With the recent Canadian wildfires creating smoke that has blanketed significant portions of the United States, Modine, a technology pioneer in the HVAC industry, is offering free Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization to schools for a limited time.
The offer is available with any scheduled service performed by a dedicated Airedale by Modine™ field technician in select regions affected by the current wildfire. Modine also recommends best practices to K-12 schools to provide students with healthy air to breathe and combat air pollution.
Air quality index
“The recent wildfires have created dangerous air quality situations for communities across the east coast,” said Kimberly Raduenz, Manager, Strategic Marketing for the IAQ division at Modine.
“According to a report by Reuters, this situation marked the worst outbreak of wildfire smoke to blanket the Northeastern U.S. in more than 20 years. In some areas, the air quality index was well above 400, which is considered hazardous.”
Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization
We pride ourselves in providing solutions that can provide K-12 schools with the necessary tools"
“At Modine, we pride ourselves in providing solutions that can provide K-12 schools with the necessary tools they need to combat serious IAQ issues, such as that caused by the wildfire smoke. That’s why it’s important to let school leaders, and the community at large, know about the solutions they can lean on to provide healthy air."
"Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization is just one solution that can create clean air. Modine has several solutions that schools can leverage to better enhance IAQ and prepare them for serious IAQ threats.”
easy-to-install retrofit kit
In pursuing its purpose of Engineering a Cleaner, Healthier World™, Modine has partnered with Global Plasma Solutions (GPS) to bring their Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization (NPBI®) technology to Modine products with an easy-to-install retrofit kit.
This technology produces a high concentration of positive and negative ions, delivering them to the space via the ventilation system. The ions attach to particles, where they combine, become larger, and are more easily filtered from the air.
Steps to improve IAQ
In addition to NPBI®, Modine also recommends the following actions to help improve IAQ.
- Upgrade filters where possible: Upgrading filters can increase protection against smaller particulates in the facility. Since the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, ASHRAE has recommended the use of MERV 13 filters, or higher if the unit is compatible.
- Install HVAC upgrades: In addition to improved filters and installing NPBI® technology, for an extra layer of protection, school leaders and facility managers can also install additional filtration upgrades for their HVAC solutions. An example of this would be UV lights. These lights draw in untreated air and push it through a highly reflective UV chamber with ultraviolet light, which inactivates bacteria and fungi that pass through the lamp.
- Establish and maintain the optimal ventilation rate: HVAC solutions allow facility managers to control the ventilation rate. This not only helps create comfortable air to breathe but also helps cycle dirty air outside of the building. According to the CDC, it’s recommended to have at least five air changes per hour of clean air in an occupied space.
- Replace aging units: If the school’s HVAC unit is old and no longer operating at optimal capacity, the summer is a great time to have it replaced. While a newer unit may have more upfront costs, the school will be saving money over time. Having the replacement installed during the summer will help ensure less downtime during the school year.