Safe & Eco-Friendly Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality

Did you know that according to some surveys, most of us spend as much spend over 90% of our time indoors? And every moment of that time we're indoors, we're breathing. Whatever is in the air is going in and out of our bodies constantly.

Air quality is an important consideration for everyone; but it's especially crucial for the elderly, for children and for anyone with health conditions.

Fortunately, you can improve your home's air quality - And do it in an eco-friendly way. Here's how.

1. Turn Off Your Air Conditioner

Air conditioner (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Air conditioners are huge energy hogs. It's hard to be truly eco-friendly when you're running air conditioners. They can also be very detrimental to your health.

Mold, even invisible mold, often grows inside air conditioners. AC units give mold the perfect environment to grow in: It's dark, it's moist and it's cool.

When you turn your AC unit on, that mold gets blown into your home. It can cause allergic reactions as well as worsen asthma. Instead, open up the windows and let in the fresh air! It will do wonders for your health as well as your mood!

2. Buy Some Plants

Nature built us an incredible air cleaning system: Plants. They are one of the most incredible filtration systems in the world.

Other air filtration systems can only filter out particles that are a certain number of microns or larger. Plants can basically filter out anything. They even turn the carbon dioxide you breathe out into fresh oxygen.

Plants also look fantastic. They can really add a sense of nature and joy to any house.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Work on Your Ventilation

Having good ventilation can go a long ways towards improving your home's air quality.

Install fans near windows and other sources of outside air. Open windows instead of using air conditioning. Install windows in rooms that might otherwise feel stuffy, such as the kitchen or the bathroom.

If heat loss is a concern, you can install air to air heat exchange systems that allow you to get fresh air while not losing heat.

4. Install an Air Filter

A high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA filter) is an extremely effective way of cleaning the air of any dust particles or allergens. It's a bit pricier than its cheaper counterpart, ionic filters, but does the job much better.

When buying air filters, make sure you do your research to see which devices are ozone-producing air filters. Ozone can be irritating to the lungs, but actually smells like fresh air. People often think their air is clean, when really it's not.

Make sure you change your filters on a regular basis, or else your air filter can end up spreading pollutants around instead of cleaning them out.

These are just a few eco-friendly ways you can keep your air clean and your home fresh.

Drive Smart: 8 Gas-Saving Driving Tips

As the price of gas begins to rise again and the threat of limited supply hangs over our heads, many people are looking for smart gas saving alternatives - especially with summer travel season at hand.  Here are a few handy tips to keep your fuel usage at a minimum throughout the summer road-trip season and beyond.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. Slow down or speed up.  The optimal speed limit for gas preservation is actually the 55 mph speed limit on most state highways.  Of course that doesn’t mean if the speed limit is 25 that you should go 55, or if the speed limit is 75 you should drive 20 mph under the speed limit.  However if the posted speed limit is 55, go for it and take pride in the fact that you’re saving gas.

2. Maintain your speed.  It actually uses more fuel to accelerate and brake repeatedly.  Choose your speed and stick to it as much as possible. If you have cruise control on your vehicle, this makes it easy to maintain a consistent speed, which is also very useful on long road trips.

3. Accelerate slowly.  The lead foot syndrome is a sure-fire gas waster.  When you press on the gas hard you’re releasing vast amounts of fuel.  Your engine can only burn so much and all the extra simply goes to waste. Some newer cars have an efficiency gauge to tell you how efficiently you are driving, but if yours doesn't, you will need to learn to shift up smoothly through the gears and let your car accelerate naturally. Learn where your car shifts into the next gear, and if you're driving an automatic, slowly accelerate to this speed, then let up slightly on the pedal to shift to the next gear, and repeat. Once you learn how to do this well, this will maximize your fuel efficiency.

4. Drop the weight.   Did you know that for every extra 100 pounds in your car you lose 2% in fuel efficiency.  Hop into that trunk or hatchback of yours and pull out all the extra junk.  Leave the jack and the spare tire of course!  However, that bag of workout clothing you’ve had sitting in the back for months and the empty picnic cooler can go.

5. Change your spark plugs and keep your car in tip-top shape.  The more efficient your car’s systems the more efficiently it uses fuel.  In fact, changing your old spark plugs if they're worn out can boost fuel mileage up to 30%. 

(Photo credit: greg.turner)

6. Make sure your tires have enough pressure.  Underinflated tires cause a significant reduction in fuel efficiency, since you will have more resistance on the road. 

7. Change your air filter.  Your air filter feeds the air directly into your engine and if it’s dirty you’re losing performance.  Typically, your air filter is changed when your oil is changed; however, it’s important to make sure. 

8. Close or open the windows. There’s an age-old dilemma regarding which is more fuel efficient: to drive with the air conditioner running or to drive with the windows open. The truth is that both waste fuel and are relatively equal.  However, if you’re driving at high speeds the air conditioner may save a bit more gas and if you’re driving at low speeds then having the windows open is slightly more fuel-efficient.

Ultimately, the most fuel-efficient thing you can do is to carpool, take public transportation, walk, or ride your bike.  And the smaller the vehicle you’re in, the more fuel efficient it tends to be.  Try adopting one gas saving habit each week or month until you’re not only saving the environment and conserving resources, you’re saving hundreds of dollars each month! And before taking off on vacation this summer, be sure to take these factors into account, and save some money on your vacation travel.

Finding the Best Air Purifier for You

Picking the best air purifier is a very difficult decision since each home has different needs. Adding to this tough task is the fact that different allergens and different types of home pollutions are removed in different ways. Below are some comparisons of some of the more popular types of air purifiers, and what they do.

HEPA Filter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Air Purifiers with HEPA (High Energy Particle Arresting) filters were originally developed for the atomic energy commission, and are used in commercial clean rooms (such as hospitals) to remove particles of dust and other airborne pollution. These consist of a paper or polymer sheet with very tiny holes that allow airflow to pass though the material but not very much else. The holes are so small you need a lot of surface area for a reasonable amount of airflow to pass though the material. Therefore the medium is always folded in an accordion or zigzag fashion to fit a lot of surface area in a small space. There is also a mixed version of the technology where the holes in the HEPA filter are slightly larger to promote more airflow but the air is charged with electrostatic wands - which then attract and trap any of the smaller particles that get through the holes. 

HEPA Filters work well in the home for trapping particulates. The disadvantage is that the filters must be changed regularly (every 6-months to 5-years depending on the manufacturer). Before purchasing you would also want to review how much air by-passes the filter, fan noise, how long the filter is good for and finally price of both original unit and replacement filters.

Ultraviolet (UV) photons harm the DNA molecules of living organisms in different ways. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

UV air purifiers use ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light in the right intensity destroys the DNA of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. The disadvantage of a UV air purifier is that removes very few gas pollutants and no air particles. It would be necessary then to purchase a UV air purifier along with another type or one that combines it with another filter system.

Ion Generator Air Purifiers are small air purifier devices that put out a stream of negatively charged Ions. These ions charge particulate pollution and when the particle bumps up against something it sticks due to the electronic charge. These devices are used on US submarines and in the poultry industry to keep the feather dust down.

These air purifiers do what they say but there are some very distinct disadvantages. Particulates end up on your walls so your walls may turn black near the device. Secondly, since they typically do not have a fan so they only work in a localized area. They also do nothing for gas pollution and some may put off a bit of ozone.

You can see just with the 3 examples above there are some pretty major differences between air purifiers. Research and comparison shopping is necessary to find the right purifier for your specific case. Do not allow promotional hype to sway your judgment; picking the wrong air purifier is as bad as not having one at all.

Be sure to check back Thursday for a helpful review of several different air purifiers...

Are High End Filter-Free Air Purifiers Really a Better Deal?

Whether you watch television, read magazines, or use the internet, there is a good chance that you have seen advertisements for air purifiers that do not require the use of replacement air filters.  These advertisements often claim that you can save a considerable amount of money overtime with the purchase of a filter-free high end air purifier.  Although this is true in many cases, many consumers are left wondering if air purifiers that do not need replacements are really a good deal.

Samsung Air Purifier (Photo credit: samsungtomorrow)

When it comes to determining if filter-free air purifiers are really a good deal, there are a number of important points that you will want to take into consideration. These points, a few of which are touched on below, can help you decide what type of high end air purifier you should purchase for your home.

One point that you will want to take into consideration is your use.  Are you looking to temporarily clean the air, like if you have family staying at your home for about a week or two?  If one of those family members is a smoker or if a family pet will be coming too, you may not need to invest in a high end filter-free air purifier.  While filter-free air purifiers do work, they are costly.  With that being said, their costs do pay off over time with regular use, since you do not have to purchase potentially costly replacement filters.  However, if you do not plan on using a filter-free air purifier on a daily basis, the extra costs may not be worth it to you.

When looking to purchase a high end filter-free air purifier, how much you are willing to spend upfront should also be taken into consideration.  As previously stated, air purifiers that do not need replacement filters, especially those that are considered high end systems, do cost more money.  Depending on the brand and where you make your purchase from, you could easily spend thousands of dollars on a high end filter-free air purifier.  As previously stated, you can see a return on your investment in a few years, but it is important that you first have the money to spend.  If not, you should still examine high end air purifiers, as they are known for their strength, durability, better and long lasting results, but those with filters tend to be more affordable.

Another important point to take into consideration when looking to buy a high end filter-free air purifier for the home is quality.  Since filter-free air purifiers make the most out of new technology and they are known for their results, many assume that they are all considered high end products.  This isn’t necessarily true anymore due to knockoffs.  Many companies have seen how well filter-free air purifiers have sold, so they try to make their own.  Unfortunately, many do not use quality materials or the same technology.  That is why you will want to make sure that you purchase a true high end filter-free air purifier.  One great way to do this is by using the internet to your advantage.

The AHAM-certified seal lists a rating for tobacco smoke, pollen, and dust removal, and a rating for room size. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When looking to research high end filter-free air purifiers, if you already have a make and model in mind, perform your search with that information.  If not, you should use search phrases like “air purifiers with no filters,” “high end filter-free purifiers,” or “best filter less air purifiers.”  The results that you will find may be links to websites were air purifiers are being reviewed or sold.  Wherever your internet search takes you to, be sure to read reviews online and examine ratings.  This will help to ensure that you spend your money wisely.

Finally, the space that you need to clean should be examined.  Are you looking to clean the air in one or two rooms or your whole house?  It is also important to examine the CADR.  This is the Clean Air Delivery Rate.  This is the rate in which an air purifier can clean the air inside your home.  It is best if you choose a high end air purifier with a higher CADR, especially if you are looking to filter the air in a large space, or more than one room. (A couple of good examples are below.)


Filter-Free Air Purifiers:
   

5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a High End Home Air Purifier

Are you looking to buy an air purifier for your home?  If you are, you will soon see that you have a number of different options.  There are a number of brands to choose from, as well as a number of price ranges.  One type of home purifier that you will want to examine is a high end air purifier.  Did you know that there are a number of benefits to owning high end air purifiers?  There are and a few of these reasons are highlighted below.

1 – Better Brands

Most the makers of high end home air purifiers are well known.  Since you do have a number of different options when looking to buy high end home air purifiers, you may be wondering how you can go about finding the best.  You may find the best luck with doing research online, as it can be done quickly and easily.  You can also get a number of good ideas, in terms of quality, yet affordable brands.  To get started, perform a standard internet search with phrase such as “best air purifiers,” “top ten air purifiers,” or “high end air purifiers.”

Image via Wikipedia2 – Better Results

High end home air purifiers are known for producing better results.  These results include cleaner air.  Unfortunately, many individuals wonder how you can tell that an air purifier will produce better results.  The good news is that you do have a number of different options.  For starters, check ratings and reviews online.  This can be done by visiting online stores that allow ratings or reviews or websites that are based solely on rating products.  Both of these website types can be found with a standard internet search.

Another great and relatively easy way to tell if a high end air purifier can produce better results is by examining the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR).  This is the rate in which an air filter can deliver clean air.  Most times, high end air filters and purifiers have high CADRs. 

3 – Last Longer

High end air purifiers are known for their strength and durability.  This means that many are able to last longer, especially when compared to the cheaper alternatives.  In fact, a large number of high end air purifiers come with warranties or you should have the option to purchase an extended warranty plan.  This can help to give you comfort in knowing that you are purchasing an air purifier that will be able to keep your home’s air clean for years to come.

4 – Come In a Number of Different Formats

All air purifiers, including those that are considered high end air purifiers come in a number of different formats.  In addition to different makes and models, there are also different sizes.  Another common difference or choice that many have involves filter or filter-free air purifiers.  They both have their own pros and cons.

Filtered air purifiers are preferred by many buyers.  One of the reasons for that is because they can actually see that the air is being cleaned.  Many like to see the dirt, toxins, and other pollutants that have accumulated on their air filter.  For many, this serves as proof that they did make the right purchase decision.  As for filter-free air purifiers, they are convenient and they can help to save money over time, even though they do cost more upfront.

5 – They Are Easy to Find and Buy

High end air purifiers are available for sale both locally and online.  Due to their increased cost, many discount stores and department stores do not sell high end home air purifiers, but most home improvement stores do.  If you are looking for the largest selection of affordable, high end air purifiers, the internet is also a good place to look.  As previously stated, you can use the internet to compare prices.  You can even make your purchase right online, through a number of reputable sources.

A few high-end air purifiers:
 

Air Purifier Reviews - Video

Air purifiers can be very helpful for reducing toxins in your home, and increasing the health of its inhabitants. However, they also can be expensive, and how can you be sure they are really working and doing what they claim to do?  This quick video news report discusses the results of testing several air purifiers, and also offers a couple of tips for improving the air in your home before you take the extra step of buying an air purifier.

Which Air Purifiers Work Best?
Consumer Reports tested out several air purifiers.


Here is the air purifier which came out the best in the Consumer Reports tests (not only did it work well and emit no ozone, it also costs quite a bit less than some of the other leading brands):

 

Do You Need An Air Purifier?

It is estimated that each year millions of Americans think about purchasing an air purifier for their home or their business. Are you one of those individuals?  If so, have you purchased an air purifier yet?  Unfortunately, a large number of individuals think about purchasing an air purifier, but not everyone ends up making that purchase. One of the reasons for that is because many individuals wonder whether or not they really need one.

Image via WikipediaWhen it comes to owning an air purifier, anyone can own one.  You do not necessarily have to meet certain criteria to be able to benefit from the use of an air purifier. Honestly, you could just be someone who is looking to breathe clean air.  If that is the case, you could definitely benefit from the purchase of an air purifier.  Despite the fact that some individuals have no set reason for wanting or needing an air purifier, there are others who do.  If you find yourself one of these individuals, as described below, you may want to seriously think about purchasing an air purifier for your home or your business.

Air purifiers work to clean the air. They do this by preventing harmful particles from passing through their collection grids or filters.  These particles may even include dust particles.  For that reason, if you have allergies associated with dust, you may very well find that an air purifier works to remove or completely eliminate your allergy symptoms.  In turn, this may make your days and nights more pleasant and enjoyable.

In addition to reducing allergies associated with dust, air purifiers can also help those with allergies that are related to pets.  You will find that multiple air purifiers not only trap pet hair, but they also trap the air particles created by pet droppings.  These dangerous particles are not only harmful to those who have allergies, but to everyone else who is in the home. In addition to eliminating particles created by pets in the home, you could also use an air purifier if you have a business that is centered on pets. These types of businesses include pet grooming shops and vet offices.

You may especially want to think about purchasing an air purifier if you have young children at home.  Children tend to be more susceptible to illness. With cleaner air, your child’s health may improve quite a bit, especially if your child spends a lot of time indoors.  In addition to being used in traditional homes, you may also want to purchase an air purifier if you run or operate a daycare center.  An air purifier may not only improve your health, but the health of all of your children.  Essentially, this will make for happier and healthier children, which is extremely important when running a daycare business.

Image via WikipediaAn air purifier may also be ideal for those who are smokers. Even if you are not a smoker, there may be someone inside your home who is.  If this is the case, you will want to seriously consider purchasing an air purifier.  Most air purifiers, especially those designed specifically for smoking households, may help to reduce secondhand smoke.  Secondhand smoke is bad for everyone, but it is especially bad for children.  Of course, you will want to try and not smoke around your children, but if you do, you will want to purchase an air purifier, if not for your own benefit then for the sake of your children.

As mentioned above, those operating a business centered on pets or kids could benefit from the use of an air purifier; however, they are not the only types of businesses who could benefit. If you are business owner, whether you run a small retail store or an office, you may want to think about getting an air purifier.  As mentioned above, air purifiers help to keep the air clean. In reality, this means that your employees will be healthier. In addition to better performance, you may also find that an air purifier helps to reduce the illnesses being spread throughout your building.  In turn, this may not only result in better performing employees, but employees who end up requesting less sick time. 

If any of the above mentioned examples are true for you, you may want to consider purchasing an air purifier.  Whether for your home or your business, you will reap an unlimited number of benefits to owning and using one.

Examples of some popular air purifiers: