Water & Air – Filter Systems News

Filters Fast MERV 11 Air and Furnace Filter

Air filters remove airborne allergens and pollutants such as dust, mold, pollen, pet dander and bacteria from your indoor air. There is a vast array of air filters with different levels of measurement for determining the concentration of different particle sizes, usually by weight or count. This measurement of performance for air filters is called Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (or a MERV rating). MERV ratings come from ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2: Method of Testing General Ventilation Air Cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size.

ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, accredits and ensures that the characteristics and performance of products are consistent with terms, definitions and testing of products. ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, develops standards for its members and other professionals involved with refrigeration processes and the maintenance and design of indoor environments.

 A MERV rating is based on three composite, average removal efficiency points for particles. Categories range from 1 (very low) to 16 (very high). The higher the rating, the more efficient your air filter will help to reduce indoor airborne allergens, pollutants and contaminants.

 MERV 1 to 4 filters provides minimal filtration. These filters have to be replaced quite frequently and are typically disposable fiberglass or synthetic panel filters within a cardboard frame. These filters capture up to 80% of airborne particles as small as 10 microns. MERV 5 to 8 filters are good for capturing dust and mold spores. These filters have to be replaced, depending on usage, every 3 months. MERV 8 replacement air filters  will reduce pollen, pet dander, dust and other contaminants as small as 3.0 microns.

 MERV 9 to 12 furnace air filters capture up to 95% of airborne particles and contaminants like pollen, dust mites and mold spores, as small as 1.0 microns. These filters come in a deep pleated, boxed media or bag filters, which are some of the most efficient filters used in homes and commercial buildings.

 MERV 13 to 16 air filters will trap up to 98% of airborne allergens and pollutants such as bacteria, tobacco smoke, cooking oil and droplet nuclei, as small as 0.3 microns. Filtration should be applied to process both return and outside air that is delivered as supply air.  Finding the best-rated air filter for your particular need or application will help to keep your air clean and fresh. Don’t forget to change your air filter as recommended and especially when you change your clocks to Standard Time or Daylight Savings Time.

Is the fall air making your child a restless sleeper? Oftentimes the dry air can lead to chapped lips, dry skin, cold symptoms and severe congestion that can easily disrupt sleep.  Rather than treating your child’s symptoms with cold and cough medicine, consider using a humidifier. A humidifier will increase the moisture in your child’s room, making it easy for him or her to breathe clearly. In particular, a cool mist humidifier will release fine droplets of cool mist into the air. To protect your child and keep him or her sleeping soundly, consider these fun, kid friendly humidifiers by Crane:

Crane EE-8189: The Crane Owl is my personal favorite! This sage owl will provide your kids with the cool, humidified air they need, while blending nicely into their room. This humidifier has a 2.1 gallon output of humidified air per day.

Crane EE-4139: The Crane Pig will help prevent flu, cold and cough symptoms. The EE-4139 features a 10 hour running time and is perfect for rooms up to 250 square feet in size.

Crane EE-4109: Hello Kitty enthusiasts will love this humidifier! The Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, Hello Kitty includes a night light and variable speeds.  The pink and white Hello Kitty humidifier is perfect for your little girl’s room!

Crane EE-5063: For  Sponge Bob lovers, old and young, the Sponge Bob humidifier is a great appliance. This humidifier will provide relief from sinus congestion and flu symptoms. The fun Sponge Bob design will look great in any room and it includes a night light.

Crane EE-3186: The Crane Elephant will alleviate cold and flu symptoms without the use of medicines. The blue and white elephant humidifier features an automatic shut off and water level indicator.

If Sponge Bob or Hello Kitty isn’t your thing, take a look at our other Crane humidifiers. Be sure to keep a clean humidifier tank with the use of the Humidiclean Humidifier Cleaner and Descaler. It is important to maintain the inside of your humidifiers tank as a dirty tank will lead to a build up that can be released into your homes air.

Image Credit: discoverbuenosaires.com

“Spring forward, fall back.” It’s a simple phrase we’ve used for years to remind ourselves about Daylight Savings Time, when we either advance our clocks forward and back. We moved our clocks one hour forward earlier this Spring, March 2^nd to be exact, and we will move our clocks one hour back this fall, on November 6^th. While it’s important to note November 6^th to make sure you’re in synch with the rest of the world, there is a major reason you may not have thought about yet: replacing your air and furnace filters.

The Northwest Natural Gas Company notes that many American choose Daylight Savings as the time to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors, but we should also replace our furnace filters too. NW Natural states:

 “This will save money and extend the life of your furnace. The easiest and least expensive way to ensure your furnace is running efficiently is to change the filter on a regular basis. For a relatively low cost you can rack up measurable savings on winter heating costs and avoid expensive repairs in the future. Plan to replace your filter every one to three months when the heater is in use. Homes with pets may benefit from replacing the filter more frequently. This is an excellent way to improve home air quality in a season when many more hours are spent indoors.”

Having trouble deciding which furnace filter to buy? Here are a few suggestions:

Filters Fast Air & Furnace Filters MERV 11, 6-pack

•  These are economical filter replacements sold in a variety of sizes. With a MERV 11 rating you can ensure that your indoor air is protected from dust, dirt, mold spores, and pet dander.

Filtrete Ultra Allergen Air Filter

•  A high-performing air filter that uses electrostatically charged fibers to attract airborne particles, such as pollen, mold spores, dust mite debris, smoke, pet dander, household dust, smog, bacteria, and virus carrying particles. Also, save $6 through a mail-in-rebate available on our site.

Trion Air Bear Media AC Filter

•  This pleated air filter features a MERV 8 rating. Trion Air Bear whole-house media AC filters are a practical choice due to the high-efficiency synthetic material used in their construction and their extended-surface pleats that provide for higher dirt-holding capacity. Efficient air conditioning filters can prolong the life of your equipment, and save you money.

With Fire Prevention Week starting on October 9^th, we thought it would be a good time to discuss the simple ways you can protect both your home and your loved ones. Oftentimes, fires in the home start as a result of poorly maintained electrical equipment and appliances such as dryers. With the dry fall air taking over the hot days of summer, take a look at this checklist and make sure your home is safe!

1)      Maintain Dryer Lint Filter Screens: Busy moms and dads often leave laundry in the dryer while at work or picking the kids up from school. However, it only takes an extra piece of lint to start a dryer fire. Be sure to have a lint filter screen for your dryer, and make sure that you clean it every time you use the dryer! Consider the Whirlpool 349639 Dryer Lint Filter Screen, which  fits numerous name brand dryers.

2)      Keep Fireplaces Clean and Maintained: Ensure that you have a spark screen or glass door for your fireplace. If you have furniture close to your fireplace, a spark can easily start a fire.

3)      Regularly Change Furnace Filters: In the long list of things to do, remembering to change your homes furnace filters regularly probably falls to the bottom of the list. However, a clogged air filter can lead to poor indoor air quality at best, and carbon monoxide poisoning and chance of fire at  worst. These filters should be changed every 3 months. To take the stress out of remembering, purchase a 6 pack of filters (which is enough for the whole year!) and sign up for a free reminder service from Filters Fast!

4)      Be Careful with Cigarettes: While you might not be able to prevent Uncle Jim from smoking when he visits, you can make sure that it won’t become harmful to your home. Be sure to have a designated smoking area and be sure to completely put out ALL cigarettes and frequently clean the ashtray.

If you are concerned about smell, consider the Holmes Smokeless Ashtray Smoke Grabber, which traps smoke from a lit cigarette before the smoke gets dispersed throughout your home!

These simple solutions will help protect your family from the dangers of fire. Of course, it is also crucial to keep batteries changed on smoke detectors and to have an escape plan in place should a fire occur. However,  something as easy as cleaning your dryer lint filter and your furnace filters regularly will guard your home, belongings, and family.

Remember: Fire Prevention Week is October 9th- 16th 2011!

Do you work in office building? Chances are that you do, and chances are that you suffer from poor indoor air quality. With allergens, pollen and mold spores making their way into your office building, it is important to learn the easy ways you can improve the air that you breathe for most of the day.

Indoor air quality has a significant effect on your ability to breathe clearly at work. Poor indoor air quality can increase your risk of illness and lead to serious health problems. Fixing and maintaining good office indoor air quality involves many factors, including, “Maintaining good indoor air quality requires attention to the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;” as the EPA outlined, it also includes, “the design and layout of the space; and pollutant source management.” (EPA.gov). Here are easy steps you and your office can take, to improve your office air quality:

1)      Do not block air vents: Make sure that your HVAC systems vents are clear from boxes or other materials to ensure that you are getting clean, filtered air throughout the entire office

2)      Be aware of furniture spacing: If possible, keep copiers, fax machines, desks and other office equipment away from the HVAC system.  This can restrict air flow and can also cause the HVAC to release too much cool air.

3)      Purchase air purifiers: If you did not take part in the planning of your building, chances are that there is not adequate ventilation in all areas. This will cause unpleasant smells in the air, which contributes to a poor indoor air quality. An air purifier will remove odors, particles, smoke, smog, and other contaminants from the air you and your coworkers breathe all day.

4)      Clean up water spills ASAP: spilled water and wet areas can lead to the growth of mold, mildew and other bacterial spores. This will get into the air that breathe and can cause health problems. If your office feels particularly “damp”, consider using a dehumidifier.

5)      Change filters regularly: If management doesn’t do so already, let them know the importance of changing air filters every 3 to 6 months. For ease, you can purchase a convenient 6 pack of air filters in whatever size you need that will last you the entire year!

With this fall promising to be one of the worst for allergies, it is important to do your best to create a healthy work environment. The 5 simple steps outlined above will keep your office air as clean as possible. This will prevent you from developing respiratory problems and help keep your allergies at bay.

Plant Powered Air Purification

For years we are often reminded that houseplants work as a natural purification system for our indoor air. They purify the air by filtering out carbon dioxide, pollutants and other airborne toxins, then replace these contaminants with oxygen. Research conducted by NASA revealed that some houseplants are more effective in filtering out toxins than others.

Andrea Naturally Purified Air Filter is an ecological plant-based air purification system that is the first award-winning air filter capable of absorbing toxic gases, such as formaldehyde from home and office environments through the natural absorptive and metabolic properties of living plants. French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and Harvard professor David Edward, invented this air purification system that transforms any type of household plant into an effective air filtration agent. The Best foliages to use would be Peace Lily, Spider Plant, Aloe Vera, Spath or Red-edged Dragon Tree.

Some of the functions of this plant Andrea filtration system includes:

Ozone-free operation

Low power consumption

There are no filters to replace

Cleans air locally and rapidly so that the system can be turned on or off throughout the day.

Transforms any household plant into an effective air cleaner for your office, dorm or home.

Absorbs and metabolizes toxic chemicals

Biochemically transforms waste

Courtesy of Andrea Air Filters

Household plants are sold separately. The Andrea Air Purification System employs active plant filtration and water, along with soil to provide a multistage system that cleanses your indoor air from harmful contaminants that can irritate and damage your lungs.

This plant filtration system is particularly effective  where air can become stagnate and harmful gases accumulate in high-use areas such as home offices, kitchens, bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, dorm rooms and family rooms. Its natural purification process draws air with a whisper-quiet fan and propels it through the leaves and root system of the plant. It then passes through water and soil filtration, then back into your room environment.

Sniffle, sniffle. If you couldn’t tell from my virtual stuffy nose, Friday is the first day of fall, meaning the beginning of a tough allergy season. As we’ve mentioned before, this season promises to be one of the worst allergy seasons yet . If you happen to live in a city with a high pollen count, or are very susceptible to allergens, be sure to have the correct protection you need for this upcoming fall season.

Humidifier systems will help significantly as they moisturize the dry air in your home. Dry air can cause sinus infections, colds, scratchy throats and even nose bleeds.  Humidified air will prevent cold viruses from thriving, as they prefer dry conditions. However, a humidifiers humid, wet air can also add bacteria and mold to your home if not maintained properly. Here are some of the most common humidifier filters, pads and wicks that will keep your humidifier running smoothly, and keep you out of the doctor and out playing in the cool fall air!

Humidifier Filters: Humidifier filters will keep your humidifier running at its best, and keep it free from mold and bacterial residue. Each humidifier, regardless of size, uses a filter to keep particles and contaminants inside of the humidifier and out of the air that you breathe. For example, the Universal Bemis West Bend 6” Humidifier Filter works with a 6” drum type humidifier.

The Holmes HWF75 is a humidifier filter that features the use of Arm and Hammer baking soda to naturally deodorize the air. This filter works with your Holmes and White Westinghouse model humidifier.

Humidifier Wick Filters:  Two pack humidifier wick filters will help you keep your humidifier running correctly. Many of these filters, such as the Vornado MD1-0002 come treated with an antimicrobial treatment that will prevent the growth of mold, fungus and bacteria.

Humidifier Cleaner:  Humidifier cleaner will help prevent the build-up of calcium and lime scale in your humidifiers tank. Humidiclean Humidifier Cleaner and Descaler will increase the life of your humidifier and can be used on both humidifiers and vaporizers.  The Holmes Bacteriostat Cleaner is made for your Cool Mist Humidifier and uses chlorides to clean your humidifier.

Carbon Pre-Filters:  Carbon pre-filters work with those air purifiers that use a three step filtration system within the cleaner. These filters will protect your HEPA filter from exposure to large air particles that will clog up the filter and humidifier.

These products will help your humidifier run at its best, keeping you and your house healthy. If you want to find the correct humidifier accessory for you, simply go to www.filtersfast.com and type in the filter or humidifier you use into the search bar!

Politicians and lay people alike both talk and argue about the effects of the environment on Americans. Clean air and clean living have become trendy issues in the past decade. Green homes, recycling, and hybrid cars are just a few of the ways that people can help make our air a little bit cleaner. With harsh effects of polluted air such asthma and other respiratory problems, it is now more important than ever to protect yourself against the dangerous effects of polluted air. One organization, the Clean Air Task Force, is doing just that.

The Clean Air Task Force is based out of Boston and was formed in 1996. Their primary goal is outlined as such: “To enact federal policy to reduce the pollutants from America’s coal-fired power plants that cause respiratory death and disease, smog, acid rain, and haze.” This group of researchers, advocates, and private sector contributors are working towards getting the American people to truly understand the negative health effects that coal and diesel emissions have.

For example, diesel trucks can pose a serious health risk to pedestrians as it is emitted at ground level. As the CATF explained, “Diesel exhaust is comprised of microscopic carbon soot particles that act to absorb metals and other toxic substances in the exhaust. When inhaled by humans, these tiny, toxic-laden particles cross the blood barrier from lungs into the bloodstream, delivering the toxics to internal organs and leading to inflammation and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases…”

Diesel exhaust leads to approximately 400,000 asthma attacks a year. To get an idea of how much diesel exhaust is released by a local school bus, check out these videos. The first shows an ordinary school bus, while the second is fitted with a diesel filter.

The diesel filter makes a huge difference in the amount of emissions released into the air. The same goes for your indoor air quality. As the CATF has shown us, air pollution is a serious problem and has significant health effects on Americans today. If you are concerned about pollutants and allergens in your home, it is important to equip your home with the proper filters. It is paramount that you change your HVAC filter regularly, and a higher MERV rating, the better. These filters will help to remove particles and mold spores, keeping them out of the air you breathe.

Another way to protect the air you breathe inside your home is to use an air purifier. These will assist in the removal of bacteria and germs that are found in your home, protecting you and your family from sickness. While solving the world’s pollution problems may be very far off, cleaning the air in your home is an inexpensive way for you and your family to stay healthy. While the CATF does their part, it is important that we do ours!

With fall just around the corner, I wanted to focus on a FRESH AIR charity for this Charity Tuesday. There is really nothing better than stepping out onto your front porch to breathe in the cool, clean, crisp air of fall. As the leaves begin to turn into beautiful reds, oranges and yellows, I would like to feature The Fresh Air Fund as Filter’s Fast Charity Tuesday pick. With many charities focused on providing fresh water to people around the world, it is refreshing to see a charity that understands the importance of fresh air. In particular, the Fresh Air Fund in New York City has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1 million inner city children since it began in 1877.

The Fresh Air Fund provides two different avenues for inner-city children to experience the country. For many children, this is their first time under America’s starry sky without the interruption of harsh city lights. Fresh Air Fund camps host 3,000 children between the ages of eight to 15 yearly. These camps are split up by age, special needs, and gender, allowing parents to choose the most suitable camp for their child. Many children who have never been outside of the city are able to experience swimming, milking a cow, cabin living and fishing among many other activities. There are also year-round day and weekend camping trips available.

The Fresh Air Fund also provides 5,000 children with the opportunity to spend two or more weeks with a host family in 13 Northeastern states through their Friendly Town Program.  Here, children from disadvantaged New York City communities have the opportunity to live in a small rural/suburban community.  Being a host family for the Fresh Air Family means that you are providing a child with the opportunity to experience life outside of the city and it is rewarding for both you and the child you are hosting!

The Fresh Air Fund is a nonprofit organization that is able to provide these great opportunities due to peoples generous donations. It is easy to make a tax-deductible donation in any amount on their secure website. If you understand the importance of clean fresh air, and outdoor activities for children, then The Fresh Air Fund is the charity for you.

*Speaking of fresh air, the Fall can bring unwanted air contaminants into your home, decreasing your homes indoor air quality. If you are concerned about the air quality inside your home, an air filter or air purifier will help significantly!

Water Purification Using Sun Power

Is it possible for the sun to provide the only source of power for a complete water purification system in a portable bag? Until now we would not give the idea much thought. But why not? We make “sun tea” where you put tea bags in a container of water and place the container outside in the sun to naturally brew the tea. So why not utilize the power of the sun to filter water?

Puralytics, a privately funded technology company located in Beaverton, Oregon is pioneering a new photochemical technology for water purification. They are building solutions to improve filtration for the global water challenges by combining the latest technological innovations with advanced engineering. The invention of the Solar Bag uses an effective and simple process for water purification.

The Puralytic Solar Bag has a backpack with handles that makes it easy to transport water to and from an available water source. Once the bag is filled with any water through the inlet debris filter, the bag is placed in the direct sunlight. It can either lie flat or hung from a tree or post. Once purified, the Solar Bag can be dispensed by a valve into a canteen or pot as required. By harnessing the power of the sun to purify water, the Puralytics Solar Bag will deliver clean drinking water that meets the World Health Organization (WHO) standards in remote areas.

The Solar Bag incorporates a 5 photochemical process that works synergistically to break down or remove harmful contaminants from the water:

Photocatalytic Oxidation: Previously unobtainable, selected wavelengths of UV light generate unprecedented levels of hydroxyl radicals without any chemical additives.

Photocatalytic Reduction: Reduces toxic species such as mercury, silver , arsenic, and chromium to more readily adsorbed materials.

Photolysis: Direct disassociation of contaminants by high intensity UV light, including atrazine, amoxicillin, DEET, and all estrogenic chemicals.

Photoadsorption: The catalyst strongly adsorbs heavy metals including mercury, lead, selenium, and arsenic, permanganate, and other compounds.

Photo Disinfection: Multiple wavelengths and high intensity UV disinfect pathogens more effectively than standard UV germicidal.

In remote areas, it is difficult to build a water well or some type of stationary water filtration system to provide clean drinking water to those who are not fortunate enough to have access to it. If there is not a way to accommodate these areas by constructing a water filtration system, then the Solar Bag is ideal for fulfilling a need with the latest technology. The process is environmentally sustainable and cost effective.