Indoor dining has come under much scrutiny lately. It has been discouraged by epidemiology experts, as it still poses a significant risk to transmitting the virus. Dining indoors at restaurants and bars is still considered by many to be a risky activity. Many unrelated people often sit close together and cannot wear masks when eating or drinking. According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly 110,000 restaurants have closed either permanently or long-term. The majority were established businesses and fixtures in their communities; these eateries had been in business, on average, for 16 years, and 16% had been open for at least 30 years.
Simultaneously, everyone in the U.S. can't wait to go out to restaurants and bars again. Your regulars want to come back in for their favorite dish, a cup of coffee, and a good conversation with their loved ones, and we know it's hard for you to deny them. So how do you open your restaurant back up for indoor dining responsibly? Aside from disinfecting all your high-contact surfaces and having employees wash their hands as frequently as possible, there's another way to help keep your restaurant clean.
Investing in the right air purifier is a great way to improve the air quality of your establishment in the face of a pandemic caused by airborne pathogens. Its purpose will be to filter and clean the air, and the benefits will help you and your customers breathe easily.
Why You Should Clear The Air
The COVID-19 virus is not the only microscopic particle to worry about when it comes to the air in your space.
Other harmful particles include:
- Pathogens
- Allergens
- Mold spores
- Asbestos (in older buildings)
- Vehicular exhaust
- Pollen
- Bacteria
- Other Viruses
These air pollutants have always been a problem for people with respiratory issues and people without them. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 3.8 million premature deaths annually resulting from stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer attributed to exposure to indoor air pollution. To say these pollutants are silent and sneaky killers is an understatement. The best way to help mitigate the effects of these pollutants is to properly ventilate and encourage airflow in the space of your restaurant.
Proper airflow and ventilation systems might not be at the forefront of people's minds when they open a restaurant or bar. Still, the current state of the world encourages business owners everywhere to rethink their safety precaution standards. Getting a proper air purifier to reduce particulate matter in an indoor space is more critical now than ever.
Here Are Five Reasons Why Having A Proper Air Filter Will Improve Your Restaurant :
Benefits of Using An Air Purifier In Your Restaurant
1. Reduces Odors
Using reliable cleaners and disinfectants is crucial, but their strong smell can linger in the air. You want your restaurant to smell like food- not a hospital! Air purifiers can filter the particles that contribute to solid smells and keep your dining room smelling fresh.
2. Eliminates Smoke and Gases
Occasionally, a meal will burn, smoke from the ovens comes out, or gas pipes can leak. An air filter can help mitigate the effects of smoke and gases becoming too powerful.
3. Moves Stale, Stagnant Air
Stale and stagnant air is not something you really notice when you're inside the restaurant every day, but customers can pick up on that right away. Air purifiers help ventilate and encourage airflow in the restaurant to help keep the air fresh.
4. Filters Dust Particles
You wipe down the restaurant every night, and somehow dust still seems to get in every crevice. Even though you don't see all the flour and dust float in the air and settle everywhere, it still happens. An air purifier can filter these floating particles so that people don't breathe them in during the daytime.
5. Gives Customers Peace of Mind
Let's face it; people are still uneasy and fearful of going out to the store and restaurants. But just the presence of an air filter gives people the justification they need to relax while they dine in.
Getting The Right Air Purifier
A medical-grade air purifier with a HEPA filter and MERV rating of at least 13 is your best bet for thoroughly sanitizing the air in your restaurant space. Experts like Patrick O'Neill believe restaurants should use MERV-13 or higher filters or use an industry equivalent.
And this, of course, supplemental to other best practices cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
Below are a few best practices for cleaning, disinfecting, and ventilating your building by the CDC:
- Open windows and doors to increase airflow
- Rebalance or adjust HVAC systems to increase total airflow
- Improve central air filtration
- Use fans to increase the effectiveness of open windows.
- Consider portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) fan/filtration systems to enhance air cleaning.
One should consider using ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) as a supplemental treatment to remove SARS-CoV-2, especially if options for increasing room ventilation and filtration are limited.
Where To Find the Right Air Purifier
The best course of action is always the preventative one. For indoor dining establishments, reducing the risk of virus transmission is key to reopening. That is why it is crucial to improve the indoor air quality of your restaurant while also enhancing the health and safety of your patrons. That tranquility will allow you to focus on hosting events and parties for family and friends while doing away with anxiety over opening your dining room again. For restaurants that are still offering indoor service — or that would like to do so shortly — finding ways to mitigate the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is vital to their survival.
Airpuria offers quality air purifiers that will give you peace of mind. We take great care in setting up our clients with the best filters for their business.
You can shop air purifiers here and browse the quality selection that Airpuria has to offer. Airpuria has excellent air purifying products and top-notch customer service. They offer low-cost shipping, installation advice, and financing options for your business.
With Airpuria, buying an air purifier is a breeze!
Contact us about financing and installing an air purifier today!