Water & Air – Filter Systems News

It’s time to start pinning. Send in a photo of your favorite filtersfast.com products to kory@filtersfast.com. It can be a picture of your favorite water filter, air filter, water filter bottle, water filter pitcher, air purifier, humidifier or dehumidifier. If it’s your favorite, just send in your photo and we will pin it to our Pinterest “Fan Favorite Board”. The photo with the most repins wins a $50 Visa gift card!

To Enter the Contest:

1.) Send in your photo of your favorite filtersfast.com products to kory@filtersfast.com and we will post the photo up to our Fan Favorite Board

2.) Get your friends to follow us on Pinterest and to repin your picture

3.) After your photo is posted, people will vote for their favorite photo by repinning your picture

4.) The Contest ends Friday May 18 at 3:00PM EST

5.) Products must be what filtersfast.com currently sells

6.) Only 1 entry person

7.) The winner of the contest will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card!!

8.)  THERE IS NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER

Voting and submission begins Friday May 4 and ends on Friday May 18. The photo with the most repins wins!

In the event of a tie, a winner will be randomly selected. The winner of the contest has one week to claim their prize.

The health benefits of water are numerous. From heart benefits to muscle and brain benefits, water is absolutely a must have for anybody. That is why for the month of April 2012 only, Filtrete and FiltersFast.com are making it easier for you to get just what you need. We are giving free shipping on great Filtrete products that not only look nice but will work to keep your health intact and your water tasting great.  Get free shipping on:

The 8 -Cup Filtrete Clear Water Filtration Pitcher provides clean, great-tasting water by utilizing fast flow filtration technology. This 3M Filtrete water pitcher fills up to 3 times faster than traditional filtering pitchers.

The 4-Bottle Filtrete Water Bottle Station allows you to filter and bottle your own water. Fill the Filtrete Water Station with water from your sink and the Fast Flow Filter reduces sediment, unpleasant taste and odor of chlorine from your water. In just seconds, this four bottle water filter system will fill your reusable water bottles with clean, filtered water. Also, for April 2012 only, you can receive a $5 mail-in rebate with the purchase of this fantastic product!

The 3M Filtrete Water Station Replacement Bottles will allow you to fill the four bottles that came with your Filtrete Water Station while keeping a couple in the fridge. Having extra water bottles on hand is helpful for families using the water station or for anyone who drinks a lot of water throughout the day and wants to always have a cold bottle ready. These bottles feature a leak-proof cap, which is designed to allow the cap to be strapped so you can take your bottles wherever you go.

The 3M Filtrete Fast Flow Replacement Water Filter is used in both the 3M Filtrete Water Station and the 3M Filtrete Water Pitcher.  The Fast Flow filter has a unique design that allows it to filter five times faster than traditional water pitcher filters. This filter reduces sediment and the taste and odor of chlorine.

Many of us sometimes forget that water gives us the most benefits when it is clean and clear from any impurities. Dirty water will do you no good, so it is important to drink filtered water that reduces the harmful contaminants that many of us consume every day without even knowing it. So do not wait and take advantage of this exciting offer today!

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.

Image Credit: www.bepreparedtostore.com

Every year, natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods, disrupt drinking water supplies and wastewater disposal systems. Still however, many people are ill-prepared to deal with this when the situation arises.  When it comes to emergency preparedness with your water supplies, you can never be too careful.

The most important thing you should remember is to only use water that has been properly disinfected for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth. You should also boil water. Boiling water will kill most disease-causing organisms that could be present. Boil the water for a minute, let it cool and store it in a clean container with a lid over it. It is also advised that you follow the advice from local officials, and to look for other sources of portable water in and around your home.

Here at Filters Fast, we know the dangers of drinking contaminated water, and the numerous health risks it poses. Below are great products that will keep your water safe and clean for consumption:

The Katadyn MyBottle Water Purifier is the only personal water bottle purification system on the entire water filter market that is registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  To use this water bottle purifier, fill the bottle with the water you want purified, insert the specially-designed Katadyn purification system, and drink from virtually any fresh water source.

The Katadyn Ceradyn Drip Water Filter System is a high performance, free standing gravity water filter system. It has a 2.6 gallon capacity for larger quantities of water and is especially useful for larger quantities of people. With this Katadyn filter you can drink safely from streams, rivers and lakes.

The Katadyn Black Combi Endurance Microfilter System is a personal pump action filter which uses a two stage filter composed of activated carbon and ceramic to remove micro-organisms and disease causing agents such as viruses, bacteria, spores, dirt and some chemicals. This Katadyn Combi filter comes with a bottle adaptor and a carrying bag along with a measuring gauge.

Every year, we celebrate World Water Day and American Red Cross Month in recognition of the importance of clean water and helping those in need of it. Let us all do our part to aid others and to make the world a better place.

Daylight Savings Time is approaching for those of us who live in the United States. We set our clocks one hour forward in the spring, which means that we set them back one hour on Sunday, November 6. Daylight Savings Time also happens to be the perfect opportunity to remember to change, replace, or inspect your air and water filters, which we previously discussed in our Energy Conserving Tips guide. Here are a few recommendations that will help improve the quality of your home and save you money on energy costs:

Replace your air furnace filters

Air filters should be replaced every 3-6 months depending on your indoor air quality and the conditions where you live. With the proper air filter you will be able to reduce airborne contaminants in your home, including dust, dirt, and various allergens.

We sell a complete line of air furnace filters that will provide you with the high indoor air quality you deserve. The Filters Fast Air & Furnace Filters Merv 11, 6-pack is a solid choice that is both economical and highly effective.

Replace your refrigerator filters

Refrigerator filters help deliver refreshingly clean, cold water to your home by removing chlorine and off tastes and odors. Several refrigerator filters will also be able to remove even more harmful contaminants, such as cysts, lead, mercury, pesticides and more. Refrigerator filters will also provide clean ice, so that the other drinks you serve will be free of off flavors.

Two popular choices are the Maytag Puriclean II UKF8001 Filter and the GE MWF SmartWater Filter, though your choice ultimately depends on which refrigerator water filter is most compatible with the refrigerator you have at home.

Replace your humidifier filter

A humidifier releases clean moisture throughout your home in order to relieve the symptoms associated with dry air. You and your family will breathe more comfortably and have relief from cough and cold symptoms, such as itchy throat and cough. Humidifier filters should be replaced regularly and Daylight Savings Time is a great reminder to do so. Our website lists our humidifier filters based on brand, so you can find out which filter best matches your humidifier.

Several popular choices include the Aprilaire 35 humidifier water panel evaporator and the Holmes HWF100 Humidifier Filter.

Upgrade your thermostat

In today’s day and age it’s a good idea to upgrade your old thermostat to a digital thermostat, which offers you more comfort and convenience, as well as total control over your home’s air quality. Recently we discussed how to install a digital thermostat, which is easier to do than you might imagine. A quality digital thermostat will have a menu and several control options for added versatility.

An excellent option is to upgrade to the Honeywell Vision PRO 8000 Thermostat or the Honeywell PRO 4000 Programmable Thermostat 1007.

While it’s tough to remember when exactly to change your air and water filters, try to view Daylight Savings Time as the best opportunity to maintain the best indoor air quality and water filtration in your home.

The sari is a traditional form of dress worn by women in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and several other countries. While you may not be familiar with the name, the style is quite recognizable. Saris are usually long and flowing, multi-colored, and draped around a woman’s waist and over her shoulder. While often the marker of ethnicity, tradition, or style, women of Bangladesh rely on their saris for even more: water filtration.

The New York Times, has recently begun a new series of special reports: “Small Fixes, a special section on low-cost innovations that can save thousands of lives.” In a recent report, the Times notes that women in rural Bangladesh often use their saris to filter sweetened drinks, often to get rid of leaves, bugs, and various other debris.

While filtering a beverage of leisure offers many advantages, ten years ago researchers from Maryland realized that this simple technique could form the base of a much larger operation to relieve a very serious health risk. They discovered that “four thicknesses of laundered sari fabric, with its loosened, roughened cotton fibers, will strain out most of the microscopic plankton in water. In water contaminated by cholera, enough bacilli are attached to plankton for the quantity of cholera in filtered water to drop by more than 99 percent.”

Bangladeshi women from more than 27 local villages implemented the plan while retrieving drinking water from local rivers and canals. They “were taught to cover the urns they used for fetching water with an old sari folded in four. Over the next 18 months the rate of cholera in these villages dropped by about 50 percent, compared with other villages — about the same effect as that achieved by a much more expensive nylon water filter.”

Several years later researchers returned to the village to see if the plan had been enforced. Areas that utilized some form of water filtration noticed a drop in cholera outbreaks; however, women from several villages admitted to using only one strip of sari for filtrating water rather than the recommended four. The researchers learned that while there are simple solutions for complex problems, the solutions must be met with some form of continual reinforcement to have any lasting effect.

It’s mid-August, which means that summer is nearly over and school is almost in session. For college students who live on campus the transition from the comfort of home to the dorm room can be quite difficult. The transition is also difficult for parents who have to make sure that their young scholars are prepared for life on their own. While it’s important to remember essentials like soap, toothpaste, towels, bed sheets, and clothes, here at Filters Fast we’ve compiled a list of back-to-school items that you may not have thought of or even anticipated.

1. Brita Pitcher “Slim Model” Water Filtration System

Students living in a dormitory on campus may not have continual access to water in the way they do at home. A Brita Pitcher allows you to fill up on water all at once and store it in your refrigerator. This “Slim Model” includes a pitcher with a filter to reduce lead, mercury, copper, and cadmium from water and is shaped to provide extra room in the fridge. Finding clean water is made simple with this pitcher filter that is affordably priced.

2. Brita Bottle Blue Water Purifier

In addition to ensuring that your children have clean water in their living spaces, be sure that they have a portable method of carrying water with them to classes. The Brita Water Bottle provides an option for filtering water on the go without sacrificing taste or portability. The bottle holds 24 ounces and can be refilled approximately 150 times before needing a filter replacement.

3. Klean Kanteen Bottles

Klean Kanteen water bottles are perfect for carrying water on the go, whether it’s on the way to class or for a camping trip. At Filters Fast we provide many different shapes and sizes for Klean Kanteen bottles which are BPA-free and made of food-grade stainless steel. They also feature attractive and durable designs in several color options.

4. Filtrete Water Station – Four Bottle Water Filter

The Filtrete Water Station provides the clean water of a filter and the portability of a water bottle. Simply fill the station with water from the sink and the station will filter that water into 4 reusable BPA-free water bottles that you can take anywhere. This water station provides drinking water that is both portable and clean. In addition, the filter and the bottles are easily replaced.

5. Whirlpool Refrigerator Deodorizer

If your children have a refrigerator it’s important to make sure that the food in the fridge stays fresh. The Whirlpool Refrigerator Deodorizer fits easily onto the shelf of the refrigerator and leads to fresher, longer lasting produce and fruit. It also absorbs strong food odors for your convenience.

6. TrueAir Plug Mount Odor Eliminator with Scent

Help your children maintain high indoor air quality in their dorm or apartment with this TrueAir Plug Mount Odor Eliminator. This air odor eliminator features a carbon filter that neutralizes and eliminates unpleasant odors while also freshening the air. This plug mount odor eliminator can be used in many different types of rooms and helps increase air quality.

7. TrueAir Room Odor Eliminator Air Cleaner

The TrueAir Room Odor Eliminator Air Cleaner is an air cleaner that keeps entire rooms smelling fresh and clean. This odor eliminator utilizes 3 carbon filters to trap and neutralize odors instead of simply masking them. Its compact size allows it to fit snugly in a small room in need of odor removal or air freshening. This odor removal tool has multiple applications, including kitchen, smoke, bathroom, and pet areas.

8. Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier – Drop Shape

In some areas air quality could be improved by having moister air. The Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier provides the additional moisture you need in this Drop Shape model that is both aesthetically pleasing and compact. The Crane humidifier provides relief for dry skin and the symptoms associated with coughs, colds, and the flu, and supplies indoor moisture for easier breathing and the relief of nasal congestion, dry cough, sinus irritation.

An ancient technique for purifying water may offer new hope for the over 1 billion people who have no access to clean drinking water.  The Moringa oleifera tree has been used for hundreds of years by people in Sudan to purify water, as well as for food.  The method has never been widely disseminated, but in 2010 a publication by Michael Lea revealed the Moringa tree’s properties.  According to Lea, when the seeds of this tree are crushed into powder and mixed with surface water, a reduction of bacteria by 90-99 percent can be achieved.

This news provides great hope for those living in areas where the tree is widely grown, including Africa, Central and South America, India, and Southeast Asia. In Ghana, the Moringa tree is grown on plantations, and its leaves are used for food and the seeds used as a spice. According to the UN site IRIN, the tree grows quickly and resists drought, and can be grown in many areas.  The seeds are soft and can be easily crushed, the IRIN site further states.  The fact that the tree is already widely grown, and the ease with which the seeds can be crushed, make this method ideal for those without other sources of water purification.

Kebreab Ghebremichael, a water purification expert with UNESCO, states that using the seeds of Moringa tree is probably best employed at a household level.  According to him, the seeds would pose problems with odor and taste if forced to sit for extended periods of time when used on a large scale basis.  He further states that this method would work better for surface water than with underground water, and that it is best used for emergencies and where other methods of water purification are not available.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a new water quality software to improve our drinking water systems and ensure the safety of our nation’s water supply. The software is named “Canary,” perhaps taken from the phrase “canary in a coalmine“; when one canary dies down below, miners are alerted to evacuate immediately.

The software works in conjunction with water quality sensors placed throughout the water supply that can detect a variety of biological and chemical contaminants like pesticides, metals and pathogens. When contamination is detected, a “Do Not Drink” alert can be issued.

Canary was piloted by the Greater Cincinnati Water Works utility in 2007. It is available worldwide and is currently being evaluated in four U.S. cities – New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco – as well as in Singapore.

This innovative software is certainly an achievement. However, it will still require the use of disinfecting chemicals like chlorine to rid water of harmful contaminants. These chemicals give water a bad taste and are toxic over time. The safety of your drinking water can be further improved with the use of a water filter system that effectively removes chlorine, pesticides, metals and other contaminants. And if a “Do Not Drink” alert is ever issued in your city, you may not have to heed the warning.

The World Cup may be over, but the people in various communities in Africa won’t stop playing soccer. This sport is an integral part of the daily lives of people in African villages. Atopia Research, a charitable design company, has taken this fact and created a concept that is very much needed in that part of the world: a soccer field that doubles as a rainwater catchment system.

How does it work? It’s simple. The idea is based on the fact that Africa gets plenty of rainfall but only during certain times of the year. The rain falls and the field acts as a catchment surface where the water collects and is drained through a semi-permeable membrane. Some of this water flows through an irrigation system and is used to water plants and eventually harvest crops, while the rest flows into a storage tank and is then filtered for drinking, cooking and bathing. The system can provide 1,000 people with water for a year and is built, using local, sustainable resources and materials to minimize cost and maximize impact.

This project, known as “PITCH: AFRICA” (which means “soccer field” outside of the U.S.), resembles the group of projects implemented by WASH United, a coalition of organizations, agencies, governments and football players from around the world whose mission is to promote clean water, sanitation and hygiene for people in the developing world (especially Africa). Both charities work by using something that is already integrated in African communities – a passion for soccer – to introduce a not-so-available, yet much needed resource – clean water – thereby naturally integrating this resource into their daily lives… a strategy that, in my opinion, has the potential to be highly effective.