Hello, My name is Bill. We just bought a bar and it is known for being smoky. It has a drop ceiling and there’s nothing we can do to change that. So basically the ceiling height is about 8ft. The room we have is about 1400 sq feet. I am interested in your expertise on which smokeater i should use. I would consider the bar being under the category of moderate to heavy smoke. Thanks much.
Bill

Hello, my name is Rod and I want to welcome you to the “ask the experts” section of the Smoke Eater Blog. In this section myself and other experts in the air cleaner industry will be available to answer questions. The advice that you will find in this forum is a collective effort which draws information from many of the top professionals in the industry, from the top smoke eater manufacturers, distributors, engineers and consultants.

So post your question by clicking the comments link. One of us will review your question and turn it into a blog post or add your comment to an existing blog on the same topic in the "Ask the Experts" section.

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If you’re the owner or proprietor of a bar or restaurant, then you are probably familiar with the age-old nonsmoker vs. smoker controversy… You have both smoking and nonsmoking sections in your bar/restaurant, and your nonsmokers are complaining about the horrible smell emanating from across the dining area… sound familiar?

There are a few ways to handle this problem:

1. You ignore it and potentially lose patrons
2. You issue a non-smoking policy, potentially losing patrons
3. You exhaust the smoke, along with much needed heating and air conditioning
4. You install air cleaning equipment, keeping everyone content, and maintaining a level of consistent patronage.

Choosing the proper air cleaner for your particular situation can often be a difficult task. As there are so many products available that are designed to do essentially the same job, it can be frustrating trying to determine which of the smoke eaters you saw today will offer the best performance for your investment.

There are different methods for effectively cleaning up the air in your bar or restaurant, and the method that will work best for your establishment will be determined by various factors. These factors include:

1. The size of the area
2. The number of smokers
3. The amount of pollutants being generated
4. The length of time the contaminants are present

The key element to effectively removing the contamination from your environment is air exchanges. The better your air exchange rate and airflow pattern, the more satisfied your customers and employees will be. One of the above mentioned variables being the amount of pollutants being generated, you’ll want to determine what it’s going to take to rid your air of the harmful pollutants.

I’ve provided a quick reference chart to give you an idea of what kind of air exchange you’ll want to achieve for popular scenarios in a bar/restaurant setting. My calculations are a tad aggressive, since people’s expectation levels are different, and you always want to be able to turn your air cleaner up to a higher fan setting in extreme circumstances… the bottom line is, you don’t want your air cleaner to be working overtime and only acheiving the bare minimum, because what happens when the contamination levels increase? You end up with a negative opinion of the performance of the air cleaner, and more importantly, your clientele may suffer because of it.

Mild to moderate amounts of smoke (just noticeable) - 6-8 air changes per hour
Moderate to moderately heavy (more noticeable) - 8-10 air changes per hour
Heavy (still breatheable, but annoying) - 10-14 air changes per hour
London Fog (so heavy you could cut it with a knife) - 15+ air changes per hour* (recommended for designated smoking areas, like cigar lounges and the like.) *consult a professional in a case like this

All too frequently, people make the mistake of undersizing their application, based on incorrect room size calculations, misinformation about the air cleaner, or, most commonly, equipment cost. It is no secret that the proper selection of smoke eater or smoke eaters can get costly; however, in the air quality industry, you certainly get what you pay for. All too often, people will base their decision on cost rather than effect, and that is almost always a recipe for disappointment. For example, if you were invited to compete in a drag race, and had to purchase a vehicle, would you buy a go-kart just because it was cheaper? Of course not! The point is, you need the right tools for the job in order to acheive your goal.

Now, I know that there are also circumstances that are simply cost-prohibitive… the equipment you need to do the job properly is significantly more than the budget you’ve set aside for the project… this is a rather common occurrence, due to lack of knowledge of the industry, or the perceived value of the equipment. As with many types of purchases, there are usually options that are available to aid in budgeting the overall cost, such as leasing options, payment plans, etc… Not all companies have these commodities available to their clients, but some do… It’s definitely worth checking out if you need a solution to your problem.

I hope the above information has been helpful, and feel free to comment on anything I may have failed to mention. If you have questions or need assistance, give us a call toll free:

1-877-688-2703

The Trion Mini Mist Collector is a compact dual pass electrostatic precipitator designed to filter out industrial air pullotants generated by the machining process. This mini mist eliminator is produced by Trion Inc - a company that was established in 1947 to manufacture residential, commercial and industrial air pollution control equipment.

This compact system is rated at approximately 750 CFM and is the best value compared to centrifugal and media based mist collection products in the marketplace today. 

Technical Specifications and Features For The Trion Machine Mount Mist Collector

Secondhand smoke is a mixture of smoke, from both the burning of the tobacco and the smoke exhaled from the people smoking the cigarette or cigar. The EPA has categorized secondhand smoke as a known cancinogen that claims the lives of nearly 40,000 people each year. People that are exposed to secondhand smoke are 25% more likley to have cancer and/or heart disease. It is for these reasons as well as the fact the secondhand smoke is very irritating to non-smokers, that there has been so much public rage over allowing smoking in public places.

It seems like most urban areas have either implimented a non-smoking policy or will soon impliment one. Part of the blame has to be put on the shoulders of the bar and restaurant owners who did nothing for years to protect their employees and patrons from secondhand smoke. While no smoke eater, or any other method of air purification or exhaust, can completely rid an indoor area of smoke, smoke eaters can greatly reduce the exposure and the complaints.

It is proven that disallowing smoking in bars, greatly reduces business. Many bars have found loopholes, by declaring themselves private clubs. Bar owners in areas that have not yet outlawed smoking should take serious steps to show their customers and their city council members that secondhand smoking is a concern that is being addressed. I personally know of several bar owners who have presented their local government with information about the steps they have taken to reduce secondhand smoke exposure, some of them have stated that they felt it made a difference.

I urge any bar and restaurant owners who have not yet taken steps, to do so. For the good of your employees, your health, the health of your patrons and… for the good of your business, at least check into taking steps to reduce secondhand smoke. If you don’t do it now, you soon will be sorry.