FAQ

Air purifiers for federal agencies on GSA Advantage include Austin Air from ClearFlite Inc, a WOSB small business located in Ohio. 

 How do I select the best model for my needs? 

It's important that you select the air purifier designed to clean the size space you have. If you have a very large space, it can be more effective to place two or three air purifiers in different parts of the room. So you need the square footage.

Determine what you most want to remove from the air.  Is it biological odors from people working in close proximity?  Is it particulate that causes allergy and asthma problems (dust, mold spores, allergens)? Is it chemicals, odors and smoke (that cause multiple chemical sensitivity)?  Is it a specific chemical in heavy concentration like formaldehyde?  Is it particulate coming from machines such as copiers, or dust that is clogging computers?   

What is your return policy?

We have a 30 day return policy. You may return the unit for a refund within 30 days of the purchase.  You will be responsible for return shipping unless the product arrived damaged. Please call ahead for an authorization number and the address for return shipping.

How do we get manuals and brochures?
The Operator's Manual comes with the unit.  If you need additional manuals or technical specifications please email us and we'll send you a PDF of the manual immediately.

What is the warranty from ClearFlite Inc?
First, we work very hard to make you a happy customer!  If you have a problem we fix it. Warranties are typically five years for Austin Air and two to five for other products.

Do your air purifiers have anything to do with ozone O³ or "active air"?
No, the units we carry do not clean using ozone or generate ozone.  The technologies we use are completely safe.  (However, an explanation of ozone is found below).

What if I need an international voltage and or plug?
We can help you with Austin Air models that are available with special voltages and plugs.  Tell us the region or country in which the air purifiers will be used and we will make sure the units have the proper plug. Or you may stipulate the plug type you want.

What is HEPA Filtration?
The HEPA technology provides a high level of air purification in almost any setting. The HEPA acronym stands for "High Efficiency Particulate Arresting" and these filters are effective for removing pollen, animal hair and dander, bacteria, mold spores, smoke particles, dust mites and dust from air that passes through the filter. These filters are organized in an accordion style and are composed of a fine, paper-like material that filters these particles. The accordion style increases the surface area in which to trap particles and is 99.97% effective at removing particles measuring 0.3 microns or more. In addition to the filtration of particles, there is often an activated carbon found in the filter that absorbs gases that are either harmful chemicals or odorous.

What does activated carbon actually do?
Air purifiers vary quite dramatically in the amount and form of activated carbon present. The carbon is included to filter out gas molecules and odors.  Thus the ability of the air purifier to absorb chemicals and odors is directly linked to the amount of activated carbon contained in the unit.
It is described in a variety of ways but generally it includes a wide range of amorphous carbon-based materials which exhibit a high degree of porosity and an extended surface area.  In simple terms, this means that it has excellent adsorbent characteristics that make it very useful for a wide variety of filtration processes including air and water. Aquarium enthusiasts will be well familiar with it.

In air filtration the activated carbon is often combined with other minerals like zeolite.  Zeolite can absorb ions and molecules and thus act as a filter for odor control, toxin removal and as a chemical sieve.  In some units, the carbon may be impregnated with a potassium iodide or blended with impregnated active alumina to increase the absorbent qualities. These air purifiers are particularly helpful to people with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), because they absorb formaldehyde which is found in carpet, wood paneling, and furniture upholstery.  Perfumes and chemicals in household cleaning items are also removed, making the environment much more breathable for people, especially asthma sufferers.

For many people, particulates such as pollens or pet dander are the main irritants, with odor and gas absorption being less important or not important at all. There are several high quality air purifiers that are excellent in particulate absorption yet also provide a reasonable degree of gas and odor absorption without adding undue expense.  For others who need a high degree of both, it is best to look at the higher caliber air purifiers which offer outstanding particle and gas/odor removal.

What is Ozone?  Note: We do not sell air purifiers which clean using ozone
Ozone is a molecule that contains three oxygen atoms rather than the normal two. This occurs when oxygen is in the presence of an electrical charge and oxygen molecules are converted to ozone. An ozone molecule is extremely reactive and when it comes into contact with a pollutant, one of the oxygen atoms splits off and oxidizes the pollutant, leaving an oxygen molecule and purified air behind. Oxidation is a destructive process for pollutants and allergens and removes them from the air. Although there has been some concern that, because ozone is so volatile and reactive, it may not be safe for some environments. Its effectiveness in relation to other air purification techniques like HEPA filtration or activated carbon has been questioned, particularly because of its high volatility.

Combined Technologies
In order to maximally clean the air, these different technologies are used in different combinations. Although the environment is primed with its own mechanisms of air purification, indoor environments often lack these naturally occurring methods and an air purification system can have a significant impact on air quality, particularly for people with allergies, asthma or other respiratory illnesses as well as those with compromised immune systems. At this time, HEPA filtration has consistently demonstrated its effectiveness is air cleansing and is used most frequently in purification systems. Other processes, like ozone use, have been questioned as to their long term safety and negative ionization and electrostatic mechanisms seem to have a moderate effect on air purification. The most effective air purification systems seem to use more than one technology to generate the best air purification results.

What technology is best for mold?
There is little we can do to stop Nature’s production of mold spores. Airborne mold spores are particles and generally settle down in time but they can be disrupted and become airborne again. Thus, removing any remaining mold spores from your air after discovering mold is key to keeping mold at bay. If mold spores remain in the air and land in a wet area, more mold is bound to start growing.

Things in the mold world are very small and dimensions are typically expressed in micrometers or microns. Most mold spores range from 3-100 microns in size but some can be as small as 1 micron. When looking at air purification systems to handle mold, it is important to find one that takes out at least 3-micron size particulates or smaller. It's the ultrafine particles that wreak havoc in the human respiratory system so getting the smallest particles is critical.

Mold cannot reproduce without moisture. When airborne mold spores are pulled into an air cleaner, the HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) filter traps the particulates and they die. Mold does not reproduce in filters since there is no moisture.

Air purifiers can greatly help in the reduction of mold spores in the air we breathe. Since mold does have the potential to produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some case potentially toxic substances, it is important to rid the indoor air as best you can.

Mold has been associated with asthma attacks in people who have asthma, and with irritating the eyes, nose, throat and lungs in mold allergic and non-allergic people. By using air purification systems you can reduce mold spores thus increasing health benefits.

Once mold is visible it is necessary to clean the area well and eliminate any moisture or future moisture for the area.

What does the EPA say about Indoor Air Quality?
Although the studies vary depending on the federal agency or group which has done them, it has been proven time and time again that indoor air is often dramatically more polluted than outdoor air. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and other U.S. government agencies can be contacted for the most recent numbers.  Indoor air pollution comes from a variety of sources like pets, plants, mold spores, fungi spores, house dust mites, chemicals used in cleaning, office machines such as copiers, off-gassing of carpets, furniture, and upholstery, and particles from the outdoors such as pollens, car exhaust and industrial pollution.

 "Sick" buildings also have a host of problems that make people sick. The list of things that make indoor air unhealthy to breathe, especially for babies, children, and the elderly is long and growing.  The reasons are yet to be determined, but in recent years there has been a dramatic rise across the planet of people reporting the onset of seasonal allergies in their lives for the first time.  Indoor air purifiers can help people to live and work more productively and to deal more effectively with environmentally induced stresses such as seasonal allergies and indoor pollution in work environments.  In addition to cleaning the air in a home, portable room air purifiers are used in office buildings, hospitals, military facilities and anywhere where people are working or machines need a particulate free environment.

We vacuum and clean our space so why is the indoor air still dirty?
It can be rather distressing to hear the media regularly reporting on how dirty indoor air is. So why is it dirty, even if professional cleaning services are cleaning the space? One of the problems is that tightly built buildings allow bad stuff to come in but don't give it a way to go out.
Here is why your space might be polluted to some extent: There are things that burn, like oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, candles and tobacco. There are building materials and furniture that contain deteriorated asbestos, damp carpet, cabinets or furniture made of certain pressed wood products. There are all sorts of products for household cleaning, personal care, and hobbies. Then there are the big things like central heating and cooling systems and humidifiers. There are outdoor sources of pesticides and other pollutants that can get in. Some sources, such as building materials, furnishings, and products like air fresheners (those chemical things that smell good) release pollutants more or less continuously. Others sources that release pollutants intermittently include cigarette smoking, the use of un-vented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces or space heaters. So now you know!
To improve indoor air quality, ventilation is helpful. Either fresher outdoor air has to come in to push the indoor pollution out or the indoor pollution needs to be absorbed by a room air purifier. Especially in winter, if weather prevents the intake of fresh outdoor air, it is very important to keep key areas of the home clean via air purification.
If possible eliminate the sources of pollution to the best of your ability. Asbestos can be sealed or enclosed, stoves can be adjusted or repaired, smokers can go outside and mold can sometimes be cleaned up or removed. However, sometimes it is impossible or too much of a hassle to eliminate the source. In that case, room air purifiers can be of great assistance.

Are air purifiers loud?
 The decibel level of an air purifier varies with the speed. Most are fairly loud on the highest speed. It is wise to run the air purifier on high when you’re not in the room.  The highest speed will enable it to pull the air in from the farthest areas of the space.  On the lower speeds, air purifiers are much quieter. Some brands are better designed for quiet operation than others.  In general, silent air purifiers don’t move much air and don’t do much good.
How do we know an air purifier is working?
 A day or two after you have installed an air purifier, the room should be cleaner. Breathing should be easier.  Morning congestion and allergy symptoms should be lessened.  The air in the room should no longer feel heavy.  Some air purifiers have electronic monitors which signal when the filter should be changed.  Once an air purifier owner has changed a filter and seen how disgusting they are, one becomes a believer.
 Are there side effects to an air purifier?
 In a quality, non-ozone producing air purifier, there won’t be any side effects other than improved health. The air purifiers that ClearFlite Inc sells only emit clean air into the room. They do not emit anything that gives off an odor (such as ozone) or puts any chemicals into the air. The toxins are removed and clean air is exhausted. That’s it.  For people who are chemically sensitive, it is important that the air purifier unit itself be constructed of materials which won’t off-gas. ClearFlite sells only products which clean the air, not make it worse.  There are poor quality air purifiers on the market however, which either have such insignificant filtration that they remove very little, or emit harmful ozone.
  Do air purifiers cost a lot to use?
 There are two issues: power consumption and filter changes to this question.  Generally, the high quality air purifiers use a minimum of electricity. They are engineered to be energy-saving.  There is one caveat about Energy Star air purifiers: they don't work well.  Unfortunately, the Energy Star requirements result in the air purifiers, particularly in commercial applications, being so ineffective that the manufacturers of the most effective brands including IQAir and Austin Air do not have Energy Star models. 
 Different brands vary as far as filter changes go.  Some air purifiers have monitors which indicate when the filters should be changed, some manufacturers stipulate the number of months a filter should last, some filters are very large, some are small.  In general, the HEPA filters last a number of years, the gas and odor, or activated carbon filters will need to be changed sooner.  It is important to change a pre-filter (which gets the larger pieces of dust and dander) according to the manufacturer’s recommendation All models come with the filters. Replacement filters are listed for re-ordering when the filters the unit comes with are used up
  Do I need filters or filter-less air purifiers?
  Although filter-less air purifiers sound like the best idea because they would be cheaper to operate, there are several considerations. First, they typically do not work nearly as well as air purifiers with HEPA filtration. Two, people tend to procrastinate on cleaning the filters, thus their effectiveness is greatly diminished.
 Filter-less air purifiers use electrostatic precipitation technology which has limited use since faster moving air can prevent the particles from adhering to the charged plates inside the air purifier. Large particles such as dust and dander can be collected on plates that are kept clean but do not work well on smaller particles found in smoke, molds, and chemicals.  Some electrostatic air purifier models produce harmful ozone as a by-product although the amounts produced may be so minimal that a direct connection to harm may not be verifiable. However, since there are many quality air purifiers available that are ozone-free, there’s no good reason to use one that produces any ozone.
 An air purifier which effectively removes the toxins that are causing the owner problems is the best kind. In “real life” it is best to have an air purifier with the appropriate filters for the allergens or chemicals that need to be removed from the indoor environment. Clearly, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to effective indoor air cleaning.  The higher quality air purifiers have long lasting filters which can be quickly and easily changed.
 How many air purifiers do I need?
  Room air purifiers can be moved from room to room, however, busy people tend not to do it, so it is best to place an air purifier designated to clean the square footage of a particular space, in that space and leave it.  In a very large space, it will be more effective to put multiple small units rather than one large one. That will enable the owner to operate the air purifiers at lower, thus quieter, speeds.
  What if the air purifier doesn’t work?
 If an air purifier is chosen carefully so that it fits the job, and is the right size for the area it will clean, and if it is a quality brand, such as those ClearFlite sells at federalairpurifiers.com, there is a very high probability that the air purifier will be effective. If it does not work, it can be returned within 30 days. ClearFlite’s policy is and always has been to sell the right product for the application, not what’s in the warehouse or what makes more money. This policy has kept our customers happy since for well over a decade and kept our returns to a minimum.
 Does an air purifier come with filters?
 Yes, every air purifier purchased from ClearFlite whether from our site at federalairpurifiers.com or by phone contains the filters. Replacement costs are listed on our site for future orders when the filters the unit comes with need to be changed.
 Are the air purifiers brand new?
 ClearFlite Inc only sells brand new air purifier products on our site at federalairpurifiers.com.  We do not sell refurbished models, nor do we sell demo models.
 When do I run the air purifier?
 24/7. The air purifiers carried by ClearFlite are designed to run continuously.  They clean most effectively and operate most cost effectively when they are left alone, rather than turned off and on.
 Where do I place the air purifier?
 If you have a place that is the source of a pollutant, place the air purifier near the source of the problem. Otherwise, it can be placed anywhere in the room if the room is the size the air purifier is designed to clean.  Most air purifiers should not be placed flat against the wall, but it depends on the model. It is generally best that the air purifier be open to the air all around it.
 How do I get replacement filters?
 You may order replacement filters from ClearFlite’s web site at federalairpurifiers.com or by calling 440-281-7368. All of the brands ClearFlite carries are made by well established companies. You do not need to worry about buying filters in advance.
 How do I know when to change the filters?
 Filter changes depend on the brand and the model.  Some brands have electronic indicators which tell you when to change the filters. Some manufacturers designate a time period that the filter is intended to last.
 Is it hard to change the filters?
 The different brands vary in design, so it depends on the brand. In general, the air purifiers are designed for quick and easy filter change without tools.  Replacement filters come with instructions. Help is also only an email or phone call away. 
Where do I begin in figuring out what kind I need?
The place to begin is in becoming clear about the problem you are trying to solve. Air purifiers vary greatly in their effectiveness for different problems.  Some are better at removing particles, some are better at removing chemicals, some do a better job removing mold. For general purpose air cleaning, all of the air purifiers sold by ClearFlite at federalairpurifiers.com do a good job or we would not carry them.  Determine the problem, determine the best technology for the problem, measure the room in which the air purifier will go, and choose the right model for the room size.  Never hesitate to ask ClearFlite for help.
ClearFlite receives more questions about mold than just about anything else, other than seasonal allergy relief.  Airborne mold spores are extremely small and can pass by the cilia in the sinuses. They are too small to be exhaled, so they can become lodged within the lung tissue of the body. Mycotoxins , the product of mold metabolism, are even more toxic. It is important to remove concentrations of mold in the home if possible. Although an air purifier will remove the airborne mold particles, if the mold is embedded in surfaces in high concentrations, it should be professionally removed. An air purifier in the bedroom is very necessary if mold is causing a health problem. The musty smell in old "sick" buildings can be removed with an air purifier that is designed to remove mold. Fortunately, a good HEPA air purifier with activated carbon will remove the wide variety of toxins including mold spores.
How do I get rid of dust?
Although dust particles that can be seen by the human eye are aesthetically unpleasant, they are not as much of a health issue as the smaller particles which get past the body’s barriers.  That is not necessarily the case when it comes to “dust bunnies” which can be composed of dust mites and their fecal material, skin cells, mold spores, pollen, and other nasty items. It is important to clean and vacuum regularly to get the dust bunnies and clumped dust particles.  However, the minute you begin to clean, particles become airborne. It is helpful to run an air purifier on the high speed as cleaning progresses.  Running an air purifier continuously will help keep the dust down too.
 
What are the Air Purifier Technologies?
Air purification systems have advanced over the last several years to provide the cleanest environment possible for individuals, particularly those with allergies or asthma. With pollutants abundant in the environment, technology has advanced to address new and emerging issues and to provide clean air while not compromising the delicate environmental balance that exists. Many companies use different technologies to achieve specific outcomes in particular settings. Some technologies are better at removing pollutants while others clean air without any additional sound pollution. Choosing the most effective solution is dependent upon the particular environment and the needs of the individual.
HEPA
The HEPA technology provides a high level of air purification in almost any setting. The HEPA acronym stands for "High Efficiency Particulate Arresting" and these filters are effective for removing pollen, animal hair and dander, bacteria, mold spores, smoke particles, dust mites and dust from air that passes through the filter. These filters are organized in an accordion style and are composed of a fine, paper-like material that filters these particles. The accordion style increases the surface area in which to trap particles and is 99.97% effective at removing particles measuring 0.3 microns or more. In addition to the filtration of particles, there is often an activated carbon found in the filter that absorbs gases that are either harmful chemicals or odorous.
Activated Carbon
Another technology used to purify the air is activated carbon. Activated carbon is a porous network of carbon molecules without a regular atomic structure and has the ability to remove organic compounds from the environment. It does this through the process of adsorption or absorption. Adsorption is the process by which compounds are removed from the environment using primarily electrostatic Van der Waals forces which form relatively weak bonds between the pollutants and the carbon. Absorption is the process where gases or pollutant compounds interact with the carbon through a chemical reaction and pollutants are then tightly bound to the carbon’s surface. Activated carbon is created through a process of burning carbon-containing materials such as wood and animal bones and then, in the absence of oxygen, heating it with steam to 1000 degrees Celsius. This creates a very porous internal structure capable of removing pollutants from both gaseous and aqueous environments.