The term HEPA seems to be everywhere nowadays. There are HEPA filter air purifiers, HEPA filter vacuum cleaners, HEPA air conditioner filters, the list goes on and on. But what, exactly, is HEPA, what does it mean, and how does it work? Let's examine the mighty HEPA air purifier, as well as other applications, to get a better understanding of this often used term.

Why Is HEPA Screaming At Me?

HEPA is written in caps because it's an acronym, like DARE or MADD. The acronym stands for "high efficiency particulate absorbing". Or, alternately, it could mean "high efficiency particulate arrestance", which is basically the same thing. In everyday English, HEPA air purifiers either stop or absorb particles of matter that are way too small for the human eye to detect.

How Can A HEPA Air Purifier Help Me?

As many of these particles come from manufactured sources, our respiratory systems often take exception to their presence. We will sometimes notice these particles as allergens or odors, but not always. In all too many situations, or bodies have no way of recognizing these particles, leaving them to wreak havoc with our bodies. This is why having something either stop or absorb these tiny particles can be such a boon to our health.

What Can HEPA Air Purifiers Do That Others Cannot?

Not all air purifiers are equal. Most entities that test any type of air purification device compare the results to "HEPA standards". This is because, for nearly half a century, this type of air filtration has been the absolute king. What makes the HEPA filter air purifiers so great, though, is their ability to stop particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter. This is not a random number or designation. It has been found that, when it comes to the human body, 0.3 micron particles are not only the most dangerous, but also among the hardest to filter.

Is There Really A Difference Between HEPA-Type And HEPA Air Purifiers?

A true HEPA air purifier is held to certain standards. Chief among these standards is the ability to filter at least 99.7% of all 0.3 micron particles that pass through the machine. This is an extremely lofty standard, and you can expect to pay a premium for this ability. Generally speaking, HEPA air purifiers are not cheap. A HEPA-type air purifier, however, is a completely different animal. It's important to realize that there is absolutely no standard whatsoever that a HEPA-type air purifier must pass. A machine with this designation could be anything from a less effective, less expensive alternative to a completely useless piece of junk. Also, be wary of putting too much trust in HEPA air purifier reviews. The best HEPA air purifier will not only produce clean smelling air, but it will also remove particulates that are not detectable with human senses alone.

Want more information about HEPA air purifiers? Check out HEPA Air Purifiers Info!

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Remember all those commercials about the Ionic Breeze air purifier? They also made appearances at Radio Shack and The Sharper Image stores. Then they were gone, along with The Sharper Image, for the most part. Researching the Ionic Breeze air purifier on the net will very quickly yield two facts: the original Ionic Breeze air purifier is nearly impossible to find, and there are a bunch of folks out there that feel The Sharper Image lied about it. Yet, if you look at the reviews from the people that actually bought one, you'll see that they're generally favorable. Let's take a look at some of the claims that eventually killed the original Ionic Breeze air purifiers, and put them into perspective.

Ionic Breeze Air Purifiers Do Not Clean The Air As Well As HEPA Air Purifiers

The Sharper Image never claimed that the Ionic Breeze cleaned the air as well as True HEPA purifiers. Like good business people, they avoided the subject of efficiency altogether, for the most part. The stuff hit the fan when Consumer Reports said the Ionic Breeze silent air purifier cleaned only 30% of pollution out of the air. However, you have to consider that 100% of the polluted air will have to pass in and out of the machine quite a few times. Getting something 30% clean over and over again will, after time, get you almost to 100%. No, it's not as efficient, but one could say that ionic air purifiers, if given plenty of time, will do the job just as well as anything. They're also much cheaper to purchase, operate, and maintain. Also, don't forget that Consumer Reports only compared to True HEPA air purifiers as opposed to the much more common HEPA-type purifiers. HEPA-type air purifiers have no particular efficiency, while True HEPA machines are out of reach for many consumers.

The Ionic Breeze Actually Makes The Air Unhealthy

The theory is that ionic air purifiers release a ton of ozone when cleaning the air. But that's just not the case. The best explanation for this misconception is that people don't know the difference between ionic air purifiers and ozone generators, which are somewhat similar, but do use ozone to clean the air. There is no factual data stating that ionic air purifiers put out unsafe amounts of ozone, and Consumer Reports even said that the Ionic Breeze air purifier passes HEPA guidelines in regards to ozone. Actually, the Ionic Breeze silent air purifier passes every HEPA guideline except for efficiency.

The Ionic Breeze Air Purifier Caused The Sharper Image To Go Bankrupt

Yes, The Sharper Image did file in 2008, but lack of sales was not their downfall. The Sharper Image failed because they were a publicly traded company, and their stock prices dropped like so many rocks once their reputation had been so thoroughly tarnished. Although they had a ton of debt by the time they declared bankruptcy, they still had around $50 million in equity, not to include cash on hand. Unfortunately, however, their investors apparently didn't look the whole picture.

How Are Newer Ionic Air Purifiers Different?

Newer ionic air purifiers aren't significantly different from the original as the concept behind was not only simple, but effective, and wouldn't be easy to improve. Simply put, ionic air purifiers effectively, though slowly, clean air pollution just fine, and they do it quite cheaply. The original Ionic Breeze itself might be hard to find, but newer versions of it as well as the Ionic Pro air purifier and various generics are still easily obtainable.

Want to learn more about the ionic air purifier? Visit Ionic Air Purifier Info.

categories: air,appliances,allergies,asthma,pollution,health,electronics,science,filter,guide,shopping,gadgets,product review,green

Posted under Allergies

If your basement is properly constructed with the right amount of air conditioning and ventilation, then it ought to be a dry area. Because they are poorly designed, there are tons of basements that suffer from a lingering dampness that is uncontrollable. Dampness like this is a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew, especially in basements where old books, magazines, clothing and suitcases are stored.

After the humidity in your basement goes over 50%, then you run into things like warped furniture, condensation on the walls, as well as fungus and mold growth. All that moisture will also make any would you have down there rot quicker. If any of your family members suffer from allergies related to mold and mildew, then investing in a basement dehumidifier is an absolute no-brainer. Before you go off and spend a bunch of money and buying any basement dehumidifier for this problem, you really should think about finding out why your basement has such a high humidity problem. There really shouldn't be that much of a difference between the temperature of your basement and the temperature of the rest of the house, as it shouldn't have its own temperatures zone. Adding weather stripping to any of the windows and doors in your basement might help a little. If in the unfortunate situation that the basement doesn't have any insulation, you have to consider the cost of adding insulation against the price of running a basement dehumidifier constantly.

You will need to do a little bit of research before buying any basement dehumidifier. Know the cubic footage of the basement space that it will be going into. You also want to take into consideration whether you need a permanent unit versus a portable unit. One more thought for consideration when shopping for a dehumidifier is whether or not the unit will fit into the space that you want it to. You also need to take into consideration the noise levels that dehumidifiers make, as some are quite noisier than others. Either ask for a demonstration if buying in the store, or read the reviews of them if buying online.

Air conditioners and refrigerators work on the same principles as a dehumidifier. The humid air is drawn over a series of cold coils which works to extract a good deal of the moisture from it via condensation. As the condensation builds, it will drip off into a collection bucket found inside the dehumidifier. This process slightly elevates the temperature of the air after the moisture is extracted from it and it is then blown back into the room.

A lot of folks forget to maintain their basement dehumidifier as it is out of sight and out of mind. It is really important that you make sure to empty and clean the collection buckets inside these as if you don't they can develop a bacterial growth. Some companies manufacture basement dehumidifiers which have no inner collection container, but simply a hose that can be run to a floor drain, and these are a perfect solution to the problem.

Dehumidifiers are an effective way to help get rid of the problem of moisture in your home.A basement dehumidifier is built specifically with the demands of a basement in mind. If you would like more information on these then you can get it by going to http://www.dehumidifiersforsale.net/basement-dehumidifiers.php

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Choosing a vacuum cleaner comes down to you the consumer and how you are going to use it in your home or office. There are two types of bagless vacuum cleaners, an upright bagless and a canister bagless. Both styles of vacuum cleaners have been around for many years and have both pros and cons to using one over the other.

Viewed as the most traditional vacuum cleaner, the upright vacuum cleaner is the most common bagless vacuum cleaner. The upright bagless vacuum is one you can walk behind and stands upright. It is so easy to use you can even use with one hand, they have 3-4 wheels attached to the bottom for maneuverability.

Upright vacuum cleaners are usually big and bulky and can be a pain to store an move in little areas. They come with a large variety of attachments to use on a lot of different types of cleaning surfaces. An upright vacuum will need space to be stored, but can be utilized to clean a large surface area in a small amount of time.

A canister vacuum cleaner is usually small and compact, shaped like a cylinder, and typically sit low to the ground. The canister bagless vacuum cleaner will have a hose attached and will include a number of different attachments that can be used in different situations to clean different surfaces. A canister vacuum is good for cleaning walls, curtains, ceiling fans, and because of its compact size great for stairs.

With its compact size, you as a consumer can either leave the vacuum on the floor and use just the hose or you can even carry it around with you. Also you can store your vacuum in just about any storage space available, especially smaller closets. These vacuums are great for homes with little to no storage since they are compact and small.

There are subtle differences between these two bagless vacuums, the upright and canister bagless. With research you will be able to choose the best vacuum for your needs. There are a large variety of sizes, styles, and prices for both the canister bagless and the upright bagless vacuums.

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As a consumer you have the right to choose the vacuum that fits your needs, weather it be for home or office. An upright bagless and canister bagless are two of the types of bagless vacuum cleaners out on the market today. They both have pros and cons to using one over the other and have been around for many years.

Most consumers view an upright vacuum cleaner as more of a traditional vacuum. An upright vacuum cleaner, simply put, is just a vacuum cleaner that stands upright, and you walk behind it holding the handle. It is easy to maneuver with one hand and usually has 3-4 wheels located on the bottom of the vacuum.

Upright vacuum cleaners are usually big and bulky and can be a pain to store an move in little areas. They come with a large variety of attachments to use on a lot of different types of cleaning surfaces. An upright vacuum will need space to be stored, but can be utilized to clean a large surface area in a small amount of time.

While being shaped like a cylinder, the canister vacuum sits low to the ground and very compact in size. Being so small and compact makes this vacuum easy to move around and even carry. There are a lot of types of attachments that you can utilize with your canister bagless vacuum. One attachment included is a long hose to help you reach high hard to reach spots such as walls, curtains and ceiling fans.

Using a canister vacuum cleaner, you have an option of leaving the canister on the floor as you clean but also you may choose to carry the canister with you so you can move more easily. Because of its small size and weight you can store the canister vacuum cleaner in smaller spaces. This is great for homes with little to no storage space.

With the differences discussed in this article will help you as the consumer choose the right bagless vacuum for your home and family. You should be able to find a vacuum to fit the needs of your home with just a little research. Remember there are a lot of varieties of sizes, styles, and prices for all kinds of vacuum cleaners. So take your time and you will find the one that is right for you.

Posted under Allergies