Air purifier for care homes and nursing homes
Rensair is an established supplier of air purifiers to hospitals, care homes and nursing homes. We are an Associate Member of the NHS Confederation and a Member of the National Care Association Supplier Forum.
Our patented air purifier technology, which combines H13 HEPA filtration with germicidal UVC light, was developed to meet the strict standards of Scandinavian hospitals. It destroys a minimum of 99.97% of airborne viruses, including coronavirus at 99.99% efficacy.
Care homes
Clean air is key to controlling infectious diseases in nursing homes
Pathogens like Covid-19 exist in aerosols emitted by ill people when they breath, talk, cough or sneeze, which remain suspended in the air in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. When the World Health Organization eventually announced that Covid-19 was mainly airborne, the focus rightly shifted from cleaning surfaces to ventilation and clean air.
Tragically, the consequence of Covid-19 – exacerbated by poor ventilation and indoor air quality – has been devastating in many countries. According to the UK Care Quality Commission (CQC), more than 39,000 care home residents in England alone died with Covid-19 between 10 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.
care homes
Ventilation can not always resolve poor indoor air quality
Viral transmission within care homes remains a major concern and infection control methods for clean air are essential.
Research published by the Department of Health and Social Care found that being in a well-ventilated room can reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection by more than 70%. Another report looking at aerosol-transmitted influenza found that enhancing indoor air quality could be as effective in reducing the transmission of viruses as vaccinating 50-60% of the population.
The recommended air change rate is now 10 litres of fresh air per person per second (l/p/s). The problem is that many care homes simply cannot achieve that level of indoor air quality.
Mechanical ventilation systems are often outdated and inadequate for tackling indoor air pollutants and infectious particulate matter. Natural ventilation is not a viable option during winter when care home occupants need to be kept warm without spiralling heating costs.
Rensair traps and destroys more than 99.97% of airborne particles
RNA & DNA Viruses
throughout nature
Bacterial Spores
poiled foods, kitchens, bathrooms
Pollen
windows, doors, carpets
Mold Spores
moist places, bathrooms, inside pillows, humidifier
Fungi
Ceiling tiles, incubators, faulty HVAC
VEHICLE PARTICULATES
diesel and petrol emissions
Dust Mite Allergens
furniture, carpets
Pet Dander
pets, floors, carpets
Staphylococcus
skin, mucous membranes, soil
Odors
burnt food, garbage, tobacco, cleaning products
Tobacco smoke
cigarettes, formaldehyde
HOUSEHOLD DUST
skin, hair, soil, plastic, clothing
Care homes
Portable HEPA air purifiers are a practical solution for healthy air
Rensair’s hospital grade unit is the ideal air purifier for care home usage, usually deployed within heavily occupied, communal areas – such as lounge or dining room spaces – to safely trap and destroy virus particles. This helps prevent outbreaks and protects residents (especially those with weakened immune systems), visiting relatives and staff.
Customer case studies
Read more >
Podcast: infection control in care homes
Rensair provides extra care at Rayners care home
Wren Hall care home assigns Rensair as first line of defence
Care homes
Air purifiers can supplement ventilation to improve air quality
The WHO, UK SAGE committee, US EPA and many health authorities recognise that achieving the optimum level of indoor air quality is not always achievable via ventilation alone. Where ventilation is not possible, they have issued guidelines to ‘clean and filter’ air using portable air purifiers ie. Total Ventilation = Outside air ventilation + Air Purification.
The choice of air quality technology matters, both for performance and for safety. The WHO, UK SAGE committee and other authorities endorse HEPA filtration to trap and UVC light to destroy airborne particulate matter, without any harmful side effects. A powerful fan is also mandatory, plus rigorous independent testing to back up manufacturers’ claims.
Air purifiers will not change or affect CO2 levels or different Volatile Organic Compounds in a room. However, they can supplement ventilation, such that both CO2 and particulate matter are both kept at optimal levels.
care homes
The cost advantages of air purifiers versus HVAC
The capital investment in portable units for clean air is just a fraction of the cost of installing a new in-built HVAC system. In terms of air change rate, the performance can be at least as good, if not better in confined spaces, than their larger counterparts.
Air purification units use very little energy, generally consuming under 250W – they cost a few pence/cents a day to run. This is minimal compared to in-built HVAC systems.
Further substantial savings can be made on energy (and associated carbon emissions) from not having to heat or cool fresh air intake. The ongoing savings can quickly offset the capital cost of the air purifier devices.
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Questions
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How can you tell if the air purifier is working?
The unit has a built-in, atmospheric particulate matter sensor. It feeds real-time data to a gauge on the control panel that indicates the level of air quality in the room, allowing users to switch to high, medium or low settings accordingly. It measures miniscule PM2.5 particle concentration, made up from dust, bacterial spores, allergens, smoke, outside air pollution and much more.
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Which air purifiers are safe for a care home?
Harmful side effects are associated with the kind of air purifiers sometimes referred to as using ‘additive’ technologies (based on indirect chemical reaction) as opposed to ‘subtractive’ (filtration and direct inactivation). These include technologies based on UVA/UVB, ionisation, plasma, electrostatic precipitation and oxidation methods. HEPA and UVC are totally safe, as long as the UV light is totally enclosed and the wavelength is above 240 nanometers to ensure that no ozone is produced.
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