What’s the Difference Between an Air Scrubber & a Negative Air Machine?

Improving air quality and ventilation in spaces has become an important focus for many properties and businesses. Depending on the space, many companies are turning to specialized air filtration systems to help make spaces comfortable and safe. In general, businesses are turning to an air scrubber or negative air machine rental to accomplish these goals. But what are these machines and how do you know which one you need?

While the terms “air scrubber” and “negative air machine” are sometimes used interchangeably, there are important differences between each of these devices. Today, we will go through what each machine does, when to use each and how to choose between an air scrubber and a negative air machine rental.

Air Scrubbers, Explained

Air scrubbers are machines that essentially “scrub” the air of dangerous particles and substances, such as gases, particulates and chemicals. They operate by drawing in surrounding air through a fan system and pushing that air through a series of filters and scrubbers. These work to quickly remove things from the air that shouldn’t be there, and pump out clean air back into the area.

For the most part, companies rely on air scrubbers when there are a lot of foreign particles being thrown into the air, such as during large-scale restoration or renovation projects. During these times, dust, particles and chemicals can get into the air and need to be quickly removed to keep workers safe. Air scrubbers can act as an additional line of defense for people in these spaces at these times.

Air scrubbers are incredibly effective and, besides keeping people safe, they can also protect companies from costly liability suits related to occupational health and safety. If one of your properties is undergoing major renovations or construction work, be sure to check to see if you will need an air scrubber rental to keep workers, and yourself, protected.

What are Negative Air Machines?

Negative air machines operate very similarly to air scrubbers, using fans to push air through a series of filters and scrubbers to rid the air of contaminants. The main difference, however, is that negative air machines generally need ducting.

Air scrubbers work to clean the air in a room while leaving that air in the space. Negative air machines use ducting to push air out and filter it at the same time, making a room continually replenish with fresh air while old air is removed using ducts. While an air scrubber can be used as a negative air machine, it will need a sealed housing connected to ducting, precision airflow adjusting and a blower motor with speed controls. This ensures that the air is safely removed from the area while creating the negative air space required to pull fresh air into the space.

Most companies use a negative air machine rental when they need to create a space with reliably clean and safe air, while pushing contaminated air outside of the system entirely. While they can be used for construction, most negative air machines are used in the healthcare and scientific research industries. For these industries, cleaning air that is moving from a quarantined area into the outside world is of the utmost importance. Only negative air machines can ensure a steady supply of clean air while keeping the exiting air free of dangerous contaminants and particles.

How to Find the Right Negative Air Machine Rental

If you are on the hunt for an air scrubber or negative air machine rental to improve air quality or keep people safe, then you will need to find the right machine for your situation. Consider the size of the space and overall goal of filtration, whether it’s for removing air or keeping air quality safe in a construction environment.

Depending on your needs, an air scrubber may be the faster and easier solution since they require less setup and are more portable. If you need a solution that removes contaminated air, then a negative air machine rental may be the right solution. No matter which you choose, be sure to connect with a trusted supplier to discover which rental will better suit your needs. Remember as well that many air scrubbers can be easily repurposed to work as negative air machines so long as a qualified HVAC specialist installs it.