Businesses add air purification technology to tackle COVID-19

Denise Allabaugh, The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·4 min read

Apr. 11—DALLAS — Inside Anytime Fitness in the Country Club Shopping Center, Humford Equities president and owner Rob Finlay and R.N. Fitch and Sons owner Sean McGrath showed steps they're taking to help combat COVID-19 and enhance air quality.

They installed AtmosAir Solutions bi-polar ionization indoor air purification technology, which they said is highly effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 as well as other viruses, germs, bacteria, mold and airborne contaminants.

Tests performed by Microchem Laboratory have shown AtmosAir technology has reduced the presence of COVID-19 by 99.92% in a contained space after 30 minutes of exposure.

Dallas-based R.N. Fitch & Sons installed the technology in about 95% of the businesses in the Country Club Shopping Center and Dallas Shopping Center owned by Humford Equities, Finlay said.

"After extensive research, we chose the AtmosAir Solutions technology because of its ability to purify a wide range of toxins," Finlay said.

The technology is not an air filtration system but it releases ions into the indoor space and neutralizes contaminants, he said.

"Not only will this help provide greater air quality in our centers during the pandemic, but it will protect against the transmission of airborne illnesses in the future," he said. "It makes customers feel comfortable coming."

Air purifiers have been a top purchase during the pandemic. Finlay and other business owners throughout Northeast Pennsylvania have been investing in air purification technology as they attempt to recover from the pandemic and as people increase activity. He said it cost about $1,500 for each unit plus installation fees.

Twenty-six units were installed in the Dallas Shopping Center and 11 in the Country Club Shopping Center, McGrath said.

The AtmosAir system is integrated into a building's HVAC system and it continually disinfects the air and surfaces, according to information McGrath provided from AtmosAir Solutions.

Steve Sherwood, owner of Anytime Fitness in the Country Club Shopping Center, said he is happy the air purification technology was installed in his fitness center to better protect the health and safety of members and staff.

"We owe it to our folks to have the healthiest and best environment that we can," Sherwood said

After he sees how it works out with the AtmosAir technology and how members like it, Sherwood said he may install the systems later in fitness centers he owns in Wyoming, Tunkhannock and Towanda.

McGrath said he became aware of the technology through John Engleman, district manager at Tri Dim Filter Corporation, a local distributor of AtmosAir.

He said his company also installed the technology in Dallas Twp. municipal building and police station, Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Plains Twp. and the Westmoreland Club in Wilkes-Barre.

Robert Williams, general manager of the Westmoreland Club, said they invested about $30,000 for R.N. Fitch & Sons to install units in HVAC systems in every room in the club "to keep all of our members and our guests safe."

Williams said they chose AtmosAir technology after researching systems and the different options that could help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as well as other viruses and bacteria.

The bi-polar ionization tube system destroys COVID-19 in the air and on surfaces and will continue to be beneficial in the future in eliminating or reducing the flu and other viruses, bacteria, allergens, dust and odors, he said.

"AtmosAir has the most effective results in case studies. It's 99.92% effective in killing COVID-19," Williams said. "We have been using them since November and to our knowledge, we have not had one case of COVID-19 transmission within the club this entire time."

Some area school districts in Northeast Pennsylvania also have invested in bi-polar ionization air purification technology.

Scranton School District recently announced it would spend $111,858 on 181 bi-polar ionization air purification units and approximately $50,000 on MERV 13 air filters for locations throughout the district.

Lake-Lehman School District installed bi-polar ionization technology in every room in each building in the district, said Lake-Lehman Superintendent Jim McGovern.

The school district purchased the units through Global Plasma Solutions for about $450,000 and they were installed by PLD Associates, he said.

"We have received great reviews from employees on indoor air quality," McGovern said.

Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2115, @CVAllabaugh