UL Class 2 air filters are designed to provide moderate fire resistance and smoke emission when exposed to a flame. This fire resistance rating is based on the UL Insurers laboratory standard, UL-900-1997. The adhesive material used to coat the filter medium must have a flash point of at least 325 degrees F. Additionally, the UL Verified Ventilation and Filtration Program is an independent evaluation of science-based marketing statements that helps building owners and operators manage and communicate aerosol removal performance to improve air quality. The filter structure and fire classification is based on the United States Institute of Environmental Science and Technology IES-RP-CC001.3-1993.
Filters that comply with the UL 900 test method may carry an ETL mark with the designation “Classified according to UL 900”. It is important to follow the maintenance and inspection practices proposed in Appendix B to NFPA 90A, as filters are susceptible to the accumulation of fuel deposits. Manufacturers rely on Intertek to determine a variety of ratings, including energy consumption (including SEER ratings), product durability and reliability, acoustics and airflow. For the first time, filter manufacturers can choose between independent testing partners for the UL 900 standard. The smoke generation of an air filter unit, as well as its flammability, depend on the nature and quantity of the material collected by the filter. Therefore, the test requirements of this standard, for classification purposes, apply only to clean air filter units.
The UL Solutions Verified Ventilation and Filtration program is an evaluation and qualification program that combines a comprehensive desktop review with on-site verification of ventilation and filtration performance using SafeTraces patented aerosol tracking technology. This technology measures the combined impact of ventilation, filtration or outdoor air cleaning technologies on the recirculated air of air conditioning and space air cleaning systems. By understanding UL Class 2 air filters, building owners and operators can ensure their air quality is up to standard. In order to ensure that your building meets UL Class 2 standards for air filtration, it is important to understand what these standards are and how they are applied. The UL 900 standard is a set of criteria developed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) that assesses the fire resistance of air filters. This standard requires that all filters must have a flash point of at least 325 degrees Fahrenheit in order for them to be considered UL Class 2 compliant.
Additionally, all filters must be tested according to NFPA 90A in order to ensure that they are not susceptible to fuel deposits. In addition to meeting these criteria, it is also important for building owners and operators to understand how their ventilation systems can affect their air quality. The UL Solutions Verified Ventilation and Filtration program provides an independent evaluation of science-based marketing statements that helps building owners and operators manage and communicate aerosol removal performance in order to improve their air quality. This program combines a comprehensive desktop review with on-site verification of ventilation and filtration performance using SafeTraces patented aerosol tracking technology. By understanding UL Class 2 air filters, building owners and operators can ensure that their buildings meet these standards for fire resistance and smoke emission when exposed to a flame. Additionally, they can use the UL Solutions Verified Ventilation and Filtration program in order to improve their air quality by managing their ventilation systems more effectively.
With this knowledge, building owners can rest assured that their buildings are up to code when it comes to fire safety.
