Archive for the ‘Electronics’ Category

Air purifiers have been proven to be a valuable appliance to any home. A long time has passed since they were once considered "novelty" appliances that were often found in Shaper Image catalogues. The Environmental Protection Agency and its Science Advisory Board have labeled the quality of the air we breathe inside a top five environmental risk to public health. These toxins can include carbon monoxide from poorly vented furnaces and dangerous mold and bacteria from unchecked and undiscovered mold growth. Air purifiers can protect from all these potential dangers and more, but it is important to know what kind of air purifier works for you. There are home, room, commercial, allergy and asthma, pet, smoke, HEPA, ionic, ozone and even green air purifiers. There is plenty of cross over between catagories making searching and purchasing the correct one very confusing. Green air purifiers however offer plenty of features to help you and the environment.

Green Air Purifiers

The phrase green refers products that have been developed specifically to aid you and the environment. They are often made of non-toxic materials, have greatly reduced energy usage and do little to no damage to the environment surrounding them. Green Air Purifiers are designed to encompass all of these features yet they give an added benefit of being green. They purifier the air, something that as the EPA pointed out should be constantly kept clean, for you, your family's and the planet's health.

HEPA Filters are a great way to determine if you are getting the most out of you're your green air purifier. While not necessarily a requirement, HEPA filters are well known for the positive effects. They have the ability to eliminate 99.97% of dust,dander, debris, airborne bacteria, mold spores allergens and other harmful entities all the way down to 0.3 micron level. After a thorough cleaning like that you know you will be breathing cleaner air.

Another good way to rate how green an air purifier is to try to locate an Energy Star seal. Energy Star is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. They rate how well a product works through its energy consumption. The Energy Star seal ensures that you will see a noticeable reduction in your energy bill. But outside of Energy Star seals and HEPA filters how do you know which Green Air Purifier is great for you? Our staff has tested, researched and reviewed green air purifiers and have come up with some suggestions.

The Blueair ECO10 Room Air Purifier with HEPASilent Technology

The Blueair ECO10 room air purifier is a great green appliance. It uses up to 95% less energy then other air purifiers in its class. Even when running on high speed it uses just 10 watts of power, giving you maximum output with minimal energy. As a testament to its efficiency it has been given the Energy Star seal. It can cover 298 square feet easily and runs near silently at only 49 decibels at its maximum output. It features durable construction with galvanized steel housing and a long lasting ultra efficient EC fan motor. Its Swedish design has accumulated numerous awards.

All of these benefits are not to be outdone by the ECO10's filtration power. It does contain a HEPA filter making the air very pure. It is especially effective at filtering smoke, dust and pollen scoring high CADR ratings across the board. It sports multiple purification technology: a 3-stage progressive filter, ionizer and carbon. Its filter service life lasts for a year so you ar not constantly worring about cleaning or replacing the filter like you do on other models. The Blueair ECO10 is an all around great air purifier and exemplifies what a green product should be.

Before you go out and spend your hard-earned cash on an air purifier or indoor air cleaner you wanna make sure you check for several different components. You want to make sure that the efficiency level is high. HEPA filters are generally considered to be the highest grade filters in the air cleaning industry at large (i.e. including vacuums, air vents, etc) so you want to make certain that you get this designation which sets the bar for all others.

New advancements are being marketed every time, some of them are worth a look at, while others are a rehash of an existing technology with the use of clever marketing and promotions.

Generally speaking there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to air purifiers. You need to decide up front which factors in the air environment your office or home needs the most help with in terms of cleaning. For instance if cigarette smoke is becoming a great origin of irritation in your household you need to get something that will help reduce the amount of smoke caused by cigarettes and from cooking smoke.

If bacteria is a problem than you usually want a to go with the ultraviolet solution which will usually get rid of a good majority of the bacteria in the air. Be sure to read the latest articles on this and any other type of air purifiers to make sure that they are secure and have been proven to work productively for your needs.

Air purifiers are essential if you want to improve your indoor air quality. Residential air cleaners were first introduced in 1963, by Klaus Hammes. Since that time, there have been numerous improvements in their design and functionality. Today we have home, car, ionic, hepa, ozone, and personal air purifiers. Each has its own set of benefits and features.

Air cleaners are used to remove a wide variety of pollutants and contaminants from the air that we breathe. They are especially helpful to people who suffer from allergies or asthma, although each and every individual will benefit from breathing clean air whether or not they have any breathing disabilities. Air purifiers are designed to remove everything from acetone to ammonia, vinyl chloride to xylene, and pollen to dust mites.

Ionic air purifiers work by sending out billions of ions (electrically charged particles) into a room. Because of their electrical charge, these particles attach themselves to the pollutants in the air. The charged particles then return to the air purifier and are collected there, along with the pollutant that is attached to the ion.

Hepa air purifiers work on the principle of filtration. Hepa stands for "high efficiency particulate absorbing" or "high efficiency particulate arrestance". This type of air filtration removes over 99% of dust, mold, pollen, bacteria and other airborne particles. Hepa was initially a registered trademark, and today has evolved into a generic term for highly efficient filters. Most people wrongly assume that hepa filters work very similar to a sieve, whereby particles smaller than the smallest opening in the filter are allowed to pass through the filter. This is incorrect. Hepa air purifiers work on three different principles of physics. These are interception, impaction, and diffusion. The net result is that particles far smaller than the openings in the filter are trapped and removed from the air.

When the term ozone air purifier is used, it is generally describing an air cleaner that creates ozone to disinfect the air or items within a room. However, ionic air purifiers produce ozone as a by-product of creating and releasing ions into the air. While ozone is a very effective disinfectant, it is also considered to be a pollutant as it has harmful effects on lung function.

Ozone was discovered in 1840 by Christian Friedrich Schonbein. It has 3 atoms per molecule rather than the two found in oxygen. Ozone air purifiers create ozone which, when generated, seeps into crevices, carpets, drapes, furniture, and under beds where normal air currents are typically non-existent. When the extra oxygen atom splits off from the molecule, the disinfectant power is unleashed. These singular oxygen atoms quickly destroy bacteria, mold, and mildew. Laboratory test have shown that ozone kills E. coli bacteria over 3,000 times faster than chlorine, a very popular and widely-used disinfectant. Because of its traits and how ozone works, ozone air purifiers are ideal for removing odors caused by fire and flood damage. Ozone are purifiers are so effective that major hotel chains use them to convert smoking rooms into non-smoking rooms. Remember, though, that ozone bothers human lung function. Ozone air purifiers are primarily used to sanitize while humans are not present.

When choosing an air cleaner, you need to consider what your largest concern with air quality is. Is it odor and bacteria from your pets? Is it pollen or mold? Or is it to rid the air of second-hand smoke. Deciding what type of pollutant is your greatest concern is the first step in choosing the right type of air purifier.

Here we will review the top ten purifiers based on recommendations from Consumer Reports and other websites that perform a comprehensive tests and present them to consumers. So according to our analysis the top ten air purifiers are:

1. IQAir Health Pro. This air purifier which tops our top ten air purifiers list received the highest rating at Air-Purifiers-America.com and in other reviews. It can filter down to 0.1 micron level size particulates and performs very well on high speed but is a bit noisy. IQAir Health Pro uses hyper HEPA technology and can clean up to a 1,000 square foot room. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority used this purifier during the SARS outbreak. A more expensive unit is the IQAir Health Pro Plus which additionally removes odors.

2. Blueair 601. According to the 2007 Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) Directory of Certified Room Air Cleaners, the Blueair 601 is included in our top ten air purifiers has the fourth-highest clean air delivery rate (CADR) among 40 brands for dust, pollen and smoke removal. It can clean up to a 679 square foot room and has a 10-year warranty. It uses a combination of ionization and HEPA-like filters. Some reviews say that in using this combination technology, Blueair captures a higher percentage of allergens without releasing ozone into the air, like other electrostatic models.

3. Alen A375UV. This is considered the most advanced model under the Alen brand with HEPA filtration, 2 UV lamps for bacterial control, permanent titanium dioxide filter for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and activated carbon for light odor removal. It is good for use up to 400 square feet.

4. Alen A350. This item was found to be quieter than IQAir Health and can clean from 400 square feet up to 800 square feet. Alen A350 contains one filter catridge that contains the HEPA filter, carbon filter and pre-filter all in one. So the replacement filter costs are less and it costs half as much as Blueair or AlenA375UV.

5. Eco-Rx Master Series RX400. Most reviewers prefer HEPA air purifiers over UV models but Eco-Rx can be comparable to IQAir Health Pro and Blueair models using a different technology. The sealed chamber of the Eco-Rx ensures that incoming air remains in the unit long enough to be decontaminated. It also has a safety shutoff feature to minimize the risk of accidental UV exposure. It covers up to 500 square feet. Like other UV-only purifiers, this model is effective only against biological contaminants.

6. AllerAir. This brand uses five stages of filtration and includes high grade activated carbon for chemical and gas control. AllerAir uses HEPA technology and can remove allergens, odors and cigarette smoke.

7. Austin Air Healthmate. Removes dust, pollen and odors in large rooms. Its pre-filters are washable and can be vacuumed. It employs true HEPA filter and controls mold spores, pollen, pet dander, light tobacco smoke and dust mites.

8. Whirlpool Whispure AP45030S. This model has a pre-filter for odors, a filter change indicator and push button controls. It can clean up to a 500 square foot area. The filter replacement cost can add up the cost though. Its pre-filter has to be replaced every three months and the HEPA filter should be replaced every year.

9. Honeywell Enviracaire 50250. This is one of the least expensive air purifiers to receive good reviews. Honeywell Enviracaire is a circular air purifier that has a pre-filter for odors and a HEPA filter to trap allergens. It is designed for rooms up to 375 square feet. This is a cheaper item than other purifiers but is also noisier.

10. Hamilton Beach TrueAir 04161. This air purifier has a HEPA filter, a carbon pre-filter and UV germicidal light. It can cover up to 200 square feet. The carbon pre-filter absorbs odor and the UV light kills bacteria. It works together with the HEPA filtration to be more effective and has a filter indicator.

Looking for the best air purifier at a price you can afford? You'll want to start your search by considering options from leading makers of air filters and purifiers, including Oreck, Honeywell, General Electric, Holmes, Hunter and Bionaire. A good purifier doesn't have to break the bank, either - reliable models are available for under $100.

Why buy an air purifier, anyway? First and foremost, for your health! A good purifier can remove contaminants in the air that could otherwise lead to some serious health problems and medical bills. For asthmatics and allergy sufferers, air purifiers are one of the best ways to reduce exposure to materials that could bring on an allergy or asthma attack, such as pet dander, dust, plant pollen, spores from mold, and other indoor allergens. The alternative is extensive and frequent housecleaning, which can be an exhausting and difficult regimen to maintain.

Air purifiers also remove second-hand smoke from the air, creating a safer atmosphere for non-smokers who share a household with smokers. This is especially important for children of parents who smoke, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke.

A key measurement to look for when shopping for an air purifier is its CADR, or Clean Air Delivery Rating, which specifies how effective it is in filtering the air of impurities. The higher a purifiers CADR number, the better it is at cleaning the air.

Air purifiers use a number of innovative technologies to filter undesirable contaminants from indoor air. HEPA purifiers use an extremely fine filter to remove particles as small as .01 microns across. Ionizing purifiers use electrically charged mechanisms to generate ions, charged particles which bond with impurities, causing them to be attracted to a collection plate with the opposite charge - just like a magnet attracts metal objects. UV purifiers use intense ultraviolet light to kill pathogens in the air such as bacteria, mold, and viruses, rather than filtering them out. Ozone purifiers emit ozone gas, an oxidizing chemical that destroys impurities via a quick chemical reaction. Before choosing an ozone purifier, however, you should be aware that ozone in significant concentrations can also post a health hazard. Most other types of purifiers on the market use variations on these mechanisms to either filter, attract, or destroy contaminants in the air.

Once you've done your research and decided on an air purifier model, you should have no trouble finding a great deal at shopping sites like Amazon and eBay. With plenty of experienced and efficient online merchants to choose from, your new air purifier is just a few clicks away!

Anyone who suffers from allergies normally finds that using air purifiers helps them to deal with some of their symptoms. However, these aren't the only people who use them. In fact they are used in many places for many different reasons but the main reason air purifiers are used so that it allows everyone to breathe in cleaner air. One can choose from many types, and what you buy may be determined by what you need them for, as well as the size of your budget.

There are standing air purifiers that will purify the air in one or two rooms quite effectively. Now these are great especially for areas where your pet may spend a lot of time, or where there may be smokers present. People who suffer from allergies will find these great, but they work for those who just get annoyed by certain things. For instance, things like perfumes can give people headaches quite easily or maybe cigarette smoke.

Although some people assert to be allergic to cigarette smoke, they simply are not. No one is allergic to smoke. Of course, this doesn't mean it doesn't irritate them, however, they shouldn't have to breathe it in if they don't want to. In New York State, bars and restaurants are all now required to be non-smoking. When this happens, there are some who choose to have a closed off area for smokers. In this case air purifiers can help keep the air clean in these rooms, and reduce some of the damage smoke can do.

If you like, you can get a total home air purifier system, for those who want to protect their entire home. Such systems will be more costly, but if you have air conditioning, pets, or live in a high smog area; by having one installed will allow you to breathe easier. This can also be installed in the workplace, and helps lower the amount of time workers take off from work due to problems with asthma and allergies.

For sure, you will need to look around before you decide to buy, and ask for suggestions. There are some air purifiers that will work better than others, and you don't want to spend too much on something that won't work well for you. Just in case you choose to buy the kind that has replaceable filters, then check on the price of the filters before you buy. In spite of getting a great deal on the air purifiers, you may get stuck with the high-priced filters on a regular basis. Make sure to check the warranty that is offered, as well as how far away you may need to look when you require someone to service your equipment.

A good air purifier helps in purifying the contaminated air by freeing the air from pollutants. People living in a congested home and locality usually live in contaminated air. Environmental studies have revealed that the air inside the house is dirtier than the air outside. Air purifiers are extremely beneficial for people suffering from allergies and asthma. Dust, pollen, pet dander and molds are some of the allergy inducing particles. A home air purifier not only effectively removes these harmful particles, but also provides protection against hazardous smoke particles and airborne gases. The air purifiers convert the dirty and contaminated air into clean air and provide protection against second hand smoke.

Air purifiers alleviate asthma, and some completely removes the allergens causing asthma by providing superior quality air. By reducing the dust floating in the air, filtering second hand smoke, and purifying the air of chemical pollutants, car exhaust fumes or other contaminants, air purifiers improves the living condition of asthma sufferers. Even little children, especially newborn babies and old people, suffer respiratory disorders due to the bad condition of the air we breathe. Bacteria, viruses and other types of microorganisms cause pneumonia and tuberculosis, and sometimes certain diseases that may lead to death if not treated properly.

An air purifier reduces and sometimes eliminates contaminants in the air. Different techniques like filters, absorbents like charcoal, and electrostatic charges are used. The ionic air purifier is the newest type of cleaning device to make your home germfree. Other types of air purifiers are air purifiers with HEPA air filters. The additional setups include germicidal UV light and the emission of ions into the air to react with contaminants, making them harmless enough to breathe. The cost of filters and how many times you will need to replace them should be well researched before buying them.

Air purifiers will help purify the air in your vehicle. Vacuum your vehicle regularly as the seats can harbor dust mites, insect parts, pollen, molds, and pet dander. When the conditioner is on, always circulate the air rather than pulling it from outside. A good air purifier can reduce all kinds of irritants and allergens, and circulate clean sir throughout the car. The quality of your sleep and health can be improved by using a good air purifier. Air purifiers are used in many restaurants and other business houses, which allow smoking, to improve the air quality and keep it clean and fresh.

An air purifier is a device, which helps to free air from contaminants. The environment researchers claim that the air inside the house is dirtier than the air outside the house. Thus the popularity of sir purifiers increased. Air purifiers are beneficial to those who suffer from allergies and asthma. Even those who want to reduce second hand smoking use air purifiers. Allergens, that cause allergies, come in the form of dust, pollen, from pets and mold spores. It is essential to purify the air in your home from hazardous smoke particles and airborne gases.

There are various techniques of purifying the air with the help of air purifiers. Mechanical filters, use of absorbents like charcoal, electrostatic charges or ionizers are some of them. The other setups that are required are germicidal UV light and the emission of ions into the air. These ions react with the contaminants and make them harmless enough to breathe.

Many asthma medications that asthmatics take are reactive since they are taken to relieve asthma attacks (generally caused by environmental triggers). Removing environmental triggers such as airborne allergens and contaminates will decrease asthma problems, enabling a reduction in medication.

There are several factors that a consumer looks for while selecting an air purifier. They are visual appeal, noise level and frequency of filter replacement. There are different types of air purifiers.

· Home Air Purifiers - Protect your home from airborne pollutants. It is Perfect for asthma, smoke, pet dander, mold, or other home pollutants.

· HEPA Air Purifiers - HEPA purifiers are time tested air purification solutions that offer one of the best filtration systems for removing airborne particulates and organics. HEPA filters are specially made high grade filters which enable it to captured 99.7% of contaminates and particles that are 0.03 microns and larger in size.

· Ionic Air Purifiers - Ionic purifiers filter out small particles such as dust, smoke or pollen, and pump many negative ions into the air to provide optimal clean air performance. Studies show that a room with high concentration of negative ions promotes health, helps with sleep, tension, exhaustion, depression, allergies, exhaustion and many other ailments.

· Commercial Air Purifiers - Commercial purifiers are geared towards larger square footage applications and high pollution zones. They work well for large enclosed areas.

· Ultraviolet Air Purifiers - UV light tends to break down organic compounds extremely well. Using ultraviolet light, these UV air purifiers sanitize bacteria in the air.

The CADR, or Clean Air Delivery Rating, is a standardized indicator of how well the air purifier can function as compared to the others. The higher it is, the stronger is the power of purification. They are rated by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers based on the stringent requirements as produced by the association.

Did You Know?
Because of the chemical nature of smoke molecules, products like air and fabric fresheners are INEFFECTIVE at eliminating smoke odors.

Along with the obvious health problems associated with tobacco smoking, substantial scientific evidence has shown that even second hand exposure to smoke leads to both short-term and long-term adverse effects. Second hand smoke, or passive smoking, can lead to immediate asthma attacks in asthmatics. As well, because tobacco smoke acts as an irritant, exposure can result in the following allergy-like symptoms: Runny noses, coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties.

Worsening of asthma, allergies, and other similar conditions is therefore not uncommon, and the long-term effects of smoke exposure can lead to cancer and lung problems.

However, health reasons aside, tobacco smoke is also detrimental to indoor environment, as it has the ability to be absorbed into furniture, draperies, and into clothing. A smoke molecule has a fine particle structure that allows it be easily attached to virtually anything. Consequently, the noxious odor of tobacco smoke often permeates and lingers in the air. In addition, smoke can even cause discoloration and damage to the surfaces of walls and home furnishings.

For hard surfaces such as walls and fixtures, cleaners that include an alkaline builder such as ammonia and a glycol solvent are excellent at removing smoke odors. For walls and ceilings, washing should be followed by a fresh coat of paint and a stain-blocking sealer/primer. The undercoat prevents nicotine particles from bleeding through.

For porous surfaces such as carpets, steam cleaning or shampooing may be able to work, although this may not be sufficient for heavy, set-in smoke odors. Upholstered furniture should be professionally cleaned and deodorized, as the wrong cleaner could cause damage and even result in color bleeding.

For indoor smoke problems, the use of an air purifier with activated carbon can also help eliminate offensive odors. Essentially, an air purifier with activated carbon has charcoal that is treated with oxygen and acts like a sponge. This material has an extremely high surface area with a large amount of microporosity. These pores are excellent at trapping gasses and odors that normally pass through traditional particle filters. Activated carbon has also been hailed as a miracle filter media by researchers because of its ability to remove offensive tastes, odors, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and some carcinogens.

In order to clean the air, activated carbon in an purifier binds materials and contaminants by Van der Waal forces, as it is believed that contaminants have an affinity for carbon. The use of activated carbon is the preferred method of air purification recommended by the EPA to safely remove hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals in the air, and the use of an air purifier with activated carbon is an effective way to eliminate noxious smoke odors from your home or workplace.

Living, with your family, especially with your kids, nearby an industrial area does more harm than good. But you can't help as it is the demand of your job. Doing so has a direct, adverse and hostile relation with the health of your loving kids. See, the amount of deadly smoke, exhaled by the monstrous chimneys, they inhale in a single day!

Of course, there is no way to stop those 'dirty' stuffs billowing up high in the sky and spreading all over and around your home and your growing children. But, being a master, you can manage everything inside your home. Definitely, you can do something, in the home, to curb the menace of smoke and give them some air to inhale, free from all types of hazards.

Thus step out of your home and buy a cool smoke air purifier which can such up the smoke which invades the safe zone of your home and gives you a 'whole house' protection. Funnily, this household appliance is something which eats up all the smoke, so far being sucked by your children only. Lets see how to have a right pick.

Hail The HEPA Filters : HEPA filter stands for 'High-Efficiency Particulate Air' filter. So smoke air purifier, carrying such filters, is found to be the most efficient one when it comes to compare its ability of smoke-eating with other household appliances of the same breed. They can remove dust and smoke particles of the size of as minute as 0.3 microns. These particles prove a big deterrent in the normal growth of your children.

Kill The Smell too : Even the most efficient smoke air purifier can't kill the pungent smell of smoke, though it wipes away the smoke perfectly. The smoke invading your home sticks to everything inside your home giving them an intense smell. Such smell makes your little family members feel dizzy and spark different types of allergies too. So buy only that one which comes with carbon pre-filter. However, buying a whole house smoke air purifier with ionizer is never good for your children. It exhales deadly ozone gas.

Don't Allow It To Spread : The smoke is a menace, so it is better to check its spread much before it becomes fatal to whole of your house. So while buying your pick, see how powerful its fan is. A powerful fan, in your potential household appliance, attracts the smoke the moment it creeps into your home and much before it spreads to harm your children. Experts suggest to buy a smoke air purifier meant to be installed in bigger rooms, even if your room is a smaller one.

Show It Doors : Avoid embracing its literal meaning! Actually, to get the maximum benefits from your stuff, you are supposed to install it at those places where the smoke comes in from. They can enter through your doors and windows. Thus place them nearby the doors or windows. The smoke will be caught there only, red handed!