Water & Air – Filter Systems News

Source: fernwoodbigsur.com

Winter is slowly arriving and it’s time to be prepared. Before the cold weather fully sets in you want to make sure that you’ve adapted to the coming season. RV owners especially have to make the choice about whether they want to trek on through the camping season or park for the winter. If your choice is to park, KOA recommends several preventative measures to preserve your RV home and prepare it for the coming spring.

Through winterization you can ensure that your RV home can withstand the drop in temperature, which will result in a longer lifespan for your RV as well as reduced costs on future repairs. In order to begin winterizing, KOA recommends the following items:

•  Non-toxic RV antifreeze
• Water heater bypass kit (sometimes already installed)
• Wand, to clean holding tanks
• Water pump converter kit
• Basic hand tools

At Filters Fast we offer a variety of RV/Marine Filters that will suit your RV home, including the 3M US-A1 Recreational Vehicle/Marine Filter System that will provide you with great tasting water on camping trips and excursions.

KOA offers these steps for winterizing your RV, but be sure to consult your owner’s manual for tips specific to your own unit:

• If you have any inline water filters remove and bypass before starting.
• Drain the fresh water holding tank.
• Drain and flush the gray and black holding tanks. If your RV doesn’t have a built in tank flushing system clean the black tank out with a wand, or use a product like Flush King that allows you to clean both the black and gray tanks. Lubricate the termination valves with WD 40.
• Drain the water heater. Remove the drain plug and open the pressure relief valve. CAUTION (never drain the water heater when it is hot or under pressure)
• Open all hot and cold faucets; don’t forget the toilet valve and outside shower.
• Locate and open the low point drain lines. There will be one for the hot and cold water lines. Using the water pump will help force water out, but turn it off as soon as the system is drained.
• Recap all drains and close all faucets.
• By-pass the water heater. If you do not have a by-pass kit installed the water heater will fill up with antifreeze before it goes through the water lines, wasting six gallons of antifreeze.
• Install a water pump converter kit, or disconnect the inlet side of the water pump (the line coming from the fresh water holding tank). Connect a piece of clear tubing to the inlet side of the pump and put the other end into a one gallon container of non-toxic RV antifreeze.
• Turn the water pump on and pressurize the system. Starting with the closest faucet, slowly open the hot and then cold valves until antifreeze appears. Replace the antifreeze container as required.
• Repeat this process on all faucets from the closest to the farthest away. Don’t forget the outside shower, if equipped.
• Flush the toilet until antifreeze appears.
• Turn the water pump off and open a faucet to release the pressure. Go outside to the city water inlet. Remove the small screen over the inlet and push in on the valve with a small screwdriver until you see antifreeze. Replace the screen.
• Pour a cupful of antifreeze down each drain. Pour a couple of cups in the toilet and flush into the holding tank.
• If your water heater has an electric heating element make sure it is turned off. This will protect the element if the unit is plugged in while being stored.
• Make sure all the faucets are closed.
• Consult your owner manuals for winterizing icemakers and washing machines.

Think your pet’s the cutest? Post a photo on the Filters Fast Facebook page — if your photo gets the most “likes”, you will win a dog or cat water fountain!

The contest begins Friday December 9 and ends next Friday December 16. The photo with the most “Likes” at the end of the week wins the contest. The winner of the contest receives their choice of a  Dog It Water Fountain ($100 value) or Cat It Water Fountain ($37 value). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER.

To enter the contest, follow these easy steps:

1. “Like” our Facebook page.

2. Post your best pet photo on our wall or e-mail your photo directly to manish@filtersfast.com and we will post it on the wall ourselves.

3. Tell your friends to “Like” our Facebook page so that they can “Like” your photo.

4. After your photo is posted, people will vote on their favorite photo by “liking” the image.

Voting begins today, Friday December 9, and ends at 3pm on Friday December 16. The photo with the most “Likes” at the end of the week wins the contest. In the event of a tie, we will randomly choose a winner.

Just like people, it’s very important for your pets to stay hydrated. These water fountains provide a continuous supply of fresh and filtered drinking water. The water recirculates throughout the fountain, which exposes it to more oxygen and makes it more appealing to cats and dogs. Anyone who has ever offered their dog water from a garden hose knows this is the case! Water also helps to maintain proper kidney function in cats and dogs.

It can get pretty stuffy indoors during the winter months. If you burn wood in your fireplace, do a lot of cooking or have a problem with dry stale air, spraying an air freshener is not the solution. Unpleasant odors can be caused by a myriad of triggers and get trapped inside for the winter season. First, find out what those triggers are and eliminate the cause of the problem.

Keep areas that harbor unpleasant odors cleaned regularly. The kitchen, bathroom, basement, closet, bedroom and laundry rooms are typical areas in your house that harbor some very unpleasant areas. Keep the refrigerator, stove, burners, microwave, oven and garbage cans cleaned regularly. Dirty microwave filters can create more stress and strain on your microwave and range stove vent fan. A charcoal microwave range hood filter and vent is designed to absorb unpleasant odors and keeps them from recirculating in the air of your home.

Vacuum Cleaner Bags should be changed regularly. Certain styles of vacuum cleaner bags will capture approximately 94% of particles such as dust mite debris, pollen, pet dander and other airborne pollutants. Typically, you should replace your vacuum cleaner bags every 1 to 2 months depending on usage to control pollutants that could create odor, allergies and carpet soiling.

Change your Air Furnace Filters frequently. We cannot stress enough how important it is to perform this task on a regular basis. Depending on the type of air filter you use (MERV 8, MERV 11, MERV 13 or HEPA filters), airborne pollutants that could cause asthmatic attacks, allergies and other lung-related illnesses are trapped in the media of the filter. Clean air filters along with proper maintenance of your furnace will help your unit perform optimally.

Room Vent Filter Kits such as BestAir Kitchen and Bath or BestAir Family and Bedroom Vent Filter Kit are cut-to-fit filters that are easy to install. They are designed to reduce airborne pollutants like pet dander, dirt, dust, hair, pollen and other allergens. This filter will provide cleaner and fresher air in your room. This filter can be used in bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms and RV/Motor homes. One word of caution is to avoid using this filter in every vent in your home. It could restrict airflow and cause damage to your air furnace unit.

Fresh Scents Air Fresheners: This French Scents whole house air freshener is a fragrance gel pad that provides fragrant air within your home in one easy step by instantly attaching to any air filter, air conditioner filter, furnace filter, provide scented air throughout your entire home, business, or other indoor area. It comes in a variety of aromatic fragrances: Fresh Flowers, Mountain Breeze, Fresh Berries, Marine Scent, Cinnamon, Gardenia, French Vanilla, Tropical Bay, Pine Woods and Country Cotton freshener.

Products containing activated charcoal are great for reducing musty and unpleasant odors that linger in the indoor air of your home. For unpleasant odors that gravitate to your refrigerator and freezer try the Whirlpool Refrigerator Deodorizer or the Whirlpool Freezer Deodorizer. Both contain highly absorbent activated charcoal that can be 50 times more effective than baking soda.

Use Vinegar: Wipe down refrigerator shelves, trashcans and run an empty cycle in your washing machine with a cup of vinegar to help clean and disinfect the washtub every month. This will help to alleviate that rotten egg smell. Vinegar will also help to sanitize and deep clean your cutting boards.

Use Lemons: A mixture of lemon juice, water and baking soda is good for cleaning the interior of your microwave. If your garbage disposal or sink smells foul, throw half a lemon down it.

Share any odor-reducing tips you may have with us that will help to winterize your home with indoor freshness!

Is your home prepared for the upcoming snow, ice, sleet, and frost season? December 21st marks the first day of winter and it is only a short 15 days away.   As temperatures drop, your house will need a little more TLC to keep it running smoothly in the winter months. Here are some easy steps that can help prepare your home for winter:

A quick and easy solution is to change your furnace filters frequently. You will be using your heating system more often, and more air will be blown through the filter, leaving more particles behind. A clogged filter will not only restrict air flow, but will make your heating bill higher as the HVAC system will be working harder to push air through the filter. Consider the Filters Fast 6 Pack of MERV 13 filters. Keeping replacement filters in your home will keep your HVAC system working at its best, and the MERV 13 rating of this filter will keep mold, pet dander, mites and other allergens out of your homes air.

If you’re interested in further lowering your heating bill, consider a heat recovery ventilator, or HRV. These systems work with your HVAC system to provide fresh, warm air. Advances in home construction have improved insulation to the point where they are not properly ventilated. In the winter months, opening a window for ventilation will let your warm air escape outside and keep your heating bill sky high. The GeneralAire 8220 will supply fresh heated air into your home and works with your HVAC system.

If you like to have a little extra heat during the cold winter months, consider the Crane EE-6490. This attractive space heater for small rooms features an ultra slim design, automatic shut off, whisper quiet operation and electronic control with touch sensor buttons. This ultra quiet personal heater also has a remote control and is perfect to help you keep toasty warm in bed.

Prepare for the winter months with these easy solutions!

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, located in the towns of Okuma and Futaba in Japan, gained international attention on March 11 of this year when the country was ravaged by earthquake and subsequent tsunami. After months of effort to prevent a nuclear meltdown at the site, the power plant has, according to NPR, “leaked about 45 tons of highly radioactive water from a purification device over the weekend, its operator said, and some may have drained into the ocean.”

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (also known as TEPCO) has pledged to shut down the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant by the end of the year amidst much criticism about its construction and handling of the meltdown.

NPR reports that TEPCO released a statement on its website indicating that “a pool of radioactive water was discovered midday Sunday around a decontamination device” and that “after the equipment was turned off, the leak appeared to stop. Later, workers found a crack in a concrete barrier leaking the contaminated water into a gutter that leads to the ocean.”

The power company has estimated that approximately 300 litres leaked out from the power plant before a crew was able to plug a hole and stop the leak. The concern is that radioactive water containing the harmful Celsium-137 may be released into the ocean and impact the seafood in the water that many fisherman and citizens rely on.

TEPCO is utilizing purification devices “to decontaminate water that has been cooling the reactors. Three of the plant’s reactor cores mostly melted down when the March 11 tsunami knocked out the plant’s cooling system.”

It’s the start of December, which means it’s time to put up your best Christmas and holiday decorations! Here at Filters Fast, we’d like to see what sort of unique decorations you’re putting up, whether it’s outdoor Christmas lights or indoor stockings and Christmas trees. That’s why we’re hosting a Best Christmas Decoration Photo Contest. To enter the contest, post your best Christmas decoration photo, whether it’s a picture of your Christmas lights, tree, or home decorations, on our Facebook page.

The contest begins Friday December 2 and ends next Friday December 9. The photo with the most “Likes” at the end of the week wins the contest. The winner of the contest receives a free Crane Oscillating Tower Space Heater  (a $92 value). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER.

To enter the contest, follow these easy steps:

1. “Like” our Facebook page.

2. Post your best Christmas decoration photo on our wall or e-mail your photo directly to manish@filtersfast.com and we will post it on the wall ourselves.

3. Tell your friends to “Like” our Facebook page so that they can “Like” your photo.

4. After your photo is posted, people will vote on the best photo by “liking” the image.

Voting begins today, Friday December, and ends at 4pm on Friday December 9. The photo with the most “Likes” at the end of the week wins the contest.

The Crane Oscillating Tower Space Heater (EE-6353) is an oscillating ceramic space heater with 2 heat settings for maximum comfort. Stay warm during the winter months with this sleekly designed and well crafted ceramic heater.

(Please submit only one photo per contestant and also make sure you only post your own photos.)

Are you tired of looking at the cord spaghetti that grows out of your computer or entertainment center? Now you can hide that mess of cords and cables under your computer desk. With Command Cord Clips, there is a solution to this unsightly and ungainly tangled clutter.

These clips hold cables and cords firmly in place, allowing you to not only neatly organize your cords, but also hide them, too. Just stick them on the underside of your computer desk, for example, and your cords are neatly out of sight. Cord Clips stick to a wide variety of surfaces, and most importantly, they are easy to remove and leave no marks or stains if you ever need to take them down or move them.

Command Cord Clips are perfect for organizing your holiday lights, especially behind the Christmas tree. Whether you need to organize your cords along the ground, going up the wall to an outlet, or wherever, you can rest easy knowing that when the season is over you can safely remove the clips and there will be no sign of their use anywhere.

Use Cord Clips all over your home and office, wherever your cord spaghetti may grow.

Are you in a dilemma about what to do with those Christmas and Holiday greeting cards that you get? Why not make a collage with those cards using 3M Command Picture hanging strips on a door, wall or other available space in your home? Do you have some of your favorite digital photos from previous holidays or a winter scene that you can make into an artistic photographic display? You can frame and hang those photos using the Command Picture Hanging Strips. We offer 3 convenient sizes to choose from.

3M Command Picture Hanging Strips – Small
Set of 4
Works on many surfaces
Weight capacity: 1 pound
Picture locks securely in place
Sturdy enough to hold most 8″x10″ frames.

3M Command Picture Hanging Strips – Medium
Set of 3
Weight capacity: 3 pound
Sturdy enough to hold most 18″x24″ frames

3M Command Large Adhesive Mounting Strips
Contains a set of 6
Weight capacity: Up to 5 pounds

The decorating possibilities with the 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips are endless. You can use these hanging strips to display lightweight clocks, mirror, artwork or a dry erase board to your refrigerator. The 3M strips are ideal for using in your dorm room, office and home. These strips lock securely in place and can easily be removed without damaging your walls and other delicate surfaces.

So, what damage-free hanging solutions can you use the 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips for? Check out our selection of 3M Command products. Be creative and share your ideas with us. Happy Decorating!

        Are you ready for the holidays? With the season in full swing, it’s time to take down the ornaments, trees, lights, and other festive accessories from your attic and crawlspace. Many of you might be groaning at the thought of turning your home into a winter wonderland, but here’s a simple trick that will make it easier:  3M Command Sawtooth Picture Hangers.  These sawtooth picture hangers will allow you to hang your favorite holiday artwork without sacrificing your walls.

                The 3M Command Sawtooth Picture Hanger will eliminate the need for nails and screws- and therefore unsightly damage to your walls. Who wants unnecessary holes and scratches in the wall for a picture that will only hang for the holiday season? Each hanger will hold up to 5 pounds or frames up to 11” x 17” inches in size. This 3M picture hanger is perfect for frames and pictures with a Sawtooth backing. The Command hook can be easily removed and reused without damaging your walls and eliminates the need for tacks, nails, tape or screws.

                If you’re looking for a creative holiday idea for your home or apartment, consider making an eye-catching tree on your living room or dining room wall. Choose decorative papers, images, wrapping paper, holiday cards, photos and any other winter designs that inspire you. Then, put your artwork in frames of varying shapes, sizes and colors.  Play around with the frames on the floor, moving the frames into the shape of a Christmas tree. Use 3M Command Sawtooth Picture Hangers and you’ve made a beautiful holiday tree that doesn’t require sweeping up pine needles!

3M Medium Command Hooks

Decorating your home is a timeless tradition and a fun activity for the whole family. While adding decorations can be a little costly, there are ways to add flavor and decoration to your home without breaking the bank. 3M Command Hooks are an effective alternative that will add a personal touch to your home at a fraction of the cost.

3M Command Hooks come in several packages, including small hooks with strips, medium hooks with strips, and large hooks with strips. These hooks are ideal for mounting items without damaging the wall or paint and for hanging decorations around the house. You can also avoid hammering screws and nails into your wall, which can create unpleasant holes.

Command hooks are strong, effective, and affordable. Not to mention an economical alternative to costly decorations. You can evenly mount four hooks next to your door and use these hooks as a great place to hang your keys, jacket, or hat when you get home. And with the holiday season in effect, you can find creative ways to implement these hooks, such as using them to hang stockings, garland, and other Christmas decorations.

Your imagination’s the limit! These hooks will hang around for a long time.