Air Purifier Standards, Ratings & Certifications
Whether youre an allergy or asthma sufferer, or someone who is concerned with providing your family with the best indoor air quality, finding a solution to the airborne contaminants in your home is a very important issue. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that most indoor air is three to five times dirtier than outdoor air. This startling revelation led to a boom in the production of air purifiers, but do they really work?
Most air purifiers remove airborne pollutants like...
Air Purifiers For Odor Elimination
Do smoky cigars, lingering pet odors, or strong fumes pollute the air in your home? Although odors and foul smells are a natural part of life, they don't have to be a part of your indoor air!
Anyone with small children, pets, or a smoker in the house knows all too well that room deodorizers and air fresheners only mask the smell temporarily and don't solve your real air cleaning needs. In fact, many of them release toxic chemicals into the air (not good!). To gain fresh, clean air, the odors...
Environmental Control of Allergens: A Beginner's Guide
Three basic treatment options exist for allergy sufferers:
1. Allergy Medication
2. Immunotherapy (Allergy Shots)
3. Environmental Control
What Is Environmental Control?
Environmental control requires a bit of work on your part - it's not quite as easy as swallowing a pill or getting a shot - but it is the most effective treatment for allergies. If you can control your environment and avoid your allergens, then you will not experience allergy symptoms. It's that simple!
Environmental...
How Do Air Purifiers Work?
Although they may seem like a new innovation, air purifiers have been around for more than 200 years. Beginning as protective masks for fireman, air purifiers have now evolved the ability to protect you and your family from airborne pollutants.
As allergies and asthma now affect more than 50 million Americans, the concern for safe indoor air quality has rapidly increased. Now more than ever, Americans are looking for ways to improve their indoor air quality. Air purifiers lead the pack in...
How to Choose an Air Purifier
Which air purifier is right for me?
You may be asking that question after searching through the volumes of air purifiers that are on the market today. Don't give up. There is an air purifier that's right for you. Here are some easy tips for finding the air purifier that's right for your needs.
Define your needs:
Not all air purifiers are created equal. Before buying an air purifier, determine what kind of pollutants you need to eliminate. Areas of specialization for air purifiers include:
-...
How to Protect Your Children From Lead Poisoning
Parents should be concerned about protecting their children from exposure to lead. "The reason for concern is there is no good level of lead in the body," says Robert J. Geller, medical director of Georgia's Poison Center.
Childrens Toys and Lead Paint
Most often, the lead danger present in toys comes from their paint. Ironically, although lead-based paint was banned from residential use by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) in 1978, many childrens toys, particularly those...
How to Select the Best Air Purifier For Your Needs
Indoor air pollution is a serious problem. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air pollution levels are two to five times higher indoors. In some buildings with a lack of proper ventilation, the indoor air may be 100 times more polluted than the air outside! This is because modern buildings are constructed with energy efficiency in mind. However, the tight seals that make a home energy-efficient also trap pollutants inside. On top of that, the average American takes nine out...
Indoor Air Quality in the Winter
Indoor air quality is often much worse than outdoor air. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air pollutant levels could be two to five times higher than pollution levels outdoors. Considering that most Americans spend an estimated 90 percent of their time inside, indoor air quality has a great impact on our everyday lives. In addition, indoor air pollutants are one of the foremost triggers of allergies and asthma.
Why Winter Makes Indoor Air Quality Worse
Homes are...
Some "Air Cleaners" Actually Pollute the Air
Some popular air cleaners actually pollute the air with ozone, a known lung irritant. Ozone is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms; its the same molecule that makes up the ozone layer of our upper atmosphere. Stratospheric ozone is a good thing because it protects us from dangerous UV rays; however, ozone in the air we breathe is harmful.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that "relatively low amounts can cause chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath, and throat...
The Benefits of an Air Purifier in a Child's Room
"We have a ten month old daughter who has slept very well from an early age," says P. Cade McDonald, founder and CEO of achooallergy.com. "One of the factors I attribute to this is the air purifier we placed in her room."
Air purifiers not only eliminate allergens, odors, and toxic chemicals, but they also produce white noise (because of their internal fans). This white noise drowns out other disturbing background noises and creates a calming, soothing environment.
"Not to mention, the...
VOCs & Indoor Air Quality
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are a major concern for indoor air pollution. The EPA estimates levels of some common pollutants to be 2-5 times higher inside homes than out. If you've ever shopped for an air purifier, you've probably heard of these chemicals. But do you know what they are? This article is going to tell you a little bit about VOCs: what they are, where they come from, and how to get rid of them.
What is a VOC, anyway?
VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. The "organic"...
Wood-Burning Fireplaces & Air Pollution
Wood-burning fireplaces are becoming more popular. There's something romantic and relaxing about sitting near a fireplace, hearing the crackle of the wood, and gazing at the flickering flames. And with soaring fossil fuel prices, many people believe that it's less expensive to burn wood for heat during the winter. But research shows that central heating is typically the most efficient and cheapest way to heat. Many people also think that burning wood is better for the environment since wood is...
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