Simple Respiratory Mask Information
It is wonderful to see so many people visiting our website to try to find out information on the possibilities of making respiratory masks to help in the reduce the spread of diseases. We present this page to try to help everyone find information.
Disclaimer
We live in a crazy world. As much as I wish it wasn’t true, we have to protect ourselves from litigation as well as the recent pandemic. RK Ventures Inc., it’s employees and it’s officers are not experts in the manufactures of respirators. This information is presented as an educational aid. We make NO claim to have expertise in this field and offer the information presented here as an aid in gathering information to help the public cope with the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Who is involved?
We have had 1000’s of people visit our MERV page in the past 2 weeks. These visitors are try to figure out how to protect their friends, families and their communities. Our Website chat has been packed with visitors wanting information on filter media.
WHO ARE THEY
They are everyone from large corporations, to Joe and Jane public. All of them are looking for info to help them contribute in this fight to keep the world safe from COVID-19.
The Image to the right is a quilter from Racine WI. She contacted us looking for help in making respiratory masks.
The Bad News is we don't have or sell Filter Material
LakeAir produces high-quality air purifiers. Many of which can help remove the tiny COVID-19 particles fro the air stream. We do not manufacture the Media filters we use. They are produced by Glasfloss. Glasfloss is a Wisconsin based filter manufacturer. Several people have asked about purchasing filters to repurpose into DIY Masks. I contacted Glassfloss about this and they said they did not recommend any of their products be used in a DIY effort to make masks. These products have not been tested for this purpose. We won’t knowingly sell filters to anyone who is going use them for mask efforts.
Our visitors have told us many of their ideas. Some are using filters from big box stores. Some are using HEPA vacuum cleaner bags. Others are using drier sheets. I don’ know what the best answer is, but I welcome any suggestions that I can add. Send your suggestion to [email protected] and I will update this page or make another page to help share the good ideas. One of the ideas that have been floated to me is the use of HEPA Vacuum cleaner bags. An astute visitor to our site let me know this might not be a very good idea. She shared a link with me to a study that basically questions the use of Vacuum Bags as a suitable material. Read this informative ARTICLE to help you draw your own conclusions.
DIY Update
Being that filter media isn’t a good idea I have gone out in search of at least one reasonable option. Our Wisconsin quilter found this suggestion in her search to make a personal difference to this pandemic. Our IAQ Education page that contains links to many insightful articles on clean air topics.
Best mask building material
In a publication from Northeastern Global News show that absorbent layers that can stop coronavirus particles with the same or higher efficiency of an N95 mask include those using terry cloth, quilting cotton, and flannel. The best water-repellent layers to add in those combinations involve nonwoven polypropylene—Their team tested OLY-Fun fabric—and materials consisting of polyester and polyaramid, a blend used in lab coat fabric.
They also tested cotton that had been treated with Scotchgard. Scotchgard helps fabric repel water. This treatment makes cotton a reliable water-repelling option.
The study also noted that a layer or two of treated cotton fabric provides decent protection. The treated fabric should not be the innermost layer,
More Help for the DIY Minded
I was contacted by a Textile Producer. They are switching their production to 100% production of alternative respiratory masks. While these masks do not meet the specification for N95, they could be used and are designed with the CDC guidelines on last resort masks. I would like to thank them for allowing me to share this information with you.
Simple Respiratory Mask
The goal of this design is to create the most effective “make-shift” respirator mask as outlined by the CDC in extreme case “When No Respirators are Left.” By using available materials and non-woven meltblown filter fabrics from other industries we believe we can create an 70-90% effective mask against COVID-19
Outer Layer Waterproof Antimicrobial
Middle Layer Particle filter
Internal Layer Anti Microbial cotton
Design Focus :
• Ergonomic fit is a top priority to achieve the highest “fit-factor” possible
• Considering “Medical Grade Particle Filter” is not available the 3 layered fabric must work together for top efficiency
''OUTER LAYER''
Antimicrobial Cotton
These Graphs show how well some materials work in trapping microbials
Simple Mask Patern
Updates to Come
There is so much information on this topic that we cannot hope to provide more than a tiny fraction of it here. Most of our time is being spent filling orders for hospitals and businesses trying to protect their staff and clients. We are working hard to provide new air purifier models to help in this global effort to overcome this pandemic. I ask you to email me suggestions so we can update this page with useful information.
Remember !
Masks and Air Purifiers are simply tools to keep us all safe. The main thing you need to do is:
- Wash Your Hands
- Practice Social Distancing
- Obey Stay at Home Orders
Thank you for your interest in this very important matter. The Owners and employees of LakeAir wish you and yours good health. We look forward to better times to come. Our motto is now and always will be “Clean Air Everywhere”
Sources
.https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/54/7/789/202744
https://www.owensborohealth.org/news-events/news-media/2020/fabric-surgical-masks-information/
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/11637/reusability-of-facemasks-during-an-influenza-pandemic-facing-the-flu
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask
https://news.northeastern.edu/2020/06/11/heres-what-goes-into-a-homemade-mask-that-can-stop-the-coronavirus/