1.3 Filtration
Filtration is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce exposure to airborne particles during emergency triage. Unlike isolation or separation, filtration can benefit nearly every home, regardless of where contamination may be located. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to strategically place air filtration units, compare several effective filtration options, and choose the solution that best fits your budget and situation.
Lesson at a Glance
Filtration is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce exposure to airborne particles during emergency triage. Unlike isolation or separation, filtration can benefit nearly every home, regardless of where contamination may be located. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to strategically place air filtration units, compare several effective filtration options, and choose the solution that best fits your budget and situation.
Separation isn’t necessarily about avoiding your home—it’s about spending more time in cleaner areas while you continue gathering the information needed to make confident decisions.
Key Takeaways
- Filtration benefits nearly every situation. Unlike isolation and separation, filtration helps reduce airborne particles throughout the home regardless of where contamination may be located.
- Prioritize occupied spaces. Start with bedrooms and the rooms where people spend the most time, then expand filtration to common living areas.
- Place filtration strategically. Whenever possible, position filtration between the contamination source and occupied spaces, while avoiding airflow that could disturb contaminated materials.
- Distribute filtration throughout the home. Multiple units in different rooms are generally more effective than concentrating all filtration in a single location because air continually mixes between spaces.
- Run filtration continuously. Air cleaners work best when operated continuously, and in general, more filtration provides greater reduction of airborne particles.
- Choose the filtration level that fits your needs.
- Bronze: Corsi-Rosenthal Fan Filter (single filter)
- Silver: Corsi-Rosenthal Box Filter (multiple filters)
- Gold: Commercial HEPA air purifier
- Temporary solutions are often sufficient. Because emergency triage is typically short-term, many homeowners choose lower-cost filtration options while they continue investigating the source of contamination.
Level | Solution | Cost | Performance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
🥉 Bronze | Corsi-Rosenthal Fan Filter | $ | Good | Lowest-cost emergency filtration |
🥈 Silver | Corsi-Rosenthal Box Filter | $$ | Very Good | Best value for most homes |
🥇 Gold | Commercial HEPA Air Purifier | $$$ | Excellent | Maximum convenience and performance |
Next Steps
- Filtration benefits nearly every situation. Unlike isolation and separation, filtration helps reduce airborne particles throughout the home regardless of where contamination may be located.
- Prioritize occupied spaces. Start with bedrooms and the rooms where people spend the most time, then expand filtration to common living areas.
- Place filtration strategically. Whenever possible, position filtration between the contamination source and occupied spaces, while avoiding airflow that could disturb contaminated materials.
- Distribute filtration throughout the home. Multiple units in different rooms are generally more effective than concentrating all filtration in a single location because air continually mixes between spaces.
- Run filtration continuously. Air cleaners work best when operated continuously, and in general, more filtration provides greater reduction of airborne particles.
- Choose the filtration level that fits your needs.
- Bronze: Corsi-Rosenthal Fan Filter (single filter)
- Silver: Corsi-Rosenthal Box Filter (multiple filters)
- Gold: Commercial HEPA air purifier
- Temporary solutions are often sufficient. Because emergency triage is typically short-term, many homeowners choose lower-cost filtration options while they continue investigating the source of contamination.