Ecodude wrote:
gs wrote:
Ecodude wrote:
Dubious Dude wrote:
As a gift, I received a circular Honeywell air purifier, model
50100. It has a
"Lifetime HEPA Permanent Filter" which one is suppose to vacuum.
I'm trying to
make sense of this logic. When you vacuum the HEPA filter, you're
pulling the
fine particles away from the filter and spewing it everywhere via
the vacuum
cleaner. I'm sure there's some logic behind it, but it just isn't
all that
obvious right now. Insights are appreciated.
REAL HEPA filters are made from layered spun glass and they should
not be vacuumed. They need to be replaced when full. If you have to
wash the filter your taking the chance of mold or bacteria growth.
Don't trust Honeywell's off the wall claims! Also Honeywell HEPA
air cleaners have a VERY low air exchange rate per hour even in a
small bedroom sized area.

I never like HEPA filters, but they work well in disk drives. For
volume efficiency, use an electrostatic filter. I have used several
whole house
system filters on the furnace/air, and the best are the 3M but also
have lower thermal efficiency. You can also wash many of the fiber
electrostatic air filters, but the cardboard makes it difficult. If
they were made it out of plastic, you could easily clean them.

g

GS, You may want to read this accurate report on whole house air cleaner
systems to lean why they really don't work well. The Report is long
informative but well worth reading!


Whole House Air Cleaners Report / Why They Do Not Work!
This information, is brought to you by Absolute Air Cleaners and
Purifiers Inc.
As you search for that perfect air cleaner to protect your family from
dust, pet dander and other airborne allergens, you will run across many
different types of air cleaners, air purifiers, air filters and air
filtration systems. One of the most interesting and eye catching
products on the market is the Whole House HEPA Air Cleaner Filtration
System. This report also includes Whole House Air Filters and Whole
House Air Purifiers. There are many of them on the market!

Unfortunately human nature often kicks into high gear when the wonderful
offer of a central whole house air cleaner is advertised as a way of
keeping your entire house clean with just one single gizmo! THE FACT IS
THESE AIR CLEANERS JUST CAN’T CLEAN A WHOLE HOUSE!

There are five types of air cleaning products that are advertised to
clean a whole house.

They a

Whole house HEPA air filtration bypass air cleaners
Whole house Electronic air cleaners
Whole house Self-Charging electrostatic air filters
Whole house Ultra-violet light systems
Whole house Portable ozone-ionizer air purifiers
This report will explain the truth about how each of these products
actually operate and what benefits they really do provide for you. Also
included are the proper steps to take for a clean indoor air environment.

Myth #1. Whole house HEPA air cleaner / bypass systems - These somewhat
expensive systems are flawed in design from the beginning. The idea
behind these units is to pull a portion of the air stream from the
return side of your furnace or air conditioning system, clean it and
then return it into the supply side of the furnace or air conditioning
systems ductwork. Most of the time, it involves taking up to 30% of the
air from the return ductwork. The air is then cleaned with a high
efficiency filter such as a HEPA and/or carbon filter. The cleaned air
is then returned into the supply ductwork of the air handling system
(bypassing” the air handler unit). Such an air cleaning system under
this design poses many areas of failure. First of all, you are assuming
that the majority of the airborne contaminants in your living space are
drawn into the heating and or cooling system. However, home heating/air
conditioning systems are designed to heat and cool. They are not
designed to pull dust, dander and allergens into a HEPA air cleaner from
the narrow return ductwork at far distances. Note that the great
majority of homes have only one air return per air conditioning system.
So without having a means of returning the air from each and every room
to the air handler, the overall effectiveness of these HEPA air cleaner
systems is nullified. This is because the majority of rooms will not be
able to have dirty air pulled from them. So the “whole house” air
cleaner will only be able to clean the dirty air that makes it into the
return side of the ductwork. This is a very limited amount! Secondly, in
order for the HEPA air cleaner to work at all, the fan for the HEPA air
cleaner and the fan for the air handler unit must run all of the time.
THIS MEANS HIGH ELECTRIC BILLS! Having both blower units running
constantly uses significantly more electricity than portable systems
located in individual rooms. Lastly, and more importantly, even in an
ideal world where the air from all over the house is making it back into
the return ductwork through multiple air returns, a bypass system is
only cleaning up to 30% of the return air because it is only receiving
up to 30% of the return air. This means, even if the HEPA air cleaner
unit is running at 100% efficiency for all contaminants, only 30% of the
entire air going through the return ductwork is actually being cleaned.
Therefore, when you look at the system as a whole, it is only 30%
efficient. Plus the entire air return ductwork from the air vents in the
rooms to the HEPA air cleaner system will become filthy because the air
entering into the return ductwork is not being filtered!

Also, Whole House HEPA Air Cleaner Systems require expensive pre-filter
replacements to protect the even more expensive HEPA filter! The bottom
line here is that Central HEPA air cleaner types that install into air
conditioning / furnace systems cannot properly clean the air in an
entire whole house or building!

Myth #2. Whole house electronic air cleaners (Also Called Electrostatic
precipitators) - Electronic air cleaners are made to fit into the air
return side of the central air conditioning system or furnace. They can
only filter the air that is brought into them from the air return duct
or area that leads to the electronic air cleaner unit. These units use
electrically charged metal or fiber cells that attract dust particles
onto them. Unfortunately this old technology is outdated and it does not
work well! This is because after a light amount of dust covers the
surface of the charged cell grid, the rest of the incoming dust and
allergens will pass right through the air cleaner and back into the
indoor environment for people to breathe! Also, Central Electronic Air
Cleaners with Charged Collector Cell Grids Produce Non-Adjustable Levels
of Ozone! This can be an irritant to people with asthma and lung
problems! Since most homes and buildings have only one central air
return per system or zone, these electronic air cleaners cannot pull
dirty air from rooms or areas that are more then a few feet away from
the air return that is attached to or leading to the electronic air
cleaner. Major companies that produce these electronic air cleaners are
Honeywell, Trion and Aprilaire. There is THERE IS NO WAY that central
electronic air cleaners can pull the dirty air from across the house or
from the inside of bedrooms and or offices that are away from the
central air return area in your home or building! They Are Not Whole
House Air Cleaners!

Myth #3. Whole house self-charging electrostatic air filters -These air
filters are custom made to size to replace your existing throw away air
filters in your furnace or central air conditioning systems air handler
unit or air return. They are made from multiple layers of poly propylene
fiber which allow them to become electrically charged when air flows
through them. They can then grab dust and allergens onto them like a
magnet. These air filters are durable, washable, reasonably priced and
they can last for many years. They are wonderful for keeping your air
conditioning or heating system and ductwork clean as they can catch and
remove very small particles of dust and allergens from the air in your
home or building! However, just like the less effective throw away
filters, self charging electrostatic air filters can only clean the air
from the air handler unit or from the air return area they are operating
from! Self-charging electrostatic air filters cannot pull the dirty air
from across the house or from the inside of bedrooms and or offices that
are away from the central air return area in your home or building! They
Are Not Whole House Air Filters!

Myth #4. Whole house ultra-violet (UV) light systems for central air
conditioning units - These ultra-violet light systems are installed into
air conditioning systems to kill mold and bacteria. They do not remove
dust, particulates or airborne allergens from the A/C system, air ducts
or from the indoor environment! These units are supposed to be installed
so the ultra-violet lights are shining onto the evaporator coil on the
air return intake side to prevent mold and bacteria growth on the
evaporator coil and surrounding area, yet many of these units are
installed improperly into areas of the air handler or air plenum where
they can not do much good. Beware of UV light systems that produce
ozone! Many of these UV light systems produce ozone at levels that
cannot be controlled! Too much ozone can be an irritant to people with
asthma and lung problems! I have experienced ozone producing UV light
systems that created so much ozone it burned my eyes and throat. And I
do not have asthma or any lung problems at all! Some of these units are
also produced with non-ozone producing UV bulbs. However please note, if
an air conditioning system is clean and installed properly and it has a
high quality self charging electrostatic or pleated air filter in it to
protect the air handler and evaporator coil from dust, the chance of the
evaporator coil and the rest of the system becoming contaminated with
dirt, mold and bacteria will be greatly reduced. We recommend properly
cleaning your air conditioning system and duct work while installing an
upgraded quality air filter instead of a ultra-violet light system.
Please know that ultra-violet Light units for your air conditioning
system are not whole house air cleaners even though people will claim
that they will keep your entire home clean!

Myth# 5. Whole house Portable Ozone Ionizer air purifiers - Some air
purifiers include both needle point and radio wave ionizers that can
ionize the air in mutable rooms in your home or building. These air
purifiers produce negative ions that are sent into the air. Negative
ions work by attaching themselves to small floating particles in your
indoor air forcing the particles to quickly drop out of suspension and
then down to the ground or onto any surface below. These air purifiers
will drop smoke, dust, pollen and animal dander from the floating indoor
air environment and down to the surface below to be vacuumed. However if
your bedroom is in the area being ionized, floating particles including
allergens can drop onto you while sleeping in bed. This can cause
problems for those with allergies and asthma. Some of these air
purifiers also produce adjustable levels of ozone. Ozone is that fresh
smell that occurs after a thunderstorm when lightning cuts through the
oxygen splitting some of the oxygen in the air into ozone. Ozone does a
wonderful job of removing all kinds of odors such as smoke odors, musty
odors, pet odors, food odors, chemical odors, and body odors. The ozone
works by oxidizing the odors. However, since ozone is an oxidizer it can
be an irritant to those with asthma and lung disease if turned up to
high. So if you or a family member has asthma or lung problems, ozone
–ionizer air purifiers are not for you! IF YOU’RE A SMOKER THEY REALLY
DO A GREAT JOB OF QUICKLY REMOVING FLOATING CIGARETTE SMOKE, CIGAR SMOKE
AND ODORS FROM INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. Please remember that these air
purifiers do not filter the air and they are not whole house air
cleaners even though people often claim that they are!

THE ANSWER, What You Can Do For a Clean Indoor Environment

As explained above, there is no one single air cleaner or air purifier
system that will keep your entire home or building dust or allergen
free. If you have a central air conditioning or furnace system in your
home or building and you have the desire to keep it as dust and allergen
free as possible, follow the four steps below for a clean and healthy
indoor environment.

Keep you ducted air conditioning system or furnace clean and install a
quality self charging electrostatic air filter or pleated air filter in
the main air return or air handler unit to keep your system clean for
the future. If you desire to have your air ducts and air handler unit
properly cleaned visit the National Air Duct Cleaners Association at
http://www.nadca.com and interview some of the members in your area so
you can choose the right air duct cleaning company that will best fit
your needs.

Purchase and place a quality HEPA air cleaner or HEPA air purifier in
the most important areas of your home or building that need to be the
most dust or allergy free. Most people place HEPA air cleaners or HEPA
air purifiers in the bedrooms, family room and office area if there is
one. If you have a mold problem in your living space or if you need a
unit that will kill and reduce mold bacteria and viruses, make sure you
purchase a portable HEPA air cleaner or air purifier that includes a non
ozone producing ultra-violet light system. When choosing a portable HEPA
air cleaner or HEPA air purifier it is important to look for brands and
models that are quiet while producing the highest air exchange rate per
hour in any given sized room or area, at the lowest aftermarket filter
replacement cost. We feel that the highest quality HEPA air cleaners/
air purifiers on the market are made by Austin Air, TRACS, EZ Air and
Bio-Net.

If possible replace all carpeting with ceramic tile or hardwood floors.
{Tile is best} New carpeting is loaded with toxic chemicals that will
outgas for a period of 2-3 years and old carpeting is often loaded with
dust and allergens that include molds, bacteria, dead skin, animal
dander and dust mite allergen. All of these problems are major triggers
for allergies and asthma! If the carpeting must stay, VACUUM OFTEN! Use
a quality HEPA vacuum cleaner that is sealed tight so the fine dust does
not blow back into your indoor environment while you are vacuuming.
Sweeping ceramic tile or hardwood floors is not the best way to clean as
it causes the dust and allergens to fly back into the air. Vacuuming all
surfaces with a quality HEPA vacuum cleaner is the best way to go. We
feel that the Airstorm HEPA vacuum cleaner is the highest quality HEPA
vacuum cleaner on the market.

Un-clutter your living space and keep it Clean. This is very important!
Also get rid of all feather pillows and wash all of your bedding in HOT
water as least once a week to limit dust and Dust Mite allergen from
building up. Dust Mite allergen is very reactive to people with
allergies and asthma. It must be reduced as much as possible! If you
have pets, do not allow them into your bedrooms to spread their animal
dander. Look at your bedrooms as a safe haven to sleep in if you are
allergic to your pet dog or cat. If you do have pets and follow these
four steps, you will have a much better chance of being able to keep the
pets that you love and live with. It is our hope that this report will
be helpful to you in creating a healthy, clean, more allergy free indoor
environment for your family or workplace employees!


A great resource for your HEPA air cleaner / air purifier needs can be
found at http://www.aircleaners.com/

This report is 100% free and you are welcome to reprint it on your
website to share with your readers as long as you include the resource
information links to the website{s} shown above.


This is a good report, although I think it downplays the quality of a
high voltage electrostatic system. Most, if not all electronic systems
emit some ozone. An Ozone generator emits positive and negative ions
and a negative ion generator emits negative, but can emit positive
charges if designed that way. An ozone generator will not cause
collection of dirt on nearby walls and tables and negative ion
generators do.

If no one is in the house, a whole house system can work to a large
degree, but if one moves about in any room, things get stirred around.

An Ozone generator is great for cleansing a room(s) when no living thing
is there. This can be done in homes and commercial establishments
at night or day depending on the situation. It does not take a long
time for the ozone to dissipate, and will leave a room smelling like
it was bleached.

g