Preparations as Burning Season Intensifies

[chiang mai]

15 hours ago, typ123 said:

Thanks for the detailed explanation on how they work.  I have a question about #1.  From what I understand the wall units like the one I have in my apartment suck air into the grille at the top of the unit, then it comes out the bottom as colder air after going through the other steps you mentioned.  Is that correct?  If so, the 3M Filtrete filters are to be placed inside the grille so the air drawn from the room has to pass through these filters.  

 

The only reason I am using it is because air from outside still gets in my apartment.  There are tiny gaps in windows and doors (even with a draft stopper I have at the base of my door) and in the bathroom there is a vent where outside air can get in.  The PM is so tiny that is can easily get in through these gaps and build up throughout the day and also when the doors are opened.  

 

The answer to your question is Yes, place the filtrette on the air intake side.

 

And if you want to go one step further: create positive air pressure inside your room/house which means no new dirty air will be drawn in from the outside.

[chiang mai]

50 minutes ago, cerox said:

I'm a bit confused about the aircon unit not using the air from outside. Because my windows have been closed for 5 days and were never open in that time, but the air in my room feels normal.

 

So the process would be actually opening all windows once per day, putting on a mask for 2 hours and filtering the air with the air con unit once the windows are closed? I'm happy for any explanations of those who have experience.

 

My air con units are LG C10GU if anybody knows how they work. They are units outside as well, and I read in the previous post that they might just push warm air outside?

 

My personal impression in the last few days is, that many people have symptoms, I see many people having issues with their noses, burning eyes and I see people, esp. those who work outside, coughing. Not many so far, but more than before. I also noticed that both foreigners and Thai's do not seem to be bothered about the air quality - I'm talking about the majority, not a minority in this Forum. Nobody wears any mask, everybody has their windows open all day. I'm not complaining, just observing how different people deal with it.

You don't need to open your windows for two hours, just keep your windows and doors closed and your aircon (with filtrette) running.

[chiang mai]

2 hours ago, Mahseer said:

Does anyone have the web site that monitors the fires across Asia?

 

Was looking to head to the hills of extreme north of Vietnam up against the Chinese border April but need to check the weather situation first.

 

thanks

https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/firemap/

 

You need to use the above in conjunction with the wind maps to determine which pollution is home grown and which is blown in, typically from the West:

 

https://www.windfinder.com/weather-maps/forecast/thailand#5/13.149/101.493

Edited February 13, 2017 by chiang mai

[cerox]

Many thanks chiang mai, but could you please explain that a little bit?

 

I have the Filtrete already put on my Aircons, but if it does not draw air in from outside (which I falsely assumed all the time) it seems I need to open the windows regularly to filter "new air".

How do those units in the shopping malls / hotels etc. work ? They have no windows and just use aircon.

[chiang mai]

3 hours ago, cerox said:

Many thanks chiang mai, but could you please explain that a little bit?

 

I have the Filtrete already put on my Aircons, but if it does not draw air in from outside (which I falsely assumed all the time) it seems I need to open the windows regularly to filter "new air".

How do those units in the shopping malls / hotels etc. work ? They have no windows and just use aircon.

Why do you think you need new air, you don't!

[typ123]

6 hours ago, chiang mai said:

The answer to your question is Yes, place the filtrette on the air intake side.

 

And if you want to go one step further: create positive air pressure inside your room/house which means no new dirty air will be drawn in from the outside.

Thanks for being so helpful in the comments.  If I create positive air pressure, doesn't that mean letting in air from outside?  How else can I create positive air pressure?  Im not sure what you mean exactly but sounds intriguing...

[chiang mai]

Just now, typ123 said:

Thanks for being so helpful in the comments.  If I create positive air pressure, doesn't that mean letting in air from outside?  How else can I create positive air pressure?  Im not sure what you mean exactly but sounds intriguing...

If the air pressure INSIDE the room/house is higher than the outside, no dirty air will get into the house and the air will remain clean. To do that you need to set up something like a vacuum cleaner motor inside the house with an air intake pipe that goes outside and is heavily filtered ( a box with loads of cotton wool etc in it will do). Run the vacuum motor on a very low setting, you could even get sexy and add a power control which limits its speed. That way there will always be new clean air coming into the house but never any dirty air.

[sfokevin]

I was toying with the idea of McGyvering a positive air filter... buying a standard HEPA filter and exhaust fan... build a box and fitting it to a hole in an outside wall... air would ba sucked thru the filter and into the house...

[typ123]

Does anyone know if there is a reduction in air pollution at higher elevations?  For example, if I was to go to Doi Inthanon (highest elevation in Thailand) at the weekend to escape a particularly dense smoke period, would there be significantly less PM in the air?  I imagine that the particles can only float so high, but I am not too sure.  

[typ123]

6 hours ago, chiang mai said:

If the air pressure INSIDE the room/house is higher than the outside, no dirty air will get into the house and the air will remain clean. To do that you need to set up something like a vacuum cleaner motor inside the house with an air intake pipe that goes outside and is heavily filtered ( a box with loads of cotton wool etc in it will do). Run the vacuum motor on a very low setting, you could even get sexy and add a power control which limits its speed. That way there will always be new clean air coming into the house but never any dirty air.

Okay that makes sense.  Sounds like a lot of work but I would do it if I had a larger living space and my own house.  Cant go cutting holes in my apartment landlord might not appreciate that.  Seems like that would be an even better option than an air purifier.  It is still purifying the air but with an air purifier alone there is so much influx of air from outside that it can be somewhat hopeless if you have a big house.  

[JaseTheBass]

Does anyone know if there is a reduction in air pollution at higher elevations?  For example, if I was to go to Doi Inthanon (highest elevation in Thailand) at the weekend to escape a particularly dense smoke period, would there be significantly less PM in the air?  I imagine that the particles can only float so high, but I am not too sure.  

Probably, but I doubt they'd let you live there. The last time I went to Doi Inthanon you could see all the smoke settling in a couple of the valleys below. Driving back to CM via a 'scenic' route felt like we were driving through a post nuclear apocalypse scene in places.

[chiang mai]

7 hours ago, typ123 said:

Does anyone know if there is a reduction in air pollution at higher elevations?  For example, if I was to go to Doi Inthanon (highest elevation in Thailand) at the weekend to escape a particularly dense smoke period, would there be significantly less PM in the air?  I imagine that the particles can only float so high, but I am not too sure.  

 

Larger heavier particles such as >PM10 fall to earth quite quickly because they are larger and heavier, particles such as <PM2.5 travel longer distances, <PM2.5 being the smaller, lighter and more dangerous. So pollution at altitude almost certainly does exist and is arguably more dangerous than at sea level. And if the air atop Everest is polluted, I'm sure Doi Inthanon is also: http://www.everest1953.co.uk/air-pollution-mount-everest

[sfokevin]

^^^ The admission to Doi Inthanon will cost you more that a pack of Filtrete... 

[ToddinChonburi]

   So you all live in air tight condos ?     interesting !!!   

 

   My ac needs to be power washed every 3 to 4 months the air is so bad here .    Diesel suit and garbage burning .

[sappersrest]

Beware of using extra 3m filter on your air con unit.

 

Could not put better myself so copied a post from 2014

 

Copied from a post in 2014  Posted by JAIDEEGUY

 

"We just had our neighborhood aircon guy do his annual cleaning of our 4 units and I watched him quite closely, especially the filter servicing and observed that there was quite minimal dust on the filters and inside the whole units. In all fairness, we only use the main bedroom AC 2-3 hrs a day and the others less. Don't want to get too spoiled and our house is fairly cool and location is in a remote area with a lot of trees and ricefields, minimal traffic and nearest hiway is more than 5 k away. .

The AC man remarked on the fact that there wasn't much dust and I asked him about the 3M filters and he said that they can do more harm than good in restricting air flow and making the motors work harder. He is the head of Nyom Panich [sp] air con service center and knows his stuff and is a friend and neighbor so I trust his opinion.............just sayin'

Also, my wife is a clean freak and insists on swept and mopped floors daily as well as dusting all surfaces and catches a lot of dust that way.............again, just sayin'.

I think that if we were near the city and the pollution it would be a lot worse, so I'm going to go with using the standard filters and washing them once a month.

BTW...........his cleaning procedure was to blow off the loose dust and washing them gently with dish soap and blow drying them."

[WinnieTheKhwai]

On 2/12/2017 at 6:43 PM, cmsally said:

The air in Chiang Mai is already "horrible" (there are words that could sum it up better !).

Checking on the site

Air quality index

it is already unhealthy/dangerous

 

There are about 25 places in Thailand right now with worse air than Chiang Mai, most not even in the North.

 

Levels are completely normal for the time of the year right now.

 

However it'll get a lot worse very soon of course, so indeed it's time to get some filters, and/or make holiday plans.

[elgordo38]

On 2/12/2017 at 3:05 PM, ELVIS123456 said:

Leave CM - we did and it feels great to breath clean(er) Thai air.

I will stay. I don't know where you moved to but one thing I have learned in life there are always trade offs. 

[Awk]

On 2/14/2017 at 11:26 AM, sappersrest said:

Beware of using extra 3m filter on your air con unit.

 

Could not put better myself so copied a post from 2014

 

Copied from a post in 2014  Posted by JAIDEEGUY

 

"We just had our neighborhood aircon guy do his annual cleaning of our 4 units and I watched him quite closely, especially the filter servicing and observed that there was quite minimal dust on the filters and inside the whole units. In all fairness, we only use the main bedroom AC 2-3 hrs a day and the others less. Don't want to get too spoiled and our house is fairly cool and location is in a remote area with a lot of trees and ricefields, minimal traffic and nearest hiway is more than 5 k away. .

The AC man remarked on the fact that there wasn't much dust and I asked him about the 3M filters and he said that they can do more harm than good in restricting air flow and making the motors work harder. He is the head of Nyom Panich [sp] air con service center and knows his stuff and is a friend and neighbor so I trust his opinion.............just sayin'

Also, my wife is a clean freak and insists on swept and mopped floors daily as well as dusting all surfaces and catches a lot of dust that way.............again, just sayin'.

I think that if we were near the city and the pollution it would be a lot worse, so I'm going to go with using the standard filters and washing them once a month.

BTW...........his cleaning procedure was to blow off the loose dust and washing them gently with dish soap and blow drying them."

 

I'm sure that's right, the motor will work harder, and perhaps die earlier than it would otherwise die.  A somewhat silly counter argument could be that it's better if the A/C motor dies earlier, than you die earlier.

 

From my amateur testing I think I concluded that one needs to run the A/C all the time, as otherwise, pollution from outside seeps in quickly, and with no A/C or air purifier to filter the air, air inside will quickly become polluted again.