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CASE HISTORY ARTICLE
SENIORS BREATH THE GOOD LIFEThe green hills and traditional culture of eastern Pennsylvania are a perfect backdrop for the gracious retirement lifestyle of Willow Valley Lifecare Retirement Communities. With basic household chores taken care of, residents are free to pursue activities of their choice. Amenities include areas for painting, sewing, arts/crafts and woodworking, a heated indoor pool and spa, stately lobby areas. The lifecare concept means that assisted living and nursing care are provide at no additional cost to residents who need it. The 1,219 elegant apartment units, from studios to two-bedroom models, feature full kitchens, balconies, patios and individually controlled heating and air conditioning. Willow Valley features three resident buildings. The newest of these, Willow Valley Manor North, was constructed in 1993 and offers 422 apartments averaging 1,300 square feet each. Residents of these units recently had the opportunity to fine-tune the quality of the air that circulates throughout their units HVAC systems. Almost 170 residents, whose average age is 73 years, responded to a special offer in the “North Notes” newsletter to purchase Permatron electrostatic air filters for their HVAC systems. The idea for the upgrade originated with Don M. Sindall, a resident who had been dissatisfied with the filter provided with his apartment’s HVAC system. Maintenance Supervisor Curt Musser said, “some residents have pulmonary problems, which poor air quality can aggravate. The Permatron filters are a lot better, catching more dust than the disposable filters they replaced. We shopped around, and found that Hajoca Corporation in Lancaster had the best price for the product. We work with Hajoca on plumbing items also.” Guy Skone, HVAC Manager for Hajoca’s Lancaster branch, said “one or two of the residents had called and asked what was available in air filtration. We sent them literature on the Permatron product. One of the residents bought one. Then Curt called, and we got a volume price from Permatron. The quality of the product is there, that’s one of the reasons we handle it. We tried other brands, but price and quality decided it for us.” The HVAC System Design Installed in each apartment is a Whalen Vertical Hi-Rise water source heat pump, either one or one-and-one half tons, 400 to 600 CFM air flow and a 3.0 C.O.P. energy efficiency rating. “With an electric heat pump inside the apartment,” explained Musser, “you tend to get more dust, because there is a lot of traffic past the HVAC unit. I believe these filters improve the indoor air quality. They look to be well designed. We had special brackets made up to accommodate the electrostatic filters.” HVAC system modification is not normally required when installing electrostatic filters. In this case, however, the replaced filters were only ½” thick, whereas the Permatron filters’ unique Accumulator Chamber® design requires a 1” thickness (although other filter models are available in ½” thickness). The Filter Choice The electrostatic air filters selected for the upgrade project are the DustEater® brand, manufactured by Permatron Corporation of Franklin Park, Illinois. Sold with a lifetime warranty for peace of mind, DustEater offers air cleaning benefits that are especially valuable to people with allergies, asthma and other respiratory conditions which can be common among the general senior population. Independently tested to ASHRAE standards, DustEater offers a 91% arrestance efficiency balanced with low initial airflow resistance of 0.16” w.g. and dust holding capacity of 160 grams. Electrostatic media uses a triboelectric charge that attracts airborne particles like iron filings are attracted to a magnet. DustEater’s unique construction features the 3-stage Accumulator Chamber design for maximum performance and a stainless steel frame for rust and corrosion resistance, as well as visual appeal. Resident Don M. Sidall, who initiated the search for another filter, said, “I’m somewhat touchy on dust, and we had to dust every day. Obviously, rugs will kick up dust, and our furnace is in the hallway with the return air grille near the floor. We leave our recirculating fan on all the time.” According to Musser, “Each resident has their own lifestyle. If you have more dust, or it if you keep windows open all the time, the Permatron filter will catch more of those airborne particles.” Regarding possible sources of the airborne dust, Sindall said, “I think the dust problem had to do with the rugs and the fact that we’re out in the country. There’s a lot of dust outside with farmers cutting hay and strong east winds. We keep our windows closed to keep the dust out, too.” Since the DustEater filters are installed directly in the individual apartment, residents are able to clean them. This is a very simple maintenance procedure that requires only a quick rinse in the shower or sink. Once cleaned, the filters are returned directly to the system. No electrical hookups or replacement parts are required to keep these worry-free functioning for years of cost-effective air cleaning. Filtration Options for Odor/Fume Control Permatron also offers a variety of air filters for applications that require odor/fume control. The Dust-Plus® filter combines electrostatic media with a replaceable back panel of zeolite, which effectively adsorbs ammonia-based odors. Common sources, especially in healthcare-oriented environments, include sick rooms and cleaning chemicals. Another option is activated carbon, which adsorbs odors from tobacco smoke, cooking activity and other organic sources. Like the 100% electrostatic filters, Dust-Plus is available in standard and custom sizes, and is constructed to fit existing HVAC systems. Willow-Valley’s literature summarizes its benefits to resident with these words: “Perfecting the art of living. Comfort. Freedom. Quality. Peace of Mind.” It’s no coincidence that the specially selected Permatron DustEater filters provide these exact same benefits, and residents at the Willow Valley Lifecare Retirement Community breath a little easier. |
Permatron Corporation, 1180 Pratt Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007Telephone 847-434-1421 FAX 847-434-1429Send mail to
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