Water & Air – Filter Systems News

A recent study by Ohio State researchers has concluded that air pollution may be one of the causes of obesity. A few months ago, we wrote about the link between soot and diabetes; Since obesity often leads to diabetes, this finding comes as no surprise.

The study found that young mice exposed to air pollution had higher blood sugar levels, larger fat cells, and more fat cells in their abdominal area than a control group of young mice on the same diet, who were not exposed to air pollution. Inflammation and changes in fat cells both increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Even more frightening is the finding that air pollution may also increase the risk of autism…

At first glance, the results of this study seem to discount personal responsibility as a factor. After all, we can try to eat healthy and exercise, but if air pollution turns out to be the main culprit, then in the end, there’s not much we can do, right?

Wrong.

The majority of Americans spend most of their time indoors. Protecting the air you breathe starts in the home and office environments. You can help fight obesity by eating healthy, exercising, and changing your AC filters regularly. Make sure you use high-efficiency furnace filters to capture those really small particles circulating through your HVAC system. The best place to buy air filters? Why, Filters Fast, of course.

If you suffer from asthma and allergies, you may be more sensitive to the irritation caused by Christmas trees and holiday decorations this year. Trees have been known to trigger allergies for several reasons. Some people are allergic to a substance in evergreen sap that is released when the branches or trunk are cut. Trees may also carry mold or pollen on their branches. Moreover, artificial trees will collect dust in the time leading up to Christmas, unless stored in airtight containers.

One article suggests several ways to ensure your holiday is allergy-free. Make sure all holiday decorations are cleaned outside before bringing them into indoor living areas, as air quality is often worse indoors. In addition, cleaning regularly can help you avoid breathing in air contaminants. Consider a HEPA vacuum filter, as these are most efficient, and make sure to change your air filters after your decorations go up!

Christmas is only a week away, and you don’t want to be coughing, wheezing, and sneezing when it’s time to open up your gifts.

Speaking of gifts, check out our top picks for unique Christmas gift ideas that you can buy online. If someone in your household is suffering from bad indoor air, FiltersFast.com just might be your one-stop shopping place this holiday season!

The Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifier was recently rated a Consumer Reports 'Best Buy'!

If you suffer from allergies or asthma, an air purifier just might be your ticket to a healthier home. Many people don’t realize just how crucial indoor air quality is to respiratory health. Contaminants like pollen, dust, ragweed, airborne viruses and bacteria contribute significantly to lung illnesses. If you’re not sure whether or not you need an air purifier, our Home Indoor Air Quality Quiz may help you get a better idea. If you’re in the market for an air purifier, you’ve come to the right place. These four air purifier filters happen to be at or near the top of the Consumer Reports list of recommended room air purifiers:

1. Whirlpool AP51030K Air Purifier

The Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifier for Large Rooms (up to 500 square feet) was recently awarded a Consumer Reports Best Buy, receiving high marks for the removal of allergens such as dust, pollen and smoke on its highest setting. This lightweight HEPA air purifer captures 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and is one of the quietest air purifiers on the market. With four fan speed settings, you can customize the speed, sound and filtration levels to suit your needs. This purifier also has two separate filter change indicator lights that let you know when it’s time to replace the HEPA filter and the pre-carbon filter. The filter life is approximately six months to one year.

The Whirlpool Whispure 510 is one of several Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifiers available at Filters Fast. It is an upgraded version of the Whirlpool Whispure 450 for Large Rooms, featuring a few new settings, including an additional fan speed, a touch pad control panel, and a sleep mode setting for better energy efficiency at night. For medium-sized rooms, we also carry the Whirlpool Whispure 250. For the price, this line of air purifiers is hard to beat!

2. BlueAir 503 HEPASilent Air Purifier

Rated fourth on the list of Consumer Reports recommended air purifiers, the BlueAir 503 also receives high marks for the removal of many particles including dust, pollen and smoke on its high setting. At it’s lowest setting, this air purifier is also one of the quietest on the market. Using three combination HEPASilent particle air filters, it combines both mechanical and electrostatic filtration technology to thoroughly capture 99.97 percent of airborne particles down to the 0.1 micron level at a quicker rate and with less noise than other comparable models. This purifier features four fan speed settings and an air filter replacement indicator, with each filter lasting approximately 6 months. The BlueAir 503 is designed to work in medium to large rooms of up to 580 square feet.

3. BlueAir 650E HEPASilent Air Purifier

The BlueAir 650E is rated just underneath the BlueAir 503 HEPASilent purifier. It has similar features, but is made to work in larger rooms of up to 700 square feet.

4. 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean Air Purifier

The 3M Filtrete Ultra Clean comes in two sizes, the FAP02-RS for small rooms of up to 160 square feet, and the FAP03-RS for larger rooms of up to 360 square feet. Filters Fast carries the smaller version of this air purifier. Even more effective than a HEPA unit, this model captures up to 99.9 percent of airborne particles. Consumer reports gives it high marks for the removal of contaminants such as dust, pollen and smoke on its high setting. The Filtrete Ultra Clean also features a filter change indicator that lets you know when it’s time to replace the filter.

Order your air purifier from Filters Fast today and receive our low shipping rate of $1.99 on any orders over $99!

Halloween isn’t the only thing to celebrate this month. October is National Indoor Air Quality Month, and several states, including North Dakota, Michigan and Montana are celebrating by spreading the word about the dangers of harmful indoor (and outdoor) air contaminants.

Seasonal changes often result in higher incidences of allergy problems and illnesses. Pollen is prevalent in the spring and fall opens the door to ragweed. Asthma, often caused by air pollution, is a growing epidemic among children and adults, resulting in missed school and work days, along with emergency room visits, and in extreme cases, even death. Indoor air pollution deserves way more attention than it currently receives. Though many people are aware of air contaminants such as mold, tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide, they may not be fully aware of just how dangerous these allergens can be. It is important to raise awareness and educate others on how they can avoid the problems caused by air pollution.

Here are some tips to help you improve the indoor air quality in your home:

1. Take our Indoor Air Quality Quiz to find out how dangerous your home environment is.

2. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand tobacco smoke.

3. Regularly change the A/C filters and microwave and hood range filters in your home.  Air filters with a higher MERV rating are more efficient at removing microscopic particles. You may also want to purchase an air purifier.

4. Use a HEPA vacuum cleaner and change the HEPA filter regularly.

5. Clean furniture regularly (more if you have pets in your home). Use non-toxic household cleaning products. Use hypoallergenic bedding.

Like any other national holiday, the  month of October is a time for recognition and remembrance – specifically the recognition of the importance of clean air. Join the observance and celebrate by spreading the word and sharing this post.

Without the proper precaution, schools can be a breeding ground for illness among the millions of children that attend each year.  It is perhaps with this in mind that Greenguard Environmental Institute recently launched an interactive school indoor air quality tour on its website. The tour takes place inside a graphic representation of a school with cartoon-esque teacher and student figures. There are three discussion topics: “IAQ Impacts Health”; “Maximize Fresh Air”; and “Create a Healthier School”. Clicking on each topic takes you to a screen with plus-sign markers located on different areas of the school room shown. Each marker provides a unique fact about school indoor air quality, as it relates to that particular topic. According to the information provided in the tour, indoor air pollution  affects the health of students in various ways: it leads to higher rates of asthma and health problems which increases absenteeism and productivity and lowers teacher retention.

Higher indoor air quality standards must be in place to ensure the success of students and teachers. The tour suggests several ways to minimize indoor air pollutants in schools, including opening windows to increase ventilation and natural light (both of which increase productivity), using air filters with the highest MERV rating available for the school’s HVAC system, and maintaining proper humidity levels. In addition to several discussion topics, the tour also features a quiz on minimizing pollutants.

Children spend the majority of their days in school, but home indoor air quality is equally important. Take our Home IAQ quiz to further ensure the safety of your indoor environment.

Apparently your drinking water is not the only substance that could induce a sex change. Endocrine disrupting chemicals, (EDC’s) also labeled “gender-benders,” have also been found in the air you breathe.

Endocrine disruptors are found in many everyday products, such as detergents, carpets, furniture, electronic equipment, pesticides and building materials.  EDC’s are more concentrated indoors than outdoors, according to a recent study. These chemicals affect indoor air quality, and long term exposure may cause “adverse health effects.”

(Considering that some species of fish exposed to atrazine, a common EDC, have been found with both male and female sex organs – I think “adverse health effects” might be somewhat of an understatement…)

Researchers suggest that concerned people limit their exposure to these compounds by using fewer of the products that contain them. And, of course, we at Filters Fast believe that investing in a high quality, HEPA air purifier couldn’t hurt.

A new carpet from DESSO – an international carpet manufacturer – is appropriately named “AirMaster” for its ability to clean indoor air. This is especially beneficial to chronic allergy and asthma sufferers. With most people these days spending the majority of their time indoors, good indoor air quality is essential to good health.

In general, carpets can act as air filters by trapping particles that, when breathed, can enter the lungs and eventually get into the bloodstream causing a host of health problems.  AirMaster carpet reduces the amount of particulates in the air and is eight times more effective than hard flooring and four times better than standard carpeting. It releases 80 percent of particulates when vacuumed, making it better able to restore its dust-trapping capability than standard carpets or hard floors. This carpet will primarily be aimed at public buildings, such as offices, hospitals and schools, where there is a lot of human traffic, as feet stir up dust from the floor.

When it comes to building, what does “green” really mean?

According to a recent report from Connecticut-based Environment and Human Health Inc. (EHHI), LEED standards are being adopted by many levels of government as law but are not sufficient to protect human health. The LEED rating system was developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) – a trade association for the building industry. According to the EHHI report, there is no federal regulation standard for what makes a building “green” and the USGBC has little expertise in environmental health.

LEED standards place an emphasis on energy efficiency (35 possible points) over indoor air quality and its effects on health (8 possible points). Since LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,” this comes as no surprise. Regardless, people should know what they are really getting with a LEED certification, and according to EHHI, it’s not a healthier indoor environment.

In order to increase energy efficiency and lessen negative environmental impact, buildings are being constructed in such a way as to decrease the flow of air between the inside and outside. Tighter buildings increase human exposure to harmful chemicals and contaminants that become concentrated indoors over time. Building materials, furnishings and cleaning products often contain toxic chemicals, as LEED standards do not require otherwise. These chemicals are released into indoor environments and may be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin. LEED also neglects drinking water quality. Pesticides may be used in buildings and on grounds, with no regard to groundwater contamination.

Green building is a growing trend, and many commercial and residential environments are jumping on board the eco-friendly train. However, since humans today spend most of their time indoors, indoor air quality is just as important as energy efficiency, and any green lifestyle should have human health as a top priority. Your home or office building may be LEED certified, but is it truly “green”? Take our IAQ quiz and find out!

Oreo - the first certified Mold Dog in the Northeast

Dogs have been trained for years to sniff out dangerous things like drugs and bombs. Now, they’re trained to sniff out mold (which is almost as dangerous).

Mold not only produces unpleasant odors; it also gives off gases containing carcinogens such as benzene and other chemicals that cause an array of health problems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By the time the odors are detected by the human nose, the problems have escalated beyond repair.

Moisture causes mold growth which is often hidden and difficult to detect, especially in modern construction. Air sampling is the traditional method for detecting mold, but this method is flawed for several reasons. Even if the test detects a high mold spore count, another inspection is often needed to locate the source, and this can be invasive and require cutting holes into walls. Some mold spores do not become airborne or stay aloft easily, which can lead to inaccurate test results. Though spores can’t penetrate walls, the gases they give off can, and are easily detected by dogs that have been specially trained to sniff them out.

1-800-GOT-MOLD offers a mold detection service using specially-trained, mold-sniffing dogs. Once they find out where the mold is hiding, they see to it that a remediation contractor removes the problem.

Mold exists everywhere. Though not all homes have serious mold problems, it is safe to say that some mold probably exists somewhere inside – under the kitchen sink, behind the bathtub, or anywhere where moisture is contained. When surfaces containing mold spores are disturbed, the spores can get into the air and cause mild allergies or respiratory problems. To help prevent the development of a larger problem that would require the use of dogs to detect, it is a good idea to regularly change the air filters in your home. Like the folks at 1-800-GOT-MOLD say: “It just makes scents.”

Indoor air quality not only affects your health. It can also greatly affect the appearance of your home. In a rare phenomenon known as “ghosting,” fine particles of soot collect on parts of walls that are cooler in temperature and have a high electrostatic attraction, causing darkening and discoloration in certain areas. This may also occur on ceilings and carpets.

Though much of this is attributed to low air pressure due to your home’s construction, some of the problem may be reduced or eliminated through the regulation and maintenance of your indoor air. Since ghosting is caused by soot particles, the natural solution is to eliminate the source of soot.  Soot often comes from fireplaces, furnaces, candles and fuel-burning fixtures that are not well-vented. Cleaning and replacing your furnace filters regularly can help prevent the accumulation of soot particles within the home.

Filters Fast carries several electrostatic air filters that remove soot, smoke and other odor-carrying particles from the air that flows through them. Like the cooler parts of your walls, these filters carry an electrostatic charge that attracts many particles, which stick to the air filters making them dirty. Unlike your walls, carpets and ceilings, air filters are easily replaceable, affordable, and hidden where no one can see them. Sounds like a worthwhile investment, right?