An art studio should be a place where the creative juices can flow freely. This means a space that has great light, the materials and tools needed, and indoor air quality that is healthy and relaxing to work in. Because many of the products used by artists emit volatile airborne chemicals and other pollutants, it's important to select an air cleaner that can remove them. Here are 5 features that will insure your cleaner will make your art studio a productive and healthy place to be.
Has a Filter for Chemicals-Oil paint, acrylics, sprays all make for great art work, but are big contributors to poor air quality. The volatile organic chemicals that many of these products emit can cause symptoms such as dry or burning throat, watery eyes, headaches, dizziness, light headedness to name a few. Make sure that the cleaner you choose has a filter that is specifically designed to eliminate airborne chemicals. Check the technical specifications or call the company to verify that the filter will be effective in an art studio.
Contains a HEPA Filter for Particulates-A high efficiency particle arresting (or HEPA) filter is a must if you are working with a medium that generates fine particles of any kind. By definition this type of filter will remove airborne particulates as small as .3 microns. A micron is defined as one millionth of a meter; and the period at the end of this sentence is over 600 microns. Not only will this type of filter remove particulates related to your art, but it will also remove normal sorts of particulates such as room dust, mold and mildew spores, pollen, pet dander, bacteria and viruses.
Has Pre-Filters for Longevity-Pre-filters are just what their name implies-filters that come before other filters. A cleaner that has several pre-filters will be effective for many times longer that one that has none. The purpose of these filters is to keep the inner HEPA and chemical filters from filling with big particles. By trapping the big particles the HEPA and chemical filters are slower to fill up, and are given a chance to fill with the pollutants that they are best at removing.
Contains a Split Capacitor Motor-An art studio needs the air filtered 24 hours a day so that as your art dries and sends the chemicals airborne, the cleaner is there to remove them and prevent a build up of unhealthy air. A split capacitor indicated in the technical specifications means that the motor is designed to run safely, efficiently, and effectively 24 hours whether you are there or not.
Is Flexible In Its Placement-Your studio should center on you and your art, not the purifier. Be sure that your cleaner only needs 6 inches clearance from any wall. This will allow you to use floor space as you wish. Steer clear of those units which require being placed in the center of the room. This is another feature that is worth checking on before you purchase.
Has Variable Speed Control-Being able to determine how fast your air is filtered is a really important feature to have. If you are doing a lot of sanding or a lot of spraying, being able to accelerate the rate at which the air is cleaned keeps the air quality high simply by turning the speed up a notch. When there is less going on, you can likewise turn the speed of filtration down, and still keep ahead of the pollutants.
Is Portable-Choosing a unit that is portable gives you control over studio air quality wherever your studio is. A cleaner with heavy duty casters is a nice feature to have. Wheels allow you to move it within your studio or to a studio in a completely different location. Portability means clean air is always as close as the nearest outlet.