CDC GUIDELINES - PERMANENT SOLUTIONS
Please refer to your copy of page 86 from the CDC guidelines, Table S3-2 - Hierarchy of ventilation methods for TB isolation rooms and treatment rooms..
The last item, on this list, is to use exhaust air through window mounted exhaust fans. It is very clear that CDC regards this as only temporary because, there is no HEPA filtration, heating or cooling energy is lost and they do not set up a better mixing or air flow pattern in the room. Use of this method is only for creating negative pressure.
ALL THE REMAINING ITEMS ARE achievable WITH nq UNITS ! !
1 - NEGATIVE PRESSURE - simple 10" collar connects to a variety of building outlets.
2 - BETTER AIRFLOW CHARACTERISTICS - part of the clean air is recirculated around the room so as to set up a better mix and get the pathogens back to the unit.
3 - ENERGY SAVING - only the minimum cfm is exhausted for the required pressure.
4 - LOW RETURN AND HIGH SUPPLY - this is the way an operating room is designed and therefore obvious that the correct airflow is achieved with this arrangement. Most rooms are set up with high supply and high returns as well as high exhausts usually located in the toilet room. To modify this, with the building system, one must perform major wall renovation and or structural modification as well as duct work changes.
5 - HEPA + FILTER MONITOR - inspectors will require a gauge to assure that filters are changed at the correct time and the differential pressure across HEPA assured. This requirement is also outlined on page 85 of the guidelines.
6 - Having 12 air changes in the room is what is required for proper use of a mobile air filtration unit such as the NQ500. If the room is not a negative pressure room and you have the required number of negative pressure rooms at the facility then this air change requirement is all that is required to be done in accord with the CDC guidelines. Obviously, it would be best IF all rooms were the negative pressure type however this would be far more cost than CDC would consider reasonable.
