With all of the services offered for hair and body in the salon these days, the air quality can take a real nose dive. As a result clients can sometimes need gas masks, and stylists often wish they had one. A salon air purifier is the answer to keeping the air clean, and here are 4 essential filters your cleaner should have.
Carbon-based — These filters are recognized as the industry leader for removing gaseous pollutants. But the type of chemicals that many salon products off-gas are more than even carbon can eliminate.
Acrylic, nail polish, polish remover, hardener, perm smells, odors from dyes and numerous other services offered in the shop often send volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) into the air. These are potent and immediate symptoms range from burning eyes, dry throat, coughing, and headache to nausea and vomiting.
In order to remove these types of chemicals, the carbon filter needs to be enhanced with an additive that is specifically designed to remove VOCs. Check the technical specification on any unit you are considering to make sure that this is true. Without the additive for chemicals you will be disappointed with the results.
HEPA — This is an acronym for high efficiency particle arresting filter. By designated as such, it must be able to remove particles that are as small as … 3 microns with a micron being smaller than the period at the end of this sentence .. And it must be able to remove them with 99.97% efficiency . The benefit of this type of filtration in your salon is that for every 10,000 airborne particles, it must remove 99,997 of them.
Bacteria and viruses are often smaller that.3 microns, but because many of them attach to particles that are larger in order to move from one host to the next, they are easily trapped by this type of technology. Cutting down on airborne germs, particularly during cold and flu season, can keep you, your clients, and your stylist healthier
Large Particle Pre-Filter — As its name suggests, it comes before the other more expensive filters and saves them from filling up needlessly. This filter traps the large particles that you can see such as hair, dust, nail dust, and pet dander that may come in on client's clothes.
Taking these types of particles out of the air is important, and for those who suffer with allergies and other chronic respiratory conditions, it can make a real and appreciated difference.
Medium Particle Pre-Filter — This size filter is good at removing mold spores and pollen. And again these are huge triggers for people with allergies and asthma. Having the air in your salon clear of these triggers will make for a more enjoyable experience for all who come to you shop. They may not understand why it's so easy to relax when they're with you, but who cares, as long as they do.
An effective salon air purifier must be as multi-faceted as the services you provide. These 4 filters will be able to take out all that your products put into the air.