HEPA Filters

While watching Jersey Shore yesterday, I saw a commercial for a vacuum cleaner that uses HEPA filters, and I thought, Wow, all types of appliances use HEPA filters. But what exactly is a HEPA filter? Most people know the general idea - HEPA air purifiers capture small particles like dust, bacteria, etc. But just how effective is it?

As it turns out, air purifiers with HEPA filters can capture up to 99.97% of particles up to 0.3 microns in size. That's approximately 1/100th of a human hair! As a result, HEPA filters get rid of pollutants in the air like pet dander, pollen, bacteria, dust, and more. And many air purifiers also feature a pre-filter to go in front of the HEPA filter - to make it last longer and to capture even larger particles.

So, in the end, HEPA air purifiers can help you sleep better, have more energy, and stay healthier!

An Inexpensive Way to Purify Your Home

A very little known fact about purifying your air: there are other ways to keep your air free of pollutants and allergens. In fact, one way that most people don't know about is using an allergy furnace filter! These HEPA filters come in a bunch of different sizes and fit right over the filter opening of your home's air conditioning unit or furnace. Like HEPA filters found inside air purifiers, allergy furnace filters capture up to 95% of the larger particulates from the air that comes out of your furnace to make sure you are breathing cleaner, purer air. In fact, it has been shown that these filters significantly help allergy and asthma sufferers (I'm considering getting one for myself!).

At only $21.95, they are a fraction of the price of regular air purifiers, but there is a reason for that. Though allergy furnace filters can capture larger particulates, it isn't quite as effective at capturing the miniscule, very-hard-to-see molecules. Additionally, they don't help absorb odors and gasses, unlike air purifiers. Allergy furnace filters may be less expensive, but they need to be thrown out every 3-5 months. In my opinion, an air purifier is a better option because it is an investment, it lasts longer, and it captures odors.

Can an Air Purifier Get Rid of My Cat Odor?

I have cats; Link and Zelda. Well...they were kittens when we adopted them. My boyfriend I went to the shelter over a year ago for some kitty love; Someone special to fill that void in our lives like children would - minus the diaper-changing and college tuition savings. We had to visit the shelter a couple of times, since it had 500 puppy-eyed cats (LOL oxymoron) and we wanted to pick two kittens out. My BF and I decided that we needed two cats because, well, we thought it would be nice to keep them company when we're not around.

My home is about 900 sq. feet and I didn't really think two cats would be problematic. At the time I thought, "Hey, they're young...we'll train them to do whatever we want!" But, I was wrong about that. Despite wanting them to be "well-behaved", they're still cats. They do cat-things like eat Meow Mix and lounge in the sunlight. And the biggest habit that I'm sure all of us would wish away: they use the litter box.

Anyhow...with a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment...the bathroom has to be shared with the cats and it was a bit obvious to our guests that there was a litter box by the toilet. I began to get really concerned about the smell...so I had this genius idea that we should potty train them.

At first I thought..."Yes! They're using it right!" but you really had to be vigilant. It took a lot of effort to constantly clean up after them but I was determined that the training would take no more than 6 months. Link seemed to respond really well to the training and had no problem doing his business (yes that picture is of him doing #2...hence his "meh" expression), but it was hard to go to the next level with Zelda making so many mistakes. How did we know that she messed up? We caught her urinating on the couch a few times...and cat urine's concentrated...so the smell's very pungent. After two to three months of constantly washing cushions and gallons of Febreze, we converted back to the traditional kitty litter box but it didn't solve the odor problem one bit.

Most would think, "Oh, just get an air freshener," and I had one plugged in for weeks straight. The bathroom isn't roomy and the odor would get into the towels. The plug-ins only covered the underlying smell; The kind of smell that'd cause you to say..."Hey...it smells like ocean breeze, but...something smells funny still...what is it?"

So what next? Now that my couch smells like wonderful cat urine and the bathroom problem hasn't been solved, what other options do I have? I started researching information on air purifiers and found that carbon filters were pretty efficient at trapping odors.

Now, most people would go out to Walmart or something to find an air purifier, but their products usually aren't industrial grade. If you had your whole couch soaked in cat urine and your living space was condensed to a mere 900 ft...what could work? I borrowed my mother's ionized filter for awhile thinking that it'd do the job. It clearly helped with the danger and my cat-allergic friends were able to spend the night with no problems, but it didn't do anything for the smell. After I returned my mother's filter, I found out that ionized products can harm the environment and it doesn't feel all that great doing that.

I stayed in this limbo of washing cushions and spraying Frebreze every day. I was a bit too busy to keep it up and I was also looking for a new job. It started to become pretty frustrating and I wanted a solution, but didn't know much about investing in an air purifier. But thankfully, I was hired to an online company that researches and markets air purifiers. (Pure coincidence.)

At first, I was reluctant to shell out more than $100 for an air purifier. Most air purifiers from home retail stores cost around $100. But the biggest weakness to these cheaper models is that they're usually not dependable. I remember getting a wireless USB adapter from one of those stores and I had problems with the product after a week. My rule of thumb is: buy from the people who know it best...it'll save you the headache of having to replace/repair/exchange a poor product. I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea to try out and invest in some high-quality products that I actually need at home.

So at the moment...I'm going to select an air purifier for my home, but I'm not sure on which one to get. I obviously want to have a bit of research done before I spend my money. I do know that there are a few specifications, though:

• something small and compact, not something the cats can tackle down
  
• has a washable filter or a cost-efficient filter
  
• under $300, lightweight (under 50 lbs.)
  
• has a design that compliments my home decor
  
• carbon filter (apparently these are the best for odors)
• relatively quiet (I already have computers, the cats' water filter, and machines buzzing around)
  

Indoor Air Can Be Worse Then Outdoor Air For Children who Sufferer From Asthma

For years, the conventional theory has been that if you are inside your should be free from common allergy and asthma triggers like pollen or pollution. Researchers are now discovering that depending on where you live, indoor pollution can be much worse then outdoor air pollution. Right now, they are trying to educate the public on proper pollution prevention techniques and have a large goal of trying to cut children who suffer from asthma down by 50% by 2012.

While parents have always known that polluted air can bring on asthma attacks, they didn't know how severe the damage that can occur within their homes can be. This is especially true with children who suffer from breathing problems and live within the inner city. Even in their house they are subjected to cigarette smoke, dust mites, mold and even smells that come from cooking with a variety of herbs and spices all of which can trigger an attack.

There is a direct correlation between the air that children breathe at home and the hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits in the U.S. every year. After this study, done by John Hopkins researchers, was released many health care professionals made it their point to educate the public about the dangers of indoor air pollution as an attempt to greatly reduce the amount of child asthma sufferers.

Right now, as many as one in five Baltimore children suffer from asthma, and is the most common disease among kids. The number is disproportionate as a large majority of these kids are inner-city youth. This number has increased greatly over the last twenty years. Unfortunately there is no set specific reason for this increase yet doctors are continuously looking for an answer.

While doctors have known for years that there are always hidden dangers in the air we breathe, this is the first study to directly connect indoor air with asthma. For years, many believed that the simple act of keeping your kids inside during bad pollution days, sweeping the floor and using plug in air fresheners was a good way to keep your family safe and asthma risks down. But unfortunately these misconceptions often do more harm then good. When you sweep you are only kicking up stagnant dust making it easier for inhalation. Air fresheners have been shown to have side effects on young children who have trouble breathing, and the simple act of keeping them inside could be very harmful if your house or apartment does not have proper ventilation.

When trying to keep your house clean, there is a good chance you are making things worse. Air borne insecticides used to prevent mice and cockroaches have a high history of inducing asthma attacks. Also chemicals found in older homes that come from old plaster and wood are beginning to surface as other sources for asthma attacks.

The problem researchers are finding in their Baltimore movement for better asthma prevention is that you begin to encroach on individual rights when trying to educate and change indoor air quality health. This is especially problematic when you discover that for every 10 microgram-per-cubic-meter increase in indoor coarse air particle pollution there was a 6 percent increase in the number of days of coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. This results in a 7 percent increase in limited speech and a 4 percent increase in the number of days rescue medication was needed. Perhaps, the biggest problem is that there is no set standard for levels of indoor air pollution set by the EPA like there is for the outdoors. This, results in more kids staying inside on "bad days" even if inside is worse.

The one thing all researchers recommend is an item with a HEPA filter. This could be on an air purifier or a vacuum cleaner. Either way, it is a very effectual way to eliminate airborne impurities.

What we recommend:



On that note, we recommend the Electrolux EL491A oxygen PlasmawWave HEPA air purifier, in white sleep mode features multiple levels of air filtration. It begins with a pre-filter that catches all the large pieces of debris so that the air purifier can do its job better. The carbon filter eliminates smells without using any harsh chemicals. The true HEPA filter is a great way to eliminate allergens and asthma triggers as it filters, 99.97% of dust, debris, dander and dirt all the way down to 0.3 microns.

The EL491a operates silently and is energy star certified to keep your energy bill low. There is a sleep mode to keep it running smoothly even when you wish to sleep. There are also odor sensors to automatically adjust performance to the level needed. It features five fan speeds and PlasmaWave technology for added power.

Allergy Tips and Tricks

Allergy Tips and Tricks

Let's face it, allergies can make life difficult. They affect your health making anything from work to day-to-day living extremely difficult to deal with. But thankfully there are ways to help curb the effects and severity of your allergies to make your life more manageable. Here are a couple of tips to help you make it through allergy season with little trouble:

Check the Pollen Count

If your allergies are acting up or you are worried about how bad they can be that day, check out the daily pollen count at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. If its really bad try exercising indoors or going out later in the day as allergies tend to have higher counts in the early to mid morning. Also expect pollen counts to be higher on warm, dry or windy days. Pollen counts are lower on wet and cloudy days as well.

Spend Time Next to the Ocean

Try timing vacations to be congruent with allergy season. Then vacation next to water like a lake or ocean. Allergens and pollen counts tend to be significantly lower next to areas near open water. That way you can enjoy your vacation and bypass a good part of your local allergy season.

Eat Healthy

Believe it or not, your diet does impact your susceptibility to allergies. Research has shown that food high in antioxidants and omega 3s, like fish help individuals with asthma breathe easier.

Stay Clean

Shower and wash your hair every night before going to bed. Change your pillow case and sheets often. Remember to frequently wash your clothes and pajamas. Try to stay clean as possible as allergens and molds have a tendency to build up significantly. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean you are not breathing them.

Keep Your Eyes Clear

Keep your eyes as clean as possible, and try to avoid rubbing them to prevent pushing allergens in further. Try rinsing your eyes in the shower with a baby tear-free baby shampoo to remove any other allergies that might have built up over time. If you have vision problems contact your doctor to see what sort of solution can work best for you


Avoid Cross-Reactions
Eating certain foods, especially produce can cause additional allergic reactions especially if you have seasonal tree allergies. This is because of an adverse reaction between proteins found with fruits and pollens. You can tell if this is occurring because you may have tingly mouth or itchy throat. Foods like melons or tomatoes have a tendency to cross react with grass pollens so be aware of what you are eating.

Breathe 'Fresh' Air

Whether you are in the car or your house, remember to keep your windows closed and to set the air conditioner to re-circulate to help remove pollen. Also remember to clean the filters regularly, especially allergy or pollen season. Also look into purchasing an air purification unit for better allergy prevention and protection.



For an effective air purifier, look into the Surround Air Intelli-Pro Air Purifier. Seven comprehensive stages of air purification manage to thoroughly clean your air allowing asthma and allergy sufferers to breathe easy. It can cover up to 650 square feet effectively and has advanced sensor technology that is constantly measuring the pollutant level, letting you know how clean the air actually is. Its filtration methods include a pre-filter, HEPA filter, Ti02 filter, UV light ionizer and carbon filter. While it is always a good idea to check out other models, be sure to get an air purifier with a HEPA filter as those have been proven to be a great asset to asthma sufferers.

Petite Can Mean Powerful

Just because something is small doesn't mean it lacks power. Technology today takes great strides to make useful items smaller, lighter and at the same time more powerful. The ever popular light I-Pod reduced sizes a couple of times and then came out with a Mini and a Nano, each one adding more features and abilities then the version before it. This goes with plenty of other items as well, whether cell phones, computers or cars consumer have spoken and the verdict is smaller is better.

Surround Air, a company known for making high quality air purifiers, realizes this as well. They understand that, consumers don't always need larger purifiers that take up space in a room. Sometimes they require something smaller that could fit on a desk or nightstand and still give effective air purification. That's why they have created the Surround Air NL5000, an incredibly lightweight and powerful air purification unit that will always get the job done. But the big question is how well does it work? Luckily, the products staff at Air Purifier Home is extremely well versed in air purifiers and has provided an in-depth product review.

The Surround Air NL5000

Air Purification Process

The Surround Air NL5000 offers plenty of filtration power for such a small machine. It utilizes five different filtration techniques to give you're air a thorough cleaning. It begins with a HEPA filter that filters 99.97% of dust, dander and debris all the way down to the 0.3 micron level. Following up the HEPA filter comes the Activated Carbon filter that adsorbs noxious chemicals, odors and VOC's (volatile organic compounds), to leave your air smelling fresh. The TiO2 filter helps destroy additional chemicals, bacteria and odors. Second to last, comes the UV rays that eliminate airborne bacteria and create air-sanitizing super-oxide. Finally, the Surround Air NL5000 has an ionizer that completes that provides safe and effective pollutant neutralization.

Lightweight and Powerful

Weighing a mere 4 lbs, this air filter is perfect for a desk, nightstand and table. It uses a mere 25 watts on its highest fan setting and can cover up to 300 square feet making it perfect for a office or bedroom. The night light function makes for easy operation in the dark and it operates near silently, so that you will never know it's on. Plus maintenance is easy with its sliding tray giving you immediate access for easy filter replacement.

For price and size you cannot a get more reliable and powerful filter then the Surround Air NL5000. Its powerful, offers plenty of filtration techniques and is extremely efficient making it to good to pass up.