Why Indoor Air Quality Matters for Cannabis Grow Rooms
Keeping a cannabis grow room clean and safe is more important than one might think. Without proper sanitization, the entire crop might end up in the trash or your staff’s health could be jeopardized. Implementing a solution that protects both the crop and the workers inside of the grow rooms is therefore critical. In this blog post, we’ll explore air quality problems for both cannabis plants and grow room workers, as well as how a high-quality, commercial-grade purifier is one of the best ways to improve indoor air quality for cannabis grow rooms.
Air Quality Problems for Cannabis Plants
Many things can ruin the cannabis plants, including pests, mold, and mildew. When an infestation happens, it is possible to reduce the damage, but the best way to stop destruction of plants is by being proactive and preventing the problems in the first place.
Exposure to Mold Spores and Other Fungi
One of the biggest threats to cannabis crops is mold. Of the many different types, Botrytis, also known as gray mold or bud rot, is considered to be a pathogenic fungus, and is one of the most common types of fungi found on cannabis plants. Botrytis affects the plant organism-wide, affecting its stems, buds, leaves, and roots. Spreading quickly, it can kill a plant in mere days. Another type of fungus affecting cannabis crops is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew typically affects older leaves at its onset of development. As it progresses, it may cause these older leaves to break or even look distorted. Eventually, this fungus spreads to most places, appearing as a thick, white substance. A third problematic fungal species is Fusarium, which can cause different problems depending on the strain of the cannabis plant. For some it will cause wilt, while root rot in others. Beyond these three, there are other fungal species, as well as aspergillus, penicillium, and rhizopus, three types that gravely affect humans when inhaled.
Overall, preventative measures are critical to stop mold from appearing on a plant, as once mold has infected one plant, it will rapidly spread to others, potentially destroying the whole crop.
Exposure to Bacterial, Viral, and Nematode Pathogens
There is a wide variety of pathogens that affect cannabis plants which can affect the roots, crown, and foliage of the plant depending on the type of pathogen. Ultimately, this also affects the crop growth if the pathogen is able to spread. As mentioned above, mold and mildew are examples of pathogens that infect cannabis, but there are also bacterial, viral and nematode pathogens that cause problems for cannabis crops. If not stopped in time, the whole crop can experience a significant drop in growth and quality.
Air Quality Problems for Cannabis Grow Room Workers
Aside from the potential harm of your grow room plants, occupants inside of the grow room are also exposed to health hazards. For example, exposure to cannabinoids (THC, CBD) and terpenes while handling buds of the plants can cause respiratory, eye, and skin irritation. Just like with the plants, individuals can be exposed to mold spores, especially with the higher humidity found inside of the grow rooms, which propels mold growth. If the grow room uses pesticides and/or fertilizers on the plants, exposure to these chemicals can cause all types of issues from mild to severe.
Exposure to Terpenes and Cannabinoids
The cannabinoids found in cannabis plants are what provide the medicinal properties that cannabis plants are used for. These cannabinoids include tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which are both found in high concentrations in cannabis plants. Also found in cannabis plants are terpenes, which are the compounds primarily accountable for the smells and flavors of cannabis. All of these comprise volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Workers in indoor grow facilities are especially at risk of being exposed to high levels of these VOCs through not only skin contact, but also via inhalation and eye contact as the vapors circulate throughout the space. Removal of terpenes and cannabinoid vapors are essential for providing a safe workplace.
Exposure to Mold Spores
Staff responsible for the trimming, harvesting, and cultivation of cannabis plants are at risk of mold exposure. Mold spores are able to thrive in indoor grow rooms due to the high humidity levels- usually as high as 70 percent, a perfect situation for mold to propagate. This can lead to “bud rot”, where mold grows on the cannabis plants. As workers handle the plants affected by bud rot, the mold spores are dispersed into the air. Airborne mold spores can lead to all sorts of respiratory symptoms like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, red and itchy eyes, shortness of breath, breathing issues, and worsening of pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma.
What are Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality in Cannabis Grow Rooms?
Add a Commercial-grade HEPA Air Purifier
A HEPA filter, as incorporated into a commercial air purifier, can be one of the most important steps towards improving indoor air quality in a cannabis grow room environment.
The implementation of a HEPA filtration system via a commercial air purifier is critical when selecting the proper IAQ system for a cannabis grow room. HEPA air purifiers capture germs, mold spores, dust, and other particulates, serving as the best preventative measure against the problems identified above. For instance, by adding a HEPA air purifier, chances are reduced of harmful germs from getting into the airway or depositing onto the plants themselves. HEPA filters are far more effective than standard filters, with at least a 99.97% effectiveness at their worst particle size that they can capture- 0.03 microns. And that’s the effectiveness of the purifier rated at its worst. The larger the HEPA filter, the more filter media it has, meaning the longer it can last before it needs to be changed, whereas selecting a purifier with a thin HEPA filter means that replacement will be more frequent and increase costs over time, both in terms of filter replacements and labor to do so.
Incorporating a HEPA filter in the form of a commercial air purification system is a much easier and more affordable route than adding one to the main HVAC system. Typically an existing HVAC system cannot handle the restriction of a HEPA filter, requiring retrofitting that can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
2. Add Germicidal UVC Light
Germicidal UVC light is a great addition to have as part of your HEPA air purifier since it provides an additional layer of protection against germs. UVC light works differently than HEPA filtration in that it renders germs like bacteria and viruses incapable of reproduction. UVC is a very short wavelength of light that causes rebonding, or dimerization, of the DNA or RNA structure. If your budget is tight, stick with HEPA filtration, as it does more than just germ elimination.
3. Add Ozone-free Bipolar Ionization
Bipolar ionization is another great feature to add on to your grow room air purification system. Bipolar ionization recombines harmful molecules like VOCs into harmless ones, while the ions produced also render bacteria and viruses to be incapable of infecting and spreading. Ionization also helps with particle reduction. Combined, ionization and HEPA filtration are a powerful duo, reducing VOCs, odors, germs, and other air particulates. When selecting an air purifier that has ionization, it is vital that the ionizer is ozone-free. With workers inside of the grow room, there can be no ozone present, as it is detrimental to human health. Check with the manufacturer that the ionizer is UL 2998 certified to be ozone-free.
ISO-Aire HEPA Air Purification Systems for Cannabis Grow Rooms
ISO-Aire HEPA air purifiers are available in 300 CFM - 2000 CFM models.
At ISO-Aire, we offer durable and long-lasting HEPA air purification systems that are a great solution for cannabis grow rooms. Offering all three technologies in one unit, our purifiers last 20+ years running 24/7, 365 days a year. All of our purifiers come standard with a 12 inch-thick medical-grade HEPA filter that’s designed to capture 99.99% of particulate matter which includes germs, mold, mildew, smoke, and more. Optional additional technologies include UL 2998 ozone-free bipolar ionization and germicidal UVC. We design the best air purifier package to deliver the best service to grow rooms.
Interested in learning more about ISO-Aire? View our floor-set, portable models or our ceiling models. Not sure which model is best for you? Contact us today at 651-265-0605 or at info@iso-aire.com
