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Looking for Industrial Clean Air Baghouses?

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Replacement Planning · Equipment Lifecycle

Are You Looking for Industrial Clean Air Baghouses?

 
ICA Serial No. N4061 — Berkeley, CA. Solid equipment, built in the 1980s. The company was acquired in 2015. Parts, documentation, and manufacturer support are gone.

Here’s a straight answer.

The Industrial Clean Air company — founded in Berkeley, California in 1980 — was acquired by Ecolaire Systems in July 2015. They no longer operate independently. Original parts, service support, and technical resources are no longer available through any official channel.

We’re Industrial Clean Air Products (ICAP) — a separate, unaffiliated company based in Maricopa, Arizona. We design and install dust and fume collection systems across Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. We are not a successor or spinoff of the Berkeley company. We found that people searching for them often find us — so we wrote this page to be genuinely useful.

If your equipment is 30–40 years old and you need help, we can. Read on — or just call us at 602-456-9661.

By Industrial Clean Air Products (ICAP) | Updated April 2026 | ~8 min read

If You’re Running Old Equipment, Here’s What You’re Dealing With

Dust collection equipment from the 1980s and early 1990s was built to last — and a lot of it is still running. But “still running” and “good shape” aren’t the same thing. After 30–40 years, three problems have stacked up that don’t go away on their own.

1. No Parts

OEM components are gone. Pulse valves, control boards, custom-dimensioned filter bags, proprietary housing parts — not manufactured anymore. Aftermarket workarounds exist for some components, but fit and performance are never guaranteed on equipment this old.

2. Compliance Gaps

NFPA 660 — the unified combustible dust standard effective January 1, 2026 — does not grandfather old equipment. Most systems from this era are missing explosion venting, deflagration isolation, proper grounding, and have no Dust Hazard Analysis on file.

3. End of Service Life

A well-maintained industrial baghouse is designed for 20–30 years. Equipment from the 1980s is 40–45 years old. The housing, tube sheet, and hopper are operating past their designed service life — and when something fails, there’s no fast path to recovery.

What NFPA 660 Means for Your Old System

NFPA 660 replaced the old separate standards — NFPA 652, 654, 484, and 664 — on January 1, 2026. It applies to your facility right now regardless of when your equipment was installed. Common gaps in systems of this age include no explosion vent, no deflagration isolation valve, inadequate grounding, no rotary airlock on the discharge, and no Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) on file.

An OSHA inspector who finds a 40-year-old collector with none of that documentation will not write a warning. The cost of citations and required shutdowns routinely exceeds the cost of a planned replacement. See the full NFPA 660 checklist →

7 Signs It’s Time to Start Planning a Replacement

Any one of these on a system this age warrants a conversation. More than two means you’re running on borrowed time.

01

Visible dust escaping at seams or joints

Housing integrity has failed. Dust bypassing the filter is an immediate OSHA exposure issue.

02

Pressure drop outside normal range

Consistently high or low differential pressure means filter media is blinded or failing — not recoverable on a system this old.

03

Pulse cleaning is failing or inconsistent

Solenoids, diaphragms, and control timers from this era are at end of life — and original replacement parts no longer exist.

04

Corrosion on the housing or hopper

Surface rust is cosmetic. Through-wall corrosion at the hopper base or tube sheet is a structural failure — not patchable long-term on a combustible dust system.

05

No explosion vent or suppression system

If your process generates combustible dust and your collector has no explosion protection, you’re out of NFPA 660 compliance regardless of anything else.

06

Airflow no longer meeting process needs

If production has grown since installation — and most operations have — the original CFM spec may no longer be adequate for what you’re running today.

07

No Dust Hazard Analysis on file

NFPA 660 requires a DHA for any facility handling combustible dust. If you don’t have one — and most facilities running 1980s equipment don’t — it’s the mandatory first step before any compliance conversation. See what a DHA costs and includes →

What a Modern Replacement Looks Like

Dust collection technology has advanced significantly since the 1980s. A modern replacement will outperform your current equipment on filtration efficiency, energy use, maintenance interval, and compliance — right out of the box.

Baghouse Systems

The natural replacement for legacy baghouse equipment. Modern pulse-jet baghouses are built to NFPA 660 from the factory, use less compressed air, and clean more effectively. Best for high-volume dust loads.

Cartridge Collectors

For moderate dust loads with fine particles, a cartridge collector often replaces an older baghouse at lower cost with a smaller footprint and better filtration. Worth comparing before assuming like-for-like.

Wet Collectors

For combustible metal dusts — aluminum, magnesium, titanium — a wet collector is often the correct NFPA 660 solution where dry systems require extensive explosion protection upgrades.

The right system depends on your dust type, airflow requirements, facility layout, and compliance needs. We don’t recommend anything until we’ve looked at all of that on-site. See our full 2026 cost guide for price ranges by system type →

How We Help — What to Expect

We’ve helped facilities in exactly this situation — aging equipment, no parts, compliance gaps, no clear path forward. Here’s how it works with us:

1
Free Site Assessment We come to your facility, look at what you have, and give you an honest read on its condition and compliance standing. We’ll tell you if we think the system has life left in it, or if replacement is the right call. No charge, no obligation.
2
System Recommendation Based on your dust type, volume, facility layout, and compliance requirements, we specify the right replacement. We show you the options and trade-offs — not just the most expensive choice.
3
Design, Supply & Installation We handle everything from engineering drawings to installation through our certified installation partner network across Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
✓
Pass-or-Free Guarantee Every system we install passes OSHA and NFPA 660 inspection — or we fix it at no charge. That’s in writing. It’s how we’ve operated since day one.

Ready to find out where your system stands?

A free site assessment takes about an hour. You’ll leave with a clear picture of your equipment’s condition, your compliance gaps, and your options — with no pressure to buy anything.

Common Questions

Everything We Get Asked

About Industrial Clean Air — The Berkeley, CA Company
What exactly happened to Industrial Clean Air?
Industrial Clean Air was founded in 1980 in Berkeley, California. They manufactured mechanical dust collectors, baghouse systems, and environmental control equipment for industrial facilities across the country. On July 23, 2015, the company was acquired by Ecolaire Systems. It no longer operates independently — the phone numbers, service network, and parts manufacturing under the Industrial Clean Air name ended with the acquisition.
Who acquired Industrial Clean Air?
Ecolaire Systems acquired Industrial Clean Air on July 23, 2015. Ecolaire is an industrial equipment and services company. The Industrial Clean Air product lines were absorbed at the time of acquisition. If you are trying to reach them for parts or service support through Ecolaire, we cannot speak to what they may or may not be able to provide — but from our experience with facilities in this situation, OEM support through any channel has been largely unavailable.
Are you (ICAP) the same company as Industrial Clean Air?
No — completely different companies. We are Industrial Clean Air Products (ICAP), based in Maricopa, Arizona. We are not a successor, spinoff, or affiliated entity of the Berkeley, California company in any way. The name similarity is coincidental. We wrote this page because people searching for the old company often find us, and we wanted to give them a useful, honest answer about their situation rather than leaving them confused.
Where was Industrial Clean Air located?
Industrial Clean Air was headquartered in Berkeley, CA 94710. They operated there from their 1980 founding until the July 2015 acquisition by Ecolaire Systems.
What types of equipment did Industrial Clean Air manufacture?
Industrial Clean Air manufactured mechanical dust collectors, baghouse filtration systems, manifold modules, and ventilation equipment. Their patent history — filed primarily in the 1970s — shows baghouse cell plates, filter bag attachment systems, pulse-jet manifold modules, and industrial ventilation devices. Their equipment served manufacturing, metalworking, foundry, and woodworking operations throughout the U.S.
Can I find Industrial Clean Air manuals, spec sheets, or engineering drawings?
Not through any current official source. The company has been gone since 2015 and no documentation portal exists. Some facilities have retained original paper manuals from the installation era. If yours are missing, a site assessment can often reconstruct the key specifications — airflow volume, filter area, housing dimensions — directly from the physical equipment. That information is what drives a replacement specification regardless of what any original document says.
Parts, Service & Repairs
Can I still get replacement parts for my Industrial Clean Air dust collector?
OEM parts are no longer manufactured or available through official channels. Some aftermarket suppliers carry generic equivalents — filter bags cut to approximate dimensions, universal pulse valves, generic diaphragms — but fit and performance on 30 to 40 year old equipment is never guaranteed. Proprietary housing components, custom tube sheets, and original control boards are effectively unavailable. For most facilities, chasing adapted parts on aging equipment costs more over time than a planned replacement.
Can I get replacement filter bags for an old Industrial Clean Air baghouse?
Possibly — if the bag dimensions are standard. Filter bags in common diameters and lengths can often be sourced from aftermarket suppliers. The problem is that as the housing ages, the tube sheet, bag seats, and cages wear alongside the bags. Bags alone won’t solve a system that is failing structurally. If you know the exact bag dimensions — diameter, length, and construction — we can help you assess whether aftermarket sourcing makes sense as a short-term bridge while you plan replacement.
Do you service or repair old Industrial Clean Air equipment?
We are not a repair shop and we do not stock Industrial Clean Air OEM parts. What we do is assess legacy systems honestly. We come to your facility, evaluate the equipment, and give you a straight answer: is this worth maintaining short-term, or is replacement the right investment? For systems beyond 25 years with compliance gaps and unavailable parts, replacement almost always wins on a 5-year cost basis. But we will show you the numbers for both paths and let you decide. The assessment is free.
My old baghouse is still running. Do I really need to do anything?
“Running” and “compliant” are two different things. A system can be moving air and collecting dust while failing every NFPA 660 requirement for combustible dust handling. The risk is not just that the system will eventually break — it is that when an OSHA inspector or insurance auditor finds a 40-year-old collector with no DHA, no explosion protection, and no maintenance records, the citations and required shutdown costs routinely exceed the cost of a new system. If it is still running, you are in the best position to plan a controlled, scheduled replacement rather than scrambling after an unplanned failure.
NFPA 660 Compliance & Your Old Equipment
Does my old dust collector need to meet NFPA 660?
Yes — if your process generates combustible dust, NFPA 660 applies to your facility right now regardless of when your equipment was installed. The standard does not grandfather old equipment. It became effective January 1, 2026 and requires a Dust Hazard Analysis for any facility handling combustible dust. The DHA then identifies what equipment upgrades or replacements are required. Age of installation is not a defense.
What happened to NFPA 652 and NFPA 654? Are they still relevant?
NFPA 652 (fundamentals), NFPA 654 (manufacturing), NFPA 484 (combustible metals), and NFPA 664 (woodworking) were all consolidated into NFPA 660 on January 1, 2026. They no longer exist as separate, enforceable standards. If your compliance documentation or DHA references the old numbers, it needs to be updated. The safety requirements themselves largely carried over — the consolidation was organizational, not a reduction in requirements.
Can I upgrade my old collector to meet NFPA 660 instead of replacing it?
Sometimes — it depends entirely on the system’s structural condition. Adding explosion venting, an isolation valve, and updated grounding to a housing that is still sound can be cost-effective. But if the housing, tube sheet, or hopper have corroded through, no compliance upgrade changes that underlying problem. We evaluate both paths during the site assessment and give you the cost comparison for upgrade vs. replacement. There is no predetermined answer — it depends on what we find.
What is a Dust Hazard Analysis and do I need one?
A Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) is a systematic review of your facility’s combustible dust risks — what dust you generate, where it accumulates, and what the fire and explosion hazard profile looks like. NFPA 660 requires one for any facility handling combustible dust. You do not need it completed before starting a replacement conversation with us, but the DHA findings will drive the specification of any new system — particularly explosion protection requirements. We can coordinate a DHA as part of the replacement process. See what a DHA costs →
Planning & Buying a Replacement System
How long do industrial dust collectors last?
A well-maintained industrial baghouse or cartridge collector is typically designed for a 20 to 30 year service life under normal operating conditions. Filter media, pulse valves, and controls wear faster and require periodic replacement. Equipment beyond 30 years is past its designed service life. Equipment from the 1980s is now 40 to 45 years old — operating well beyond what it was built for.
How do I know what size replacement system I need?
Replacement sizing is based on your current process — not the original system specs. We calculate required airflow from your dust generation sources, duct layout, and capture velocity requirements. Production volumes at most facilities have increased since the 1980s, meaning the original system may be undersized for what you’re running today. A new system should be sized for your current and near-future operation, not matched one-to-one with what you’re replacing.
Will my existing ductwork work with a new system?
Sometimes. Ductwork that is in good condition, correctly sized for the new system’s airflow, and free of significant accumulation can often be reused — which reduces replacement cost considerably. Ductwork that is corroded, undersized, or incorrectly sloped for dust transport typically needs to be replaced alongside the collector. We assess the full system during the site visit, not just the collector.
What does a replacement system cost?
Replacement systems for industrial facilities in this situation typically run $25,000 to $150,000 or more, depending on system size, dust type, airflow requirements, compliance needs, and whether existing ductwork can be reused. We give you a specific number — not a wide range — after the site assessment. Financing is available for facilities that need to spread the investment. See our 2026 cost guide for full price ranges →
Can I phase the replacement to avoid a full production shutdown?
In most cases, yes. We have planned replacements around scheduled maintenance windows, holiday shutdowns, and weekend outages. The key is starting far enough ahead of when you need it — equipment lead times on new industrial collectors run 8 to 20 weeks depending on size and configuration. An unplanned failure that forces an emergency replacement at rush pricing is always more disruptive and more expensive than a planned project on your schedule.
How long does it take to replace a dust collection system?
From the decision to replace through system startup, plan for 3 to 6 months on a standard industrial system. Equipment lead times run 8 to 20 weeks. Engineering, permitting, and installation add time depending on system size and facility access. Straightforward collector swaps with reusable ductwork can sometimes be done faster. We build a realistic, facility-specific timeline as part of every proposal.
Do you serve facilities outside Arizona?
Our installation and service network covers Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. If your facility is outside that area, we can assist with system design and equipment supply — but we will be straightforward with you about what installation support we can offer beyond our core footprint. Call us and we will tell you exactly what makes sense for your location.
✓ Pass-or-Free Compliance Guarantee

Running Old Equipment With No Support? We Can Help.

A free site assessment takes about an hour. No obligation. We will tell you exactly where your system stands and what your options are — and if the honest answer is that it has a few more years in it, we will tell you that too.

Serving facilities across Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.