Clean Air for Schools & Daycares
Reduce Sick Days and Spend More Time Learning
It’s a sad fact that the pollutant level of the air in most classrooms is higher than in many industrial plants. Factory workers would wear protective masks in such situations, but students, teachers and staff spend eight hours or more each day breathing this dirty air with no protection. This leads to student and teacher sick days for allergy and asthma problems, colds and viruses.
Not only does absenteeism reduce learning time, government studies have shown the total cost of one child missing a day of school can be as much as $300 per day. This includes a parent missing work, doctor visits, prescription and over the counter medicines, and diagnostic tests. Parents whose children miss a day at daycare still have to pay for that day’s care, in addition to the other expenses. When teachers are sick, the expenses include sick pay, medications, doctor visits, and substitute teacher pay. The solution? Purifan.
Quiet, Energy-Efficient, Low-Maintenance Air Filtration
Purifans mount to the motor of a standard ceiling fan, so they’re silent even when operated on high, and they use the same amount of energy as a 60-watt light bulb. There are no high installation costs, because any relatively handy person can install one in less than an hour with just a screwdriver. The only maintenance required is changing the filter every six months or so, and the blades are hidden so they’re not a distraction to students. Best of all, Purifans come with a lifetime warranty.
The innovative design allows a Purifan to completely clean the air in a 20 x 20 room every 90 seconds. And, three of the five filter layers have active charcoal to help absorb odors in the classroom. In older buildings where mold is an issue, a Purifian can filter out mold spores that can cause respiratory issues for children and teachers.
How Much Difference Does Air Quality Make?
In schools without Purifans:
- The United Federation of Teachers reports that indoor air quality is their most frequently-received health & safety complaint.
- It’s the number one cause of missed school days for both teachers and students.
Students score up to 17 points lower on achievement test in schools with poor air quality. - Can cause serious breathing issues for students with asthma.
- In a school with Purifans in the entire building:
- Teacher sick days dropped by 50%.
- Inhaler use recorded in the nurse’s office decreased by 70%.
- Student days missed went down 61%.
This school saw a significant positive impact on grades and test score performance in the first year after classroom air was being continuously cleaned by Purifans.
Benefits of Installing Purifans in Classrooms and Daycares
Child care center directors, teachers, and school administrators who have Purifians in their buildings report they feel better, their students miss less school and concentrate better in class, and the rooms smell clean.
Fewer Sick Days for Students, Teachers, and Parents
Getting rid of the airborne particulates that can trigger asthma attacks, allergy flare-ups and spread germs can reduce the impact of cold and flu season and prevent viruses from making the rounds to every student in class. This means both students and teachers will miss fewer school days due to illnesses, leaving more time for learning and teaching.
Improved Test Scores
Better classroom air quality can boost learning, test scores and grades, according to studies published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When students are healthier, they’re not taking medications that make it hard to concentrate, and they’re not missing school and falling behind.
Quiet and Doesn’t Distract Students
A Purifan’s motor is the same as a standard ceiling fan, so it hardly makes any sound even when operating on high. And, the “bladeless” design means there are no spinning blades to distract students.
Reduced Odors
Unpleasant odors create a poor work environment for both teachers and students. Purifans have a significant impact on classroom odor caused by building issues, upwind industries or agriculture, sweaty children, and classroom materials like glue or science lab chemicals.
Mold Removal
Purifans reduce airborne mold spores, which is especially important in older buildings that can have hidden water damage and mold caused by leaking roofs and windows, storms, flooding, and plumbing breaks or leaks. Cleaning mold out of the air not only protects the health of everyone in the building, it can save the school district millions of dollars in legal fees and settlements for health-related lawsuits.
Reduced Heating & Cooling Costs
A Purifan circulates air throughout the room even better than a ceiling fan, so it’s easier to keep classrooms at a consistent temperature so children stay comfortable and alert. This typically leads to about 4-degree adjustment in the thermostat, which can save about 10% on the energy bill for air conditioning and heating.
PTO and PTA School Improvement Program
Many PTA and PTO groups buy, install and maintain Purifans in classrooms, because they know this will provide better health, lower healthcare costs, fewer missed school and work days, and better grades and test scores. When looking for donors, parents’ employers should be strong supporters to this cause, if they know their employee will miss fewer work days to care for sick children.
I believe the PTA and PTO groups that raise the money necessary for installing Purifans in classrooms are supporting the one school improvement project that will have the biggest single impact on improving student performance in learning and testing. The other key benefits may include a significant reduction in respiratory illness-related health problems and fewer missed days for students and teachers.
—Stan Brannan, President of Purifan, Inc.
Cost to Install & Maintain Purifans in a 20 x 40 foot Classroom:
- Total installed cost for two Purifans and motors = less than $1,200 (about $60 per student one time)
- Two filter changes per year for each unit = $180 total (about $9 – $10 per student annually)
- One school using Purifans reported the average student took 11 fewer sick days per year. For parents, their employers, teachers, and administrators, that’s worth far more than $10 per year.
Printable Brochures
- Purifans in Schools
- Top 22 Reasons to Install Purifans in Your School
- 11 Questions About the Air Quality in Your School
- 11 Answers About the Air Quality in Your School
- PTA Project Brochure
- PTA White Paper
- Purifans for Special Education Classrooms
- School Nurse Meeting Handout
- Purifans for Day-Care
- Texas Schools Can Boost State Funding by Reducing Absenteeism
- Purifans for College Offices, Classrooms and Dorm Rooms
- White Paper on Why PTA Fundraisers Should Make Purifans a School Project
- Newsletter Explaining Benefits to Teachers
- Presentation to National Association of Elementary School Principals – PPT
- Ronald McDonald House Installs Purifans to Keep Families Healthy During Their Stay