels.

Positive air ions are generally molecules of hydrogen that have lost an electron. Negative air ions are generally a molecule of oxygen that has gained an electron. Negative ions in the air attract particles of pollution and give them a negative charge, making them seek electrical “ground.”This causes the charged ion to fall harmlessly to the floor or be returned to a filter.

Nature constantly produces air ions to combat the pollution in the air. For example, have you ever noticed how the air is stuffy before a thunderstorm and afterwards it is refreshing? This is because lightning produces a high concentration of air ions, which purifies the air and makes it invigorating. The same is true of rain forest environments, beach environments, areas around a waterfall, and mountains.

AtmosAir^™ technology has tested to a greater than 125 Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) for dust and mold. Most technologies you see on the market today are “passive” technologies — for example, a filter that catches particles in the return air stream is one of the most common passive filtration systems. AtmosAir^™ is a proactive air purification system. Our AtmosAir^™ technology cleans the air you breathe in the space you are breathing — it does not rely on filtration that may or may not capture unwanted particles.

UV lights are only effectively on a handful of contaminants of concern , and to keep cooling coils clean. Contaminants  have to pass through the UV light rays for a period of time long enough to be effective. UV lights do not treat any of the air in the occupied space, nor are they effective on VOCs and odors. UV lights require that the air be returned to the air handling system — we label this a “reactive” system. However, UV lights can help the performance of your AtmosAirTM system and overall IAQ. Many healthcare facilities utilize both AtmosAirTM and UV lights in order to be as proactive as possible against bacteria, virus, and germs.

Yes, humid air yields lower ionization levels than dry air. When we engineer and design AtmosAir™ systems, we take into account local environments so that your AtmosAir™ system will be effective.

Yes, we have a specially designed ion meter that will read ion levels.

No. The technology increases the number of oxygen ions, not the number of oxygen molecules. It revitalizes stable oxygen molecules into unstable oxygen ions — these ions want to react with pollutants by trading electrons to become stable again.

First ensure that the green light on the front of your ionization unit is illuminated.  If the green light is not on, call the contractor who installed your unit and have them service it. If the green light is on but you do not feel that the air is being cleaned sufficiently, you can turn the ionization control knob up until you are satisfied with the air quality. If your AtmosAir MCC ionization tube has not been replaced within the last 24 months, you should contact your distributor or contractor and have the tube replaced. If your AtmosAir glass ionization tube has not been replaced within the last 12 months, you should contact your distributor or contractor and have the tube replaced.

Our new AtmosAir MCC (mono-core composite) tubes will degrade and become ineffective after approximately 2 years. In this case the tubes should be changed once every two years.

No.  Unlike UV lamps, which can harm your eyes, there is no danger in looking at an AtmosAir ionization tube.

Yes. If the ionization unit is powered and you touch the tube, you could be injured.  Therefore, before touching the tube or removing it for annual replacement, make sure the power to the unit is off by unplugging it from the power source.

Clean tubes produce more ions than dirty tubes. In a typical residential or commercial project the tubes do not need to be cleaned. However, in a heavily polluted commercial or industrial environment, such as a casino, garbage room or wastewater treatment plant, plan to inspect and clean the tubes periodically.

The tubes should not be subjected to temperatures exceeding 200ºF.

Yes, because the AtmosAir™ equipment is not a catch-and-grab filter.  It does not trap particles, but rather reduces airborne pollutants and particles in the occupied space — where you live, eat, sleep, etc.  In fact, because your AtmosAir™ system causes airborne particles to stick together, your filters will become more efficient by trapping these larger particles.

Yes, we have a chart that outlines tube sizes for different size systems in the U.S. It is important to note that most commercial projects are evaluated on a project-by-project basis. Different areas of the world have different contaminants of concern. We take pride in custom designing our systems to work in your environment.