Water & Air – Filter Systems News

According to recent reports, an estimated one in five Americans suffers from allergy or asthma symptoms. Allergies now rank 5th in the US in chronic diseases, and an estimated 8% of the US now suffers from asthma symptoms. Many believe this increase in asthma and allergy sufferers can be traced back to poor air quality. The triggers that cause asthma attacks and allergy flare ups, most often live in the air you breathe. Without realizing it, you are breathing in toxic airborne pollutants, which come from smoke, pet dander, inadequate ventilation and more.  If you or someone you know suffers from asthma or allergies, there are prevention options to choose from.

The Austin Air HM405 Allergy Machine is a proven option for the prevention of asthma and allergies. According to Michael Domon, Sales Manager at The Austin Group:

“When we took part in a medical study, we were confident the results would confirm what we at Austin have known for many years. The study, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, monitored a group of 225 children over a 12 month period, to determine how the use of our air cleaners could help to reduce the number of unscheduled hospital visits. The results were clear, for the children using our air cleaners, the number of visits was reduced by a remarkable 18.5%.”

These results were made possible by the air purifiers’ ability to ease asthma and allergy symptoms by reducing smoke, germs, allergens and more. The Austin Air Allergy Machine features a 3 speed control and cleans rooms up to 1,500 square feet.

Rated as Consumers Digest Best Buy, the IQAir HealthPro Plus Room Air Purifier System is the #1 home air purifier on the market. Used in hospitals and homes across the country, this home air purifier provides a healthier home environment for those dealing with severe asthma and allergies. Weighing 35 pounds for easy mobility, the IQAir reduces 99.97% of particles, contaminates and pollutants. The correct replacement filters are also available to ensure optimum performance levels are maintained.

Easy to operate and control, the Crane Digital Germ Defense Humidifier, provides relief from airborne allergens in the home. Offering the choice of cool or warm mist, the Crane Digital Germ Defense was recently featured in our Working Moms Review as an excellent prevention option for the allergy sufferer.

Many allergens can become trapped in your carpet causing flare-ups for millions of Americans, so regularly vacuum all carpets in your home with the correct filters, bags and belts for your vacuum cleaner.  Regularly replace air filters in your HVAC unit to improve the air quality in your home. Air purifiers will also help to reduce pet dander and other airborne particles.

We have to breathe; we have to drink water. It’s what we have to do to stay alive. Just like food, air and water is essential to life. We stop breathing or ingesting water, we simply stop living. Sadly due to many factors, oftentimes the water we drink and the air we breathe is not safe. Millions around the world die from water-related illnesses each year. None of us want to put our health at risk by drinking contaminated water or breathing polluted air. Preferably we would rather drink clean, pure water and breathe clean, fresh air. Who wouldn’t? The 3M Filtrete series of air filters and water hydration stations offer a great way to get that fresh air and clean water that you’ve always wanted. Below are a few products that will get you on track to having cleaner air and water in your home:

The Filtrete Ultra Allergen Air Filter is one of the best-performing furnace filters on the market. This filter will remove pollen, mold spores, smoke, household dust, bacteria and virus carrying particles. The Filtrete Ultra Allergen Air Filter provides better airflow than the Micro Allergen filter with 15% lower resistance.

The Filtrete Water Station- Four Bottle Water Filter allows you to filter and bottle your own water.  Just fill the Filtrete Water Station with water from your sink, and the Fast Flow Filter reduces sediment and the taste and odor of chlorine from your water. There’s no need to buy costly bottled water, which often is nothing more than filtered tap water anyway. By using the Filtrete Water Station to bottle your own water, you’ll be saving yourself money and saving the environment from the many plastic water bottles that go unrecycled each year. Also, for the entire month of April, you will receive free shipping with the purchase of this Filtrete Water Station.

The 3M Filtrete Air Purifier-Ultra Quiet  captures 96% of pollen, mold spores, dust mites, dust, bacteria and virus carrying particles from your air. Designed for small rooms, this air purifier is perfect for offices, dorm rooms, nurseries, small bedrooms, or anywhere you want to purify the air without hearing it. This 3M Filtrete Air Purifier also bears the government-backed Energy Star symbol for energy efficiency, meaning it saves energy, saves money and saves the environment.

While many of us take it for granted there are many that do not have clean water to drink or clean air to breathe. In appreciation of World Water Day, let us not forget those who do not have access to clean water. Let’s chip in to do our part, to truly make clean air and clean water for all.

It’s time to spring forward! Daylight Savings Time begins March 11 and ends the first Sunday in November. So you know what that means right? It’s time to set those clocks ahead one hour, and lose that all too important hour of sleep. On March 11, the clocks are moved ahead one hour from 2am standard time to 3am daylight savings time (or DST). Interestingly, not all places in the U.S. will participate in Daylight Savings Time. Hawaii and parts of Arizona will not observe DST, while around the world, countries like China will also not participate.

This is also a good time to remind ourselves to do maintenance around the home. Changing batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are a must and can prevent some very serious situations down the road. Also remember to change filters, such as the filters in furnaces and HVAC systems, as well as water filters.

We have offered yearly maintenance suggestions in our November 3, November 1 and  October 24 blogs, but they bare repeating and remembering. Doing your yearly maintenance can save you a lot of time, money and heartache.   Filters Fast offers a wide selection of furnace filters and air conditioning filters for your home. We also offer water filters for your water purification system, refrigerator, and ice maker.

So as you are setting those clocks ahead, remember to put your maintenance on your “to-do list”. You’ll be glad you did.

The cleanliness of the air you breathe inside your home is very important. Indoor air pollution is one of the biggest, yet often overlooked problems in our society today.  Every day activities such as walking, vacuuming and dusting stir up millions of particulates in your home. These particulates often include pollen, dust mite, pet dander, mold spores, debris, bacteria, and even viruses. All of these airborne pollutants can cause serious and even detrimental effects on your immune system. Fortunately, there is a solution. Air cleaners have been proven to be very beneficial to your overall health. They reduce allergies, sinus problems, respiratory issues, and even have been shown to help you sleep better at night.

Whole house air purification systems are especially recommended for better air quality inside of your home. Although there are different types of whole house air purification systems, the Trion Duct Mount HE Plus 1400 can be especially useful. The Trion Duct Mount HE 1400 is recognized for having the strongest cabinets, most reliable power supplies and the sturdiest cells within the industry.

The Trion HE Plus 1400 is designed to mount to the duct work in your heating and cooling system. It allows recirculated air to pass through the cleaner and prevents airborne contaminants from being constantly recirculated throughout your home.  In addition, it captures 95% of airborne pollutants as small as 0.1 microns in size, and comes with a three year limited warranty.

Don’t let indoor air pollution be a problem in your home. Get the Trion HE Plus 1400 and ensure that you are indeed getting a breath of fresh air for you and your family.

Even though it’s mid-January it’s not too early to start thinking about the approaching allergy season. Whether you suffer from itchy eyes, sneezing, dry throat, or congestion, one possible solution is to change the air filters in your home. Normally we view outdoor air as the source of a lot of allergy or respiratory problems, but indoor air often has many contaminants that can negatively impact your health.

At Filters Fast, we sell several air filters that can prepare you for the upcoming allergy season:

The Filters Fast MERV 13 Return Grille Air Filter – 5″ is 5 inches thick and comes in several different sizes to match your home. This return grille air filter reduces dust, dirt, pet dander, mold spores, and bacteria, and at least 90% of all particles between 1 and 10 microns in size. Measuring 5 inches in depth, this air filter fits standard 1 inch size and then extends 4 inches into your return, resulting in higher quality filtration.

The Universal Room Air Conditioner Filter removes harmful airborne allergens from your indoor air, including pollen, mold spores, bacteria, dust mites, and pet dander. If you’re suffering from asthma, allergies, and/or respiratory problems, this room vent filter is an ideal choice for your home. This universal filter is cut-to-fit and easy to use around your home.

With new air filters from Filters Fast, you can be prepared for the coming allergy season!

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.

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!

We all use filters. Whether it’s a water,  furnace, refrigerator, oven, automotive or microwave filter, they are the key component to keeping our air and water clean and fresh.  More and more, state governments are increasing regulations on water and air quality in an attempt to keep citizens safe. This increased awareness has led manufacturers to create new and improved ways to produce filters. In particular, Bayer MaterialScience has partnered with BayOne Urethane Systems LLC to introduce innovative ways to produce the best in filtration materials.  As website azom.com reports, “Bayer has strengthened its technical leadership role in the filtration market by expanding its reach and leveraging a global materials supply chain to benefit customers.”

The polyurethane that Bayer manufactures can be used in either rigid or flexible functions, which is ideal for various filtration needs. For example, the Filbur FC-2370 Rainbow Dynamic pool filter uses thermally bonded polyurethane to ensure durability and consistent water flow. Many additional pool and spa filters use polyurethane technology to ensure a high quality, durable product.  Unlike other materials, polyurethane is lightweight, faster to manufacture, and uses much less environment harming resources  than other materials .  So, kudos to Bayer MaterialScience for working to create earth friendly materials for use in filter media.

Now-a-days people are more focused on buying gifts with a specific purpose in mind. Gone are the days of purchasing an impractical gift just for the sake of saying you gave someone a present. We understand what it’s like to streamline our household budgets, but at the same time we are savvier about giving gifts that will be remembered and appreciated for years to come. Filters Fast offers 10 functional and reasonably priced gift-giving suggestions to consider:

Water Filter Pitchers: This gift is ideal for college students or apartment dwellers who want filtered drinking water that is convenient, portable and reusable. See our selection of space-saving water filter pitchers available from Brita, Mavea, Pur, GE, Omnifilter and 3M Filtrete.

Klean Kanteen Wine Karafe: This 27 ounce wine carafe is made from BPA free, food-grade brushed stainless steel, wine enthusiast who wants to avoid taking a heavy wine bottle or decanter on a hike, carriage ride or picnic. that does not impart any unsavory flavors into your wine or other beverages. This gift is ideal for the wine enthusiast who wants to avoid taking a heavy wine bottle or decanter on a hike, carriage ride or picnic.

Sprite Baby Shower: The Sprite Baby Shower is the perfect gift for parents with infants. It features a small easy-to-hold handle and uses an adapter to attach to your kitchen sink faucet to easily bathe your infant. Replacement filters are available for continued use.

Fluval C3 Aquarium Power Filter System: This high performance system produces optimum aquarium filtration foryour tropical fish lover. The Fluval Aquarium Filtration System is designed for quick and easy maintenance with built-in features to remind you when components need to be cleaned or replaced.

Crane Animal Cool Mist Humidifiers: These ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers features assorted fun animal designs to choose from. Crane humidifiers will help a child breathe easier at night, while preventing dry skin and chapped lips triggered by dry indoor air.

Dog It and Cat It Fresh and Clear Water Fountains: Do not forget about your pampered pooch or feline this holiday season. The Fresh and Clear Water Fountains for cats and dogs, constantly recirculates water to provide a steady stream of cool, crisp and clean water for your pets. With a sleek modern design, this fountain can help to prevent recurrent kidney or urinary tract infections in your pets.

Plane Clean Air Filter: The Plane Clean Air Filter is just the thing for the frequent flyer in your family. This airplane air filter is designed to help you breathe easier while you fly. It easily attaches to the overhead nozzle in most planes and helps to remove approximately 99.5% of bacteria and viruses from the air stream.

Watersafe Science Project Kit: This gift is great for your science aficionado. This test kit compares water quality and is easy for elementary students to use, yet scientifically sophisticated enough for high school experiments or projects. Available in a 4-pack or 10-pack value set.

Klean Kanteen Sippy Cup: Kids can now enjoy their favorite drink from an environmentally safe, stylish and BPA-free water bottle. This 12-ounce water bottle can easily provide a cool drink for younger kids and comes in a marine blue or pastel pink finish.

Katadyn MyBottle Water Purifier: This gift is perfect for the hiker, camper or outdoor enthusiast. The Katadyn advanced water bottle filtration system can be used with untreated fresh water sources such as lakes, rivers and streams. This water bottle purifier includes the technology of a microbial purification filter cartridge and is ideal for emergency and natural disaster situations.