I have been inundated with emails from people telling how terrible this video is and why I should take it down. I did take it down and then I got just as many emails from people asking me to put it back up. I can no longer answer emails about whether or not the tutorial in this video is good. My research is below - it’s up to you to decide what you will do.
According to an article in the NY Times, scientists have been testing different materials for making face mask filters:
"Scientists around the country have taken it upon themselves to identify everyday materials that do a better job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored well, as did vacuum cleaner bags, layers of 600-count pillowcases and fabric similar to flannel pajamas. Stacked coffee filters had medium scores. Scarves and bandanna material had the lowest scores, but still captured a small percentage of particles." (Source of the NY Times article: www.nytimes.co... )
Other things to keep in mind:
- I don’t know whether or not these filters are effective. We had a need for something like this, materials are scarce, and I did my best to meet our needs.
- I do not believe they are harmful. I checked with the manufacturer of Filtrete air filters, and these do not contain fiberglass (see the entire response below). But I do not know about other brands or types of HEPA filters.
- There are probably better options, but it’s hard to find a lot of materials right now that might work. I made do with what was available to me.
So please take this video with a grain of salt. Use your best judgement. If you feel it would work for you - great. If not, that’s fine too. :)
I emailed Filtrete to see if their filters contain fiberglass, and here is the answer I got:
“Our filters are made from Polypropylene plastic fibers and strands, adhesive, paperboard, and for some filters, metal wire. There is no Fiberglass in our Filters. However, our Filtrete brand products are designed to be used in your home and your HVAC systems. The filter media in a Filtrete brand filter performs very differently than an approved N95 respirator or mask. It cannot achieve the fit or performance of a mask or N95 respirator and modifying the furnace filter may damage the material. 3M does not recommend or support the use of a Filtrete brand filter to make a mask or respirator.”
Based on this, I hope you find a solution that works for you and your family.
Here is more information about this in a blog post:
Here are my recommendations for face mask patterns, including the Olson Mask Pattern: www.sewcanshe.... www.sewcanshe....
Because uninformed individuals keep telling us that these filters contain fiberglass - something I already researched - I am disabling comments.
28 сен 2024
