Air Scrubbing and HEPA Filtration — Draper, UT Indoor Air Quality Restoration
Air scrubbing with HEPA filtration is one of the core capabilities behind restoration response. It’s what makes containment work during mold and sewage response. It’s what captures airborne combustion products during fire response. It’s what reduces spore concentrations after water damage produces cavity mold. And it’s what verifies indoor air quality returns to normal after remediation. Every response we deliver includes some form of air scrubbing sized to the specific scope. This page documents the equipment, sizing methodology, and applications across the different response types EcoRestore handles in Draper, Sandy, South Jordan, Riverton, Bluffdale, and White City.
What HEPA Filtration Actually Means
HEPA is a filtration standard, not a specific technology or brand. Per DOE definition, HEPA filters capture at least 99.97% of particles at 0.3 microns particle size, tested under specified conditions. That specific particle size is the most-penetrating size — particles smaller than 0.3 microns are captured through diffusion (Brownian motion driving them into filter fibers), particles larger than 0.3 microns are captured through impaction and interception. The 0.3 micron point is where these mechanisms are least efficient, so HEPA rating at 0.3 microns represents worst-case efficiency; actual efficiency at other particle sizes is often higher than 99.97%.
For context on what HEPA captures: mold spores typically range 2–100 microns (all captured), fine bacterial fragments around 0.5–5 microns (captured), tobacco smoke around 0.5–2 microns (captured), combustion particulates around 0.1–10 microns (mostly captured, some smaller particulates pass through), and viruses around 0.02–0.4 microns (partially captured depending on the specific size). HEPA filtration doesn’t capture gases and volatile organic compounds — that requires activated carbon or specialty filtration in addition to HEPA.
Air Scrubber Applications by Response Type
Mold Remediation
Air scrubbing is a mandatory component of S520-2024 containment protocols. Air scrubber inside the containment achieves 3–6 air changes per hour (ACH), continuously filtering airborne spores generated during demolition and cleaning. Negative pressure differential of −5 pascals inside the containment ensures airborne contamination stays inside the containment rather than migrating to unaffected areas. See the mold remediation page for detailed containment protocols.
Sewage and Category 3 Water Response
Air scrubbing inside Category 3 containment prevents airborne pathogen migration during extraction and demolition. Same −5 pascals negative pressure and 3–6 ACH principles as mold remediation. Post-response scrubbing continues through PRV testing to ensure airborne bacterial and mold spore concentrations return to Condition 1 before containment comes down. See the sewage cleanup page for detailed Category 3 protocols.
Fire and Smoke Damage
Whole-property air scrubbing during fire response captures airborne combustion products before they redeposit onto cleaned surfaces. Different from containment scrubbing — fire response scrubbing operates across the whole property rather than inside sealed containments. Multiple air scrubbers positioned strategically achieve 3–6 ACH across the affected space. Scrubbing continues through the cleaning phase and into deodorization phases.
Water Damage Response
Air scrubbing during water damage response filters mold spores that may become airborne during demolition of wet materials, and controls musty odors during drying phases. Less continuous use than mold or fire response — air scrubbing typically runs during active demolition and drying phases but doesn’t necessarily need to run continuously throughout the drying period.
COVID and Pathogen Response
Facility decontamination for COVID-19 or other pathogen contamination uses HEPA air scrubbing to reduce airborne pathogen concentration during cleaning. Effective for viral pathogens 0.3 microns or larger; smaller viruses require additional protocols. Response uses same equipment as mold and fire response, with pathogen-appropriate PPE and antimicrobial application.
Post-Remediation Verification
Air scrubbing continues through post-remediation verification testing to ensure verified indoor air quality reflects post-cleaning conditions rather than during-cleaning conditions. Scrubbers typically run at reduced ACH during the verification period (1–3 ACH) rather than the higher rates used during active demolition.
Air Scrubber Sizing Methodology
Air Change Rate (ACH) Calculation
Air scrubber sizing follows a straightforward calculation:
- Room volume — length × width × ceiling height (cubic feet)
- Target ACH — 3 to 6 depending on contamination extent
- Required CFM — volume × target ACH ÷ 60 minutes
Example: 400 sq ft basement containment with 8-ft ceilings has 3,200 cubic feet volume. Target 6 ACH: 3,200 × 6 ÷ 60 = 320 CFM required. Common practice: oversize by 20–40% to accommodate demolition activity that increases airborne contamination loading.
Fleet Equipment
EcoRestore’s air scrubber fleet:
- Phoenix Guardian R Series (500 CFM units) — primary residential scrubbers, suitable for containments up to roughly 800 cubic feet at 6 ACH or 1,600 cubic feet at 3 ACH
- Phoenix Guardian R Series (1000 CFM units) — larger scrubbers for basement or multi-room containments, suitable for containments up to roughly 1,600 cubic feet at 6 ACH or 3,200 cubic feet at 3 ACH
Larger scope responses stack multiple scrubbers rather than trying to size one enormous unit — multiple smaller scrubbers provide better air distribution across the space than one large unit with concentrated air movement.
Negative Pressure Verification
Air scrubbers create negative pressure inside containments when configured correctly (scrubber pulling air from inside containment and discharging through flexible duct to exterior). Pressure differential is verified with digital manometer: target −5 pascals relative to adjacent unaffected areas. Manometer readings are logged multiple times per shift during active work to confirm containment integrity. Loss of negative pressure indicates a containment breach requiring immediate correction.
Discharge Configuration
Air scrubbers discharge filtered air to exterior through flexible ducting to prevent recontamination of the containment space. Discharge routing typically through window openings or wall openings with appropriate sealing to prevent air leakage back into the property. Some indoor recirculating configurations exist but are only appropriate for non-contamination applications (baseline air quality improvement without active demolition source).
Filter Types Available
Primary HEPA Filter
The 99.97% at 0.3 microns HEPA element. Standard on every scrubber. Filter life depends on airborne loading — a filter running in a heavy-demolition environment may need replacement every 5–10 days, while a filter in a low-loading verification environment can last 30–60 days. Filter replacement is logged as part of response documentation.
Prefilters
Fiber or foam prefilters upstream of the HEPA element capture larger particulates and extend HEPA filter life. Prefilters are typically replaced daily on heavy-loading responses.
Activated Carbon Filters
For odor and volatile organic compound (VOC) capture. Added to standard HEPA scrubbers when the response includes significant odor removal (fire response, sewage response, protein residue cleanup). Activated carbon removes odor-causing gases and VOCs that pass through HEPA filtration (HEPA captures particles, not gases).
Specialty Filter Combinations
Some responses require specific filter combinations. Formaldehyde-specific carbon impregnation for post-fire response involving cabinetry off-gassing. HEPA-plus-carbon for combined particulate and odor capture. UV-C germicidal integration for pathogen response applications.
When Air Scrubbing Isn’t Needed
Not every restoration response requires continuous air scrubbing. Category 1 clean water losses without visible mold typically don’t need continuous scrubbing during drying — occasional air movement from air movers and standard ventilation is sufficient. Small non-contamination cleaning responses (minor mold under 10 sq ft, light dust cleanup) don’t require air scrubbing. Post-completion baseline verification on completed responses (checking that indoor air quality has stabilized after work) uses portable HEPA units at lower ACH rather than heavy scrubbing. Assessment determines whether scrubbing is warranted based on specific contamination and scope.
Air Scrubbing Cost Considerations
Air scrubbing rental fees on standard scope typically:
- Single 500 CFM Phoenix Guardian R unit: $75–$150 per day rental
- Single 1000 CFM Phoenix Guardian R unit: $150–$275 per day rental
- HEPA filter replacement: $150–$450 per filter depending on unit and filter type
- Prefilter replacement: $15–$45 per filter
- Activated carbon filter add: $200–$500 per filter
Air scrubbing is typically a line item in the total response scope, covered under insurance claim as part of the standard remediation work. Homeowners paying out of pocket for air scrubbing outside a covered claim should ask specifically about equipment rental fees during quoting to understand total cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use a home HEPA air purifier instead of professional air scrubbing?
- For casual indoor air quality improvement, sure; for restoration response, no. The differences are significant. Home HEPA purifiers typically move 50–300 CFM at low speeds designed for quiet residential operation; professional air scrubbers move 500–2,000 CFM for aggressive filtration during active contamination. Home purifiers use consumer-grade HEPA filters that may not meet true HEPA standards (some are labeled “HEPA-type” or “HEPA-like” without meeting the 99.97% at 0.3 microns standard); professional scrubbers use verified HEPA filters. Home purifiers can’t create negative pressure differential (they typically recirculate air within a room rather than pulling air through the space and discharging filtered air externally); professional scrubbers create the −5 pascal differential required for containment. Home purifiers don’t typically incorporate activated carbon at scale needed for fire response odor capture; professional scrubbers can be configured with substantial carbon filtration. Home purifiers are useful for baseline indoor air quality improvement in occupied spaces — not a substitute for restoration-scope air scrubbing during active response.
- How does air scrubbing differ from just opening windows and letting the smell out?
- Opening windows dilutes contamination through natural ventilation but doesn’t filter airborne particles or capture odor compounds. During active mold or fire response, opening windows can actually make the response worse: pushing contamination through the property (rather than capturing it), preventing negative-pressure containment (windows open to atmosphere prevent pressure differential), and exposing outdoor air to contamination discharge (potentially creating neighbor complaints during heavy demolition). Air scrubbing with HEPA filtration captures the airborne contamination rather than dispersing it. On completed responses in low-contamination phases, natural ventilation combined with HEPA scrubbing can help clear residual odors more effectively than either approach alone. But during active demolition and cleaning, closed environments with HEPA scrubbing produce the best results. The airflow calculations for what a window opening actually provides are typically less than assumed — a single open window provides maybe 200–400 CFM depending on outdoor conditions, and there’s no filtration on what comes out.
- Why does EcoRestore rent air scrubbing equipment rather than including it in the base cleaning cost?
- Actually, we include it — the equipment rental is typically embedded in the total scope rather than presented as a separate item to homeowners. Adjuster-side Xactimate scopes may break out the equipment rental as a line item (a “R&R HEPA” or similar) because the standard Xactimate structure treats rental equipment as separate line items from labor. Homeowners seeing the Xactimate scope for the first time may notice these line items and wonder if they’re add-ons; they’re standard. Every mold remediation and Category 3 response includes air scrubbing rental as part of the required scope. Every fire response includes air scrubbing rental as part of the required scope. Only water damage responses without contamination sometimes skip air scrubbing, and in those cases the omission is documented as appropriate for the specific scope. If your scope from another contractor doesn’t include air scrubbing line items, that’s worth asking about — either the contractor is including it without breaking it out separately (which is fine and common) or they’re skipping air scrubbing entirely (which is a red flag on any contamination response).
- How long does air scrubbing typically run during a restoration response?
- Duration matches the response type and scope. Mold remediation: continuous scrubbing from containment establishment through post-remediation verification testing (typically 5–21 days depending on scope). Category 3 sewage response: continuous scrubbing from containment establishment through PRV clearance (typically 7–28 days). Fire response: whole-property scrubbing from initial arrival through cleaning completion (typically 10–35 days), reduced to verification scrubbing during deodorization phase. Water damage response: intermittent scrubbing during active demolition (typically 3–10 days). Post-completion baseline verification: 3–7 days of scrubbing at reduced ACH during PRV window. Total scrubbing hours accumulate quickly on larger scopes — a large fire response might log 3,000–8,000 scrubber-hours across multiple units over the course of the response.
- Can air scrubbing eliminate odors from my home without other cleaning?
- Reduces but doesn’t eliminate on its own. HEPA filtration captures airborne particulates that carry many odor compounds, so scrubbing reduces perceptible odor intensity while it’s running. Activated carbon integration captures gas-phase odor compounds not addressed by HEPA alone. But odors embedded in porous materials (upholstery, carpet, drywall, wood) will continue to off-gas as the scrubber removes airborne odor — the scrubber can’t reach the embedded source. Effective odor elimination requires both source treatment (cleaning or removing the odor-embedded material) and air quality restoration (scrubbing while the treatment happens). Air scrubbing alone might reduce perceived odor by 30–60% while running, but odors return within days after scrubbing stops if source materials weren’t addressed. See the odor removal page for the source-treatment methods that pair with air scrubbing for complete odor elimination.
Contact EcoRestore Water Damage & Restoration
Our office at 11629 S 700 E #220 sits half a mile east of I-15 exit 291, in the geographic center of south Salt Lake County. Whether you need air scrubbing as part of a broader restoration response or specialized post-event air quality restoration, call for scope assessment.
- Emergency Line (24/7): (385) 289-3588
- Address: 11629 S 700 E #220, Draper, UT 84020
- Email: info@ecorestorewaterdamagerestoration.xyz
- Utah DOPL Restoration Contractor License: #12783456-5501
- IICRC Firm Certification: #216847
Office Hours
- Emergency Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Office Staff: Monday – Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Closed: Sundays and State/Federal Holidays (emergency line always active)