What You Need To Know About Air Purifiers

A lot of people are concerned about the environment in which they live both at home and at work. The stories of pollution are grounds for immense anxiety to a lot of people.

A lot of people blame their allergies and other skin conditions on 'bad air' and there is proof to support their conjecture too.

One remedy for 'bad air' that people are turning to is that of air purification. Air purification can be achieved with a dedicated air purifier or by use of high-powered filters in an air conditioning system.

It is usually cheaper to modify an existing air conditioning system than to buy a new air purifying unit, particularly if you want this new, clean air to become available in every room of your house.

Air purifiers are apt to work best in small restricted spaces like an office or a child's bedroom. lots of the companies that make air purifiers boast that they will clean the air in a room of 180 square feet. Well, OK, but let us merely stop and think about that.

That is a room of 15 feet by 12 feet - I am six feet long, so what they are actually talking about is a good sized bathroom or a small bedroom. For that, you pay around $150, but you do not have to purchase new filters, says the company proudly, you can clean and reuse the old one.

Others use replacement filters. These units are normally a little cheaper. They will filter (clean) the air in approximately the same area, but the filters can cost $50-$60 each. They frequently use what are called HEPA filters and they are (or can be some of the best on the market.

It is certainly worth bearing in mind the term HEPA filter, once you have made up your mind how you are going to suck or pump air through it.

If you are looking for an air purifier because you spend a lot of time in one room, especially if the windows open onto a busy road or your spouse smokes, procuring a portable air purifier could be an solution for you, but check the specifications very carefully against the dimensions of your room.

If you try to save on the cost of an air purifier, you have thrown your money away - you might as well have tied a hanky across your nose.

Powerful, expensive air purifiers will work well in a limited space, but are portable and will probably do a better job than an air purification system affixed to your air conditioning unit.

However, if you would like to raise the general standard of the air right through the whole house in one fell swoop, you cannot beat attaching a high quality HEPA filter to a central air conditioning system.

If you use a stand-alone air purifier, you will have to keep the doors shut to hold your clean air in and nag everybody to keep shutting the doors too, but with an air purifier bolted on to to a central heating unit, you can live normally.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with central air conditioning systems. If you are interested in Home Air Conditioning Systems, please click through to our site.

Posted under Allergies

Eye Allergies And Diseases

Most people look for signs of allergies on their skin, but it not the sole organ of our bodies that can show allergic reactions. The eyes are very susceptible because they are openly exposed to the atmosphere. Allergic reactions can frequently be observed there too.

In this article we will take a look at some of the most frequent allergic reactions and diseases that can be identified in the eyes. The most frequent allergic reactions in the eyes are redness and irritation. These signs are common to a number of allergies and a couple of diseases too.

It is very difficult for the non-professional medical person to identify the reasons for these indications. Pain or prolonged discomfort ought to be treated by a medical doctor as soon as possible since some fairly dangerous illnesses reveal themselves in the eyes.

If you get red or pink eye in only one eye, the cause is probably an infection, perhaps from something that you introduced into your eye with your finger or a handkerchief. If the redness is in both eyes, the cause is almost certainly an allergy or a disease.

Common allergens are pollen, cosmetics, pollution, dust, antiperspirant, perfumes and other sprays. These substances usually cause redness of the eyes and watering. Occasionally the allergic reaction can become quite severe even causing headaches and nausea.

Some people also suffer an allergic reaction to pets. Well, not actually the animals themselves but their hair, their dead skin and the skins shed by fleas that frequently live on them. If you have a pet and have started suffering since you got it, you have a few alternatives: get rid or it, take medication or, if it is a dog, bathe and groom it more often. It is difficult to bathe a cat, but you can also become allergic to birds and their detritus.

Pollen allergy is very widespread and there are medications to help minimize your sensitivity to it at the time of year when pollen is most predominant. Another thing that you can do to lower your susceptibility to allergens is to inaugurate air conditioning.

Contemporary air conditioning units have filters of varying complexity. Some filters will filter out pollen, pet detritus and many other allergens including pollution. Vacuuming is another useful tool in the battle against allergies.

Redness of the eyes tends to suggest allergy (or tiredness), but it could be more serious if the condition persists. Yellow or brown eyes frequently indicate a problem with the liver and especially jaundice. Jaundice (or hepatitis) ought to be taken care of by a physician immediately because it can cause permanent scarring of the liver.

You might also see 'floaters' drifting in you field of vision. A few of these floaters or drusen are common in older individuals, but they may also be a sign of something more serious than just age. Two of these illnesses could be cataracts or macular degeneration. Cataracts can be taken away, but macular degeneration requires frequent treatment.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a variety of topics, but is now concerned with wet macular degeneration treatment. If you want to know more, please visit our website at Macular Degenerative Disease

Posted under Allergies

This post was written by Owen Jones on April 2, 2011

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Air Conditioning Filters Replacement

Air conditioners have always been popular, but they used to be expensive to buy and costly to run. These days they are less expensive to buy. It is not so bad if you live somewhere where you need heating for three months and cooling for three months, but if you live somewhere where you have one unit or other running twenty-for hours a day, seven days a week, it is still expensive.

However, the comfort that they give to your life is remarkable. But, the thing to bear in mind is that air conditioners, like all pieces of equipment, do need servicing. That is, the actual moving parts, lubricants and other fluids have to be checked professionally every two years (or whatever it says in your handbook). There are other parts though that need to be checked much more often than that - maybe even monthly.

The good news is that you can carry out this maintenance yourself. I am talking about the filter. All good, modern air conditioning units come with an in-built filter. It depends on the sophistication of your air conditioner, what its filter can trap, but most will filter small particles such as pollen and traffic pollution out of the air it is circulating in the room.

These filters need to be cleaned or replaced fairly regularly and you will need to check your air conditioner's handbook to find out what you can do. Often, it will say that they can be cleaned two or three times with either soapy water and a tooth brush or vacuumed clean. After that they have to be replaced, in order for the unit to be totally efficient.

If you have to replace your air filter, you may find the following hints useful.

The best place to start is either the main dealer for your make of air conditioner, the people you bought it from or the people who fitted it for you. At least, you know you can trust them, even if it is only a matter of 'better the devil you know'. Many of the stores that sell other makes of air conditioner may stock filters for your model as a sideline too.

You are already making use of the Internet, so that is another good place to check for current prices and bargains, before you go traipsing around town. 'Fore-warned is fore-armed', as they say. You can utilize the price knowledge you acquire from your Internet surfing as a bargaining tool to get the best price locally.

If that does not work or you just cannot be bothered, order on line and your air conditioner filter will be with you in a couple of day anyway. By the way, like with vacuum cleaner bags, it is normally better to purchase several at a time. For example, if you know that they will survive three washes, then each filter will last four months. Why not buy three and be done with it for a year?

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with central air conditioning systems. If you are interested in Home Air Conditioning Systems, please click through to our site.

Posted under Allergies

This post was written by Owen Jones on March 26, 2011

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Air Filters: My Tips For Buying The Best

If you have any kind of air purification system installed in your house or office, you will have to change the air filters at some time or another. I am not only talking about dedicated equipment that only purifies the air here, but also air conditioning units like you would find at home, in the office or even in the car. The theory is the same for all.

So, you may be operating an air purifier without even realizing it, but in that case, especially if it is an older one, it could be doing you more harm than good. This is because a dirty filter will be blowing unpurified air into the room at best, but in the worst case scenario, it might even be blowing contaminated air at you. Modern air filters do not only stop flies or even pollen from getting into the set-up through the air intake, they go as far as trying to block common germs too.

So, you have two alternatives. If you have never replaced or cleaned your air filter or if you did not even realize you had one and the air conditioner or air purifying apparatus is over a year old, you should do something about it right away. Begin by reading the instruction manual. If you do not have one go on line and look to see if there is any information on your model at the manufacturer's website or even just anywhere on the Internet. If on the other hand, you have been cleaning and replacing your filter regularly, consider getting a better quality filter next time.

You can go about locating the best brands of air filters for your particular type of unit by writing down any serial numbers and identification numbers and names. The brand and model are very helpful too. You have two choices here too. If you like going around the shops, take this information with you and ask about the best filters in several outlets A large DIY or department store could probably assist here. Write every name and fact they give you down on paper and take it home. I prefer to go on the Internet first and take that information around the shops.

Check everything they have told you on the Internet. Check it with the manufacturer's web site and compare prices. Decide what you want to buy and where from. Get a year's supply in one go, it saves a lot of bother. Three or four units should last a year, if they are cleanable.

A high quality air filter will work better than a cheaper one. It will block more pollutants, including smoke and fumes - even some microorganisms, if it has been impregnated with a germicide. Many come with a long-lasting mild air freshener too, which will save you buying sprays.

Better quality air filters will save you money and bother by lasting longer in good serviceable condition. Cheaper ones may say they last as long, but the germicide and the air freshener may have evaporated within a week or two. Try to get a filter that is cleanable. The best ones can be cleaned two of three times before they have to be changed. If it is three times then it will last four months, meaning that you only need three a year at most.

If you have bought an unknown make of air conditioner or purifier, there is a good chance that it was still made by one of the big names or it a copy of a famous name, in which case a better filter may still fit into it. In this situation, take your old filter to the shop with you to get it compared.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with central air conditioning systems. If you are interested in Home Air Conditioning Systems, please click through to our site.

Posted under Allergies

This post was written by Owen Jones on March 8, 2011

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The Importance Of A/C Air Filters In Providing Clean Air For The Home And Office

by Paul Mancini

Air conditioning filters play an important role in the management of clean air for the home and office. You may already know how air conditioner cools the living space and makes it more comfortable during summer but you should also be aware that it performs another function. Air filters filter the dust out of the room and substitute it with clean air. So aside from cooling, air handlers have a medically beneficial effect on the living space as well. For the air handling unit to be able to endlessly clean the air and deliver it free from harmful bacteria, it will need a good filter. These air filters filter out the dirt in the air so that the breeze returns from the appliance is clean.

The filters are positioned along the grill of the air conditioner so they serve as the last point the air passes before it is released to the room.

Air conditioning filters shield us from evil little things known as respirable particles. You can easily observe particles accumulate on your dining room table or sofa. Respirable particles are undetectable to the naked eye but are nevertheless present in the air. You can easily inhale them. Once in the human body they can easily lodge in our lungs and can cause serious respiratory diseases. Air conditioning filters extract these fine particles from the air so that you obtain both cleaner air and a pollen-free atmosphere in your house.

You will appreciate the importance of filtering your air if you consider the fact that the average human breathes in 1.3 million particles of dust each day. The Environmental Protection Agency that issues these facts also claims that the air inside our homes is more polluted than that open air due to the fact that air inside has no chance for dispersion.

So the call for high quality air conditioner air filters becomes paramount. We need to install them them to help protect us against allergies and contamination.

A/C filters need to be replaced over time as they gather dust. But as a homeowner how does one decide on which A/C air filters to purchase? There are numerous manufacturers but basically they manufacture the same types of filters. Depending on how they are supposed to operate, the dominant ones are High Efficiency Particulate Air (or HEPA) which provides pollen (and smoke) filtration, Pleated with a larger surface, Electrostatic which uses a phenomenon that creates static attraction for dust, and Activated Carbon which applies carbon filtration. Of all of these, the Charcoal and the Pleated types are most commonly used.

There are essentially 2 kinds of air conditioner air filters - regular throw-away air filters and washable filters. Of the four disposable filters that we tested, the 3m filtrete line came out a clear winner. Of the 3 washable filters that we recently tested, the Boair 5-stage filter won top place because it was the easiest to clean and filtered out the largest amount of dust.

Prior to placing your order for new A/C filters, you'll need to determine if the new one fits your model. It's not enough to know the size of the intended replacement; you must be able to ascertain the functionality of the filter as well. For example, there are air conditioning air filters with UV sterilizers that neutralize harmful bacteria in the air so they can not get into the body. You might need this style for more crowded spaces. High Efficiency Particulate Air (or HEPA) air filters are well known for screening out microscopic particles from the environment so the space remains clear of pollens. These variants serve areas like smokers rooms.

A/C air filters make living rooms safe places to spend our time. They screen dirt from our air and destroy any bacteria that may be lurking. We need to replace them regularly so they keep functioning to protect us.

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Posted under Allergies

This post was written by Paul Mancini on June 21, 2009

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Why Air Duct Cleaning Is Good For You

by Jane Hansen

Air duct cleaning is becoming more and more popular however, it is not a recommended service for air quality improvement and it is not considered necessary as routine maintenance every year. You can hire a home air duct cleaning contractor to clean and maintain your air ducts as often as you want, as long as the service is completed properly, it will not harm your home, ducts or HVAC system. Cleaning air ducts can improve your HVAC efficiency; however, it may not be as effective as a service check on your HVAC unit itself.

We spend 60-90 percent of our time in the home. Did you know that the air is mostly unfit for breathing? Fortunately, there are many simple things people can do to enjoy fresher and healthier air inside their homes. One of those things you can do is get air duct cleaning to remove impurities from the air.

Many believe air duct cleaning is as important as having clean running water. Buildings that don't have proper working air ducts can have air that feels and smells musty. Air duct cleaning is one task that when performed, can help keep the indoor air safe and clean for residents to breathe. If ducts are clogged with excessive amounts of dust and debris these pollutants are actually released into the home and of course breathed by the occupants.

Adding Air Duct Cleaning to your Spring Cleaning Checklist can help alleviate, allergy symptions that these unwelcome elements can bring to your home, if you have allergies, you may be scurying to find an Air Duct Cleaning Company, to clean your air duct's as a part of your spring cleaning to do list. if you want something to help with your allergies, Allergy Relief is just a call away.

Because the air duct cleaning industry is largely unregulated, it is our intention here to educate the consumer enough that they may confidently make the right choice when selecting a qualified duct cleaning contractor. There is really no process set up for local municipal certification. Because of this, when you proceed to getting your ducts cleaned, you have to rely on your own due diligence and common sense.

The average person has literally no idea how dirty the ducts of their heating and air conditioning systems can actually get, and what to even look for when seeking a company that will come in and perform the cleaning service for them. Regular cleaning can take place once a year, and some recommend at the onset of Winter, then in the spring just before Summer.

It is important to have a professional take a look at your systems occasionally to make sure everything is clean and working well. Certainly if the above problems are prevalent, it is definitely time to go ahead and schedule a cleaning. Make sure the professionals you hire to clean them are licensed. If they claim that there is mold, have them show it to you and figure out a way to prevent the mold from growing again.

Regular maintenance will prevent heavy and costly repairs. There are things you can do to help keep the costs down. Change the filters of the heating or cooling system on a regular basis. You should also keep the ducts nice and dry.

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Posted under Allergies

This post was written by Matthew Chiang on February 18, 2009

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