The Filtered Files - Filters Fast

Dirty Air Might be Causing Your Nose Bleeds

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Dry air can cause nose bleeds.The Inside of your nose is made up of a sensitive membrane with many blood vessels susceptible to bleeding as a result of a medical condition, picking, and even dirty air. Nose bleeds worry people largely because it is difficult to look inside your nose to see where it is coming from and due to how much bloods comes out at once.

There are two types of nose bleeds: Anterior that occur at the front of the nose and make up more than 90% of nosebleeds; posterior which are less common and happen in the back of the nose. Anterior nose bleeds can usually be stopped by pinching the nose for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Posterior nose bleeds may require medical attention as they are likely the result of a medical condition.

According to Jennifer Villwock, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat surgeon at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University, to try and stop a nose bleed you should “gently pinch the part of your nose at the spot where it starts to become soft. (Just below your nasal bones.) This will apply pressure to the bleeding vessels inside your nostrils, which helps the blood clot faster. Then tilt your head slightly forward at your neck. This way, the blood that’s already in your nose will pour out through your nostrils rather than down your throat.”

If the bleeding does not stop seek medical attention immediately.

What Are Some Causes of Nose Bleeds?

Environment plays a big role when it comes to nose bleeds. Those of us who lament winter months because of dry air (this author included) and the increase in frequency of nose bleeds understands that dry air is our enemy!

Dry air does more than damages the sensitive membrane inside of our nose, it also invites bacteria and viruses to enter our blood stream. A big reason we are more likely to get sick in the winter is because dry air causes cracks and tears on our skin, lips, and inside of our nose. The surfaces of our body are like a giant protective shield, that when broken, allows anything to invade.

So it makes sense then that if we breath in dirty air we are exposing the insides of our noses and whatever break or tears are present to airborne contaminates that will make us sick. There are of course other factors such as allergies that may see us blowing our nose or sticking tissues inside that can result in bleeding. Additionally, medication, alcohol, or a deviated septum can result in a lot of red.

How Do I Prevent Nose Bleeds?

Filtersfast.com can’t tell you what medication you need to solve an allergy problem, or offer consult for a medical condition, but we can suggest a few products that at moisture to the air and remove dust, pollen, and smaller particles that can irritate your nose and contribute to making you sick.

The first thing you can do is make sure your air conditioning system filter does not need replaced. If you have not replaced your air filter in the past 3 months or it is currently clogged, it is time to install a replacement. Depending on the air filter MERV rating airborne particles such as dust, pollen, and bacteria will be taken out of the air. A higher MERV rating means more effective contaminate reduction. The downside is that a reduction to airflow and a slightly higher energy bill.

If you rather buy a MERV 8 or 11 filter you might consider purchasing a HEPA rated air purifier. HEPA filters are equivalent to MERV 13 filters and are very effective at reducing airborne bacteria. Keeping in mind that air purifiers are more useful for only a small section of your home depending on the size of the unit and how much air it can move on its own.

To prevent nosebleeds that result from dry air, you will want to shop humidifiers. You have several options when it comes to humidifiers, including:

  • Cool Mist
  • Warm Mist
  • and Whole House

During warmer summer months where air molecules are able to hold greater amount of moisture a cool mist humidifier may be ideal. Warm mist humidifier are more effective at outputting greater amounts of moisture in a shorter period of time which can make the air stuffy. Whole house humidifiers require installation with you air conditioning system but are the most effective way of controlling moisture levels throughout your home.

 

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Get Involved: Where to Recycle Water Filters

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recycle water filters and help the enviroment

When you swap expensive bottled water for water filters you are reducing your footprint on the environment and also saving money, but did you know you can also recycle water filters? Now what if we put on our best game show host voice and said: “But wait! There’s more!” Many companies have recycling initiatives that also offer discounts on future water filter purchases or credits toward charity.

Below we will detail a few of these initiatives so you too can get involved. When shipping used filters always remember to dry them out for 3 days, wrap them in a plastic bag, and ship them in the appropriate container. Some programs have rules about how many filters must be sent back at a time.

Remember, your local recycling service may not accept plastics. Don’t put used filters or other #5 plastics in bins if they can not be processed locally. If possible save filters and other plastics for as long as possible and use one of the below programs or take a short trip to the closest recycling center that accepts #5 plastics. The more you take a once means fewer trips and less pollution from your car.

Brita Recycling ProgramWaste-accept-Brita

Brita has partnered with TerraCycle to process and reuse 97% of pitchers, dispensers, bottles, faucet systems, filters, and filter packaging and material.

Go signup at Terracycle and print a free shipping label, box up your used filters, and send out the box. For every 2 pounds of Brita products you collect you receive 50 points that can be redeemed towards a charitable gift to the non-profit organization of your choice.

Whirlpool Recycling Program

Whirlpool and g2 revolution are working to give consumers the option of not having to throw out their used refrigerator water filters. Their recycle program is determined to see that as little material possible ends up in landfills. Like the Brita program above, Whirlpool and g2 revolution make it easy to recycle your old water filter, but there are a few difference. First, you will notice that the recycling kit is not free. Before returning your used filter you will need to purchase a Water Filter Recycling Kit for $8.99.

In exchange for the upfront cost of the used filter, you will receive a promo code for 20% plus free shipping on your next participating refrigerator water filter purchase. Try it for yourself over at their website.

Mavea Recycling Program

Mavea’s Take-Back and Recycle Program reuses as much of the used filter as possible to ensure nothing goes into a landfill. This program is free for consumers. Simply print the UPS form and put it on the package. There is a small stipulation that you must send 6 filters at a time.

Zero Water Recycling Program

Zero Water encourages customers to reduce their carbon footprint by filling out their recycling form and returning at least 2 Zero Water filters. In exchange for paying UPS shipping you will receive a coupon code worth $10 on ZeroWater.com.

Preserve Gimme 5 Recycling Program

Preserve is serious about recycling plastics. With bins around shopping center such as Whole Foods Markets, and a mailing program that offers reward points through Recylebank, recycling plastic is convenient and easy.

To find your local Preserve Gimme 5 drop off location, click here.

To mail in your filters, print the label, box up your filters and pay postage, then send them off. Don’t forget your name and email address so you can get  your code and start redeeming your earned points.

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Find the Air Filter Size You Need in 3 Steps

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The timely replacement of home filtration products is a lot easier when you know what air filter size you need. When it come time to make a purchase you will be presented so many different air filter dimensions that you might not feel confident finalizing your order. We don’t recommend relying only on gut feelings when it comes the correct air filter size you need and we don’t want you to feel uncertain in your buying decisions. Quite the opposite, at Filtersfast.com one of our main goals is to create a more informed customer. Really, it is right on the wall of our marketing department.

Filtersfast has a wall of cards that remind us to always put our customers first.

Filtersfast has a wall of cards that remind us to always put our customers first.

If the filter is too big you will have to send it back and that is more time you are keeping an old, clogged filter in operation. Never do this! When air flow is constricted 2 things happen. The first is your energy bill will start to look a little ridiculous as hot or cold air becomes trapped behind a wall of particles. The second is you will be running your air conditioning system for much longer because hot and cold air is not circulating properly. If the filter is too small you wind up with air gaps and contaminants just bypass the filter material.

So how do you go about choosing the right air filter dimensions when shopping for home filtration products? Below we outline 3 steps you can take to determine the air filter size your need  that will give you more confidence in your buying decision.

  1. Take it out and look for the air filter dimensions. First, turn off your air conditioning system. When you remove the filter it is easy to knock dirt loose. Depending on where your air filter is installed you will either suck the dirt into the air conditioning system or blow it out into the house. Now look for numbers printed on the filter. Some places don’t print dimensions on the filter or you might find they are faded. If that is the case try step 2.

  2. Take out your measuring tape and get the exact dimensions yourself. These are written as length x width x depth (for example: 18x20x1). Lay the filter flat on the ground and start by measuring top-to-bottom for length, left-to-right for width, and front-to-back for depth. You should have 3 numbers written in inches. Except there is a small hitch to make things more complicated. When shopping for air filters you will see the words ‘nominal dimensions’ and ‘actual dimensions’ together. In all likelihood your measurements are not a nice round number , so what should you buy?
    The reason for this difference is many air filters are not cut to an exact size. Normally we see air filters being around 1/8″ to 1/4″ smaller than advertised.  This guarantees that if your air conditioning system is designed for 18x20x1, if that number is off by even a little bit the the filter will still fit. Except we said earlier that air gaps aren’t good, so why would you want an undersized filter? This isn’t an issue for 2 reasons: If it was the exact size of your system you might damage the filter trying to install it because there would not be enough space; when air is pushing or pulling the air it will press up against the opening and create a seal. So go ahead and install your filter and we promise you will be happy with the results.

  3. If all else fails, refer to your air conditioning system product manual or contact the manufacturing directly with your system model number. They can help you figure out the exact specification of your unit.

If you bought from Filtersfast.com before you can access your account and reorder filters you already bought, or contact customer support and they can get you hooked up with everything you need to keep on schedule to make sure your air conditioning system is working at its best.

 

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