Air Purifiers

Why use air purifiers? On average, each of us breathes in up to 900 cubic feet of air. The EPA states that "since most people spend a majority of their lives indoors, the quality of indoor air is a major area of concern.." In fact, the lungs are particularly sensitive to air pollution.

We absorb pollen, dander, smoke, dust, gases, odors, and microbes such as mold and bacteria, through our lungs. Recognizing this, the Environmental Protection Agency consistently ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.

Here is some interesting information about VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which have been identified as harmful to the indoor air quality of our homes.

This article reinforces the resaoning for having air purifiers in the home. I want to thank Roland Ratliff for letting me include this here. It came from his newsletter of February 24, 2009. These issues serve to reinforce the benefits of air purifiers.

Flooring...Most of the products used for finished flooring contain VOCs. The problem is not just the compounds themselves, but the off-gassing effect of those chemicals. They do not become inert once they've left the manufacturer.

The off-gassing process is in full swing once it is installed in your home. The gasses permeate the indoor air of your abode and are constantly attacking the health of all who live in and visit your home. It continues to do so for many years to come.

When purchasing flooring, do yourself a favor, and do a bit of investigating. There are many products available that contain no-to-low VOCs. Don't be afraid to ask for help in this area.

Walls...Walls make up a majority of the surfaces in your home. From chemically treated wood products, wood finishes, primers and paints to wall paper. They all off-gas.

This, coupled with flooring and furnishings, is what makes our indoor air quality worse than smog-laden city air. Recent studies have shown indoor air quality to be the major cause of most breathing illnesses in America today.

What can we do? Once again, a bit of research will pay off. There are paints and finishes that contain low or no VOCs. You just have to know where to look. Google VOCs and see what you find.

Furnishings...We all have furniture. Sofas, chairs and beds. They all have the capability to off-gas due to the materials they have been made with, or the chemicals they have been treated with.

Did you know mattresses are treated with boron? Sure they are more fire retardant, but did you know that boron has been identified as a carcinogen? There are products available that are safe and you can find more on this on the website.

Want more reasons for air purifiers? Here's another one you probably never gave a thought to. Your shower curtain. If your shower curtain contains PVC, which most do, then it is off-gassing as we speak (okay, as you read). Check your labels. There is always an alternative to these dangerous products.

Cleaning Products...When it comes to keeping your home clean, take a few things into consideration. First, do my cleaners contain caustic or poisonous chemicals?

We truly don't need deadly chemicals to clean the surfaces in our homes. Alas, in the quest to make our lives easier, we've created whole aisles of harmful products that we happily buy and use in our houses. You know, these products have the potential to kill us.

Ah, but in this day and age, we purchase items for their convenience. For their ability to aid us in completing our mundane chores so we can resume our lives.

But, as with most things of convenience, they promise to make life easier, but they all come with a price. In this case, a price not paid at the checkout stand. But a price nonetheless. When you use these chemicals in your home, your nose smells it and your brain believes that the odor means 'clean'. That couldn't be further from the truth.

These chemicals are deadly and they shouldn't be in our homes, or anywhere else for that matter. There are all kinds of eco-friendly cleaning products out there. Don't buy anything you cannot pronounce or that says 'POISON'.

Look, the bottom line is this. We cannot control what we're breathing when we are away from home. But, inside our homes and offices, we have full control and should excercise that control.

Space Certification and Indoor Air Quality...As previously stated, in a recent report in a major medical journal, indoor air pollution is responsible for a majority of breathing related illnesses. And... These days, with utility costs constantly increasing, we tend to seal up our homes with deadly precision. So, it is even more critical to pay attention to the air quality inside our homes. To this end, I have great news.

There is a program called "The Space Certification Program". The Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, created this program in 1983 to promote the extraordinary products (such as air purifiers) and services that bring the benefits of space technology home to Earth. How would you feel if the air in your home were as clean as the air inside the space shuttle? Or as clean as the air inside the space station, or the cleanrooms they build satellites in?

Well, my wife and I recently purchased our new air scrubber and we couldn't be happier. You know how it smells outside after a rainstorm? That is how our home smells now. All day everyday.

There are no scented oils or fragrance packs. No filters to change. No grids to clean. There are several air purifiers that are pure Space Program Certified RCI technology designed for the home. These air purifiers do not have to move air through them to work. They will actually reach out and scrub the air throughout your home.

I look forward to the new technologies on the horizon, and when they arrive on the scene, you'll be the second to know. Have a great day and Go Green!

Roland Ratliff http://www.simple-green-home-solutions.com/Going_Green_ There are several models of air purifiers available today. They range in price from about $150 to $800. Sizes vary from those appropriate for one room, or service an entire floor, or hook into your air conditioning system to service the whole house. For this last system, you would have to add the cost of installation.

Here's a page where the best air purifiers were rated Best Air Purifiers. The best prices for these items were found at Amazon.com.

Other things to do

There are a few other things you can do to improve the indoor air quality of your home. These include:

Make sure your heating and air conditioning systems are maintained at least once a year.

Have the air filters replaced or cleaned every 3 months.

Seal (or insulate) your heating and cooling ducts.

Install a programmable thermostat.

These steps will save energy as well as keep the indoor air cleaner.

If you Google "air purifiers", you will access many sources and descriptions to choose from. One that I like is Air-n-Water.com

If you have a question, contact me about air purifiers by clicking here.

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