Elastomeric respirators for covid protection
Since there is a small number of people who still refuse to participate in the recurring infection party, many of us have traded single-use masks or reusable fabric masks for elastomeric respirators that offer good seal and good protection at a manageable cost. I have been using an elastomeric respirator for a bit over a year, I have tried several different ones, and I’m going to write up a little how-to for people interested in making the switch.
Pros
Advantages of elastomeric respirators over other types of masks:
- Better seal (if and only if they fit your face, we will talk about this more), better chance at sealing over stubble.
- Secure fit, you can move freely without it slipping or sliding.
- If it’s safe enough for the nuclear apocalypse, it’s safe enough for the tram. You really do not need to worry anymore.
- Cheaper in the long run, especially if you go through a lot of single-use masks.
- Easy to breathe, designed to be worn during heavy manual labour, you will not struggle for air.
- The filters last a looooong time.
- Most parts have spare parts available, meaning if you manage to break a valve or a strap, you can usually replace only that part instead of the whole mask.
Cons
Aspects where elastomeric respirators fall short:
- Nobody will be able to understand you when you speak. I have a 3M mask with a speaking diaphragm (3M HF-800), it does not help much. This may be better with the type that does not have a separate inlet and outlet and you speak directly through the filter (Flomask style), but I decided against trying those for reasons explained later.
- You get a lot of condensation inside the mask. This does not affect safety but it’s annoying and a little unpleasant if you can’t take a break and wipe it dry in between.
- Depending on how perfectly the masks fits your particular face, chances are you will be in serious pain if you wear it for longer than a few hours.
- It does need regular cleaning. This is quickly done but it needs to be said.
- High upfront cost, especially if you have to try out several models to find one that really fits.
- People will absolutely stare at you. In my experience they don’t confront, they just stare and sometimes laugh and point fingers.
- Most do not have an outlet filter (“source control”), meaning other people are not protected from your germs. I figure that if I can’t get infected, I also won’t have anything to infect other people with, but that’s your own calculation to make.
How to choose a mask
I am very happy with my 3M 3000. But finding one that suits your need and fits your face can be quite difficult.
Even though the masks are elastic, their ability to adapt to the shape of your face is limited. If they do not fit well, this can cause pain, chafing, and sometimes it can affect the seal. For example, I once tried a mask (GVS Elipse with source control) that fit my face in such a way that bending my head down made my double chin push the mask away from my face, breaking seal entirely. I have one other mask (the 3M HF-800) that kind of fits, but presses too hard on my nose and causes pain after half an hour. I have my favourite mask (the 3M 3000) that is good and comfortable, but still starts hurting after 2 hours, after 6 hours I am seriously suffering, and after 12+ hours I will have blisters on my face. The longest I’ve worn it in one go was 16 hours and it took a week for my face to heal.
There are different basic types of masks. One style I am sceptical about are the masks with a single filter for inlet and outlet, like the Flomask. Personally I am not convinced by this design, as it combines the drawbacks of elastomeric masks and single-use masks: Filter is vulnerable to damage, rubber means inflexible fit, mask is expensive, filters are expensive. YMMV
The traditional style with separate inlet and outlet is in my opinion easier to manage. Click-on or screw-on filters are available with protective casings so the filter is protected from the elements and mechanical damage; most filters are somewhat resistant to moisture. The filters can be taken off and the mask can be thoroughly cleaned. Usually, the filter does not need to be touched directly, avoiding contact with germs.
There are some masks, like the GVS Elipse with source control, that are somewhere in between – inlet and outlet are separate, exhaled air is filtered, and they don’t look quite as intense as the ones with click-on or screw-on filters.
When it comes to a specific model, unfortunately there is no replacement for trying it out and seeing how well the shape fits your actual face.
In summary, here is a list of things to consider when choosing an elastomeric respirator:
- Do you need source control? Models that filter exhaled air are few and far in between.
- How easy do you need the filter installation and change to be? Click or screw systems are easiest to replace.
- What do you put this mask through? How protected does the filter need to be? Do you shove the mask in your bag, do you walk through rain? If you do, then you need the filter do be inside a casing that offers some protection.
- Do you need people to understand your speech? What is your plan for when they inevitably fail to do so?
- How okay are you with looking like you’re waiting for the zombies to arrive?
- Properties of the mask: Weight of the mask; shape and position of the straps. Personally I love the 3M strap system because it is absolutely secure.
Basic instructions for using the mask
- The correct filters are P3. This corresponds to the filtration level of FFP3 masks. A vapour filter will not protect you unless combined with a P3 filter, and does not offer additional protection against germs. Screwing on a vapour filter is the easiest way to do a fit test though, so it may be a useful-to-have thing anyway.
- A filter that is protected from mechanical damage and moisture will be good for at least 6 months, probably longer, because these things are designed for industrial applications and have very high capacity. They are hardly touched by filtering out some environmental dust and the odd virus.
- You should wipe the seal area with sanitiser after each wear, mostly because otherwise your skin will be unhappy.
- You can basically just spray / wipe the entire inside and outside of the mask with sanitiser (just make sure not to get any on the filters) if it starts getting smelly or got dirty.
- Checking the seal is very easy. If you don’t feel a stream of air in the seal area, you’re good. You will usually feel some air on your face on the inside of the mask though, because the stream of air you inhale tickles your cheeks. This is good and means the mask is working correctly. A second check you can do is to listen or feel for the closing of the valves, usually you can perceive a small pop when you inhale and exhale. If you feel that pop, this means the valves have closed. If you want to be 110% sure, you can install a vapour filter and spray some sanitiser. If you can’t smell it, the seal is good.
Conclusion and experience
I would absolutely recommend switching to an elastomeric respirator, especially for high-risk situations with lots of people who don’t give a single fuck about infecting everyone around them with a deadly virus. But there are drawbacks; you are going to be stared and laughed at, you won’t be able to communicate effectively through speech, and comfort is lower than with single-use masks. For me, this means that I use my trusty 3M 3000 for shopping and public transport, and single-use masks in situations where I want to be comfortable and/or be able to speak and be understood.
My 3M has never slipped, it has never leaked, the straps have never broken. When I wear that mask, I do not worry about its seal, I don’t have to keep messing with it and adjusting it. It has given me blisters on my face, but this allowed me to travel to a different country in a long-distance bus during a large covid wave without getting infected. When it gets smelly, I take off the filters and spray it inside and out with sanitiser. The seal area gets wiped down after each wear.
Due to the drawbacks, these masks are not a replacement for a safer environment. But they make it possible to survive the way from your house to other safer places.