Top Quality Air Purifiers and Healthy Home Solutions that You Can Trust

As more and more research has piled up regarding the negative effects of air pollution, there has been an ever-greater push to understand just how many people may be impacted by bad air. A new study undertaken by the Health Effects Institute provides a troubling answer to that question: 95 percent of all humans on Earth are breathing polluted air. Here's what you need to know about these new findings and how they affect you.  

  How Bad is the World's Air Pollution Problem?

  With 95 percent of the global population exposed, you may be wondering just how bad the effects of air pollution are estimated to be. According to the recent study, more than 6 million people are now dying each year from pollution-related causes. In addition, air pollution has been shown to raise the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart conditions and several forms of cancer.  

  Who Is Most Affected?

  While almost everyone on Earth is now subject to the negative effects of air pollution to some extent, the risk is not evenly distributed. Developing countries in Asia, most specifically China and India, are disproportionately worse off than other countries around the world. The reason for this is twofold. First, these countries have unusually high populations, meaning that they simply represent a larger share of the global population than any other individual nations. Secondly, these countries are still developing technologically and economically. As a result, much of their power still comes from coal, which is a much worse pollutant than any other type of fossil fuel. These nations in the developing world, where people are least able to protect themselves from the harmful effects of air pollution, are therefore also the hardest hit by those effects.  

  What Steps Can Be Taken?

  The best way to protect yourself against air pollution, regardless of where you live in the world, is to use a home air purifier. By doing so, you can at least keep the air in your house clean and healthy, thus limiting your exposure. If you live in a heavily polluted area, you may also need outdoor protection. For this, we recommend using EnviroKlenz's air purifying masks, which can effectively filter out common gaseous contaminants.   Have questions about what air purifier is best for you? Feel free to contact us with your questions, and we'll help you pick out the perfect unit for your needs and the size of your home.

You may think that your home is safe and healthy, but there's a major danger hiding in almost every modern house: formaldehyde. From common personal hygiene items to the construction materials found all over your house, formaldehyde is present in a surprising number of places in most homes. Here's what you need to know about formaldehyde in household products and the steps you should be taking to protect yourself and your family.  

  What Household Products Contain Formaldehyde?

  The most dangerous sources of formaldehyde in household products are common construction materials. Plywood, particleboard and even insulation materials commonly contain formaldehyde. The reason these sources are dangerous is the fact that they are very difficult and expensive to remove from your home, since they can actually be critical to its physical structure. In addition, fiberboard furniture may contain formaldehyde, meaning that not even the furniture you use every day is necessarily safe. Under certain conditions, formaldehyde found in these products can become airborne, allowing it to be inhaled directly into your body.   Beyond these structural sources, formaldehyde can sometimes be found in personal hygiene products, including shampoos, body washes and even toothpaste. Often, these products contain preservatives and additives that can give off formaldehyde under the right conditions.  

  What Can You Do?

  With so much formaldehyde potentially surrounding you in your home, it's obvious that you need to take steps to limit your exposure. As a first step, start by trading out some of your mass-produced personal hygiene products for more natural, organic alternatives. Luckily, there are many different brands of all-natural hygiene products on the market today that can help you stay clean and healthy without risking exposure to formaldehyde.   Dealing with formaldehyde found in construction materials is quite a bit more tricky. More than likely, you won't be able to rip out every piece of plywood and particleboard in your house and replace them with formaldehyde-free alternatives. The best solution in lieu of that is to remove free formaldehyde from the air using an air purifier. To tackle formaldehyde, an air purifier needs a carbon filter that will enable it to remove VOCs. Some of the best units for this purpose include:  

•   EnviroKlenz
•   Airpura C600
•   Amaircare 3000 VOC

  Though you may not to be able to remove all of the formaldehyde in household products in your home, you can certainly put a dent in it and control the amount of airborne formaldehyde you are exposed to daily.

Though scientists have known for many decades that air pollution has a negative effect on the respiratory system, a more complete picture of how low-quality air effects the body has emerged in recent years. As it turns out, many conditions, from cancer to diabetes, are to some degree linked to high levels of air pollution. What hasn't been as well-researched, though, is the effect that pollution can have on the brain. Now, new research is shedding light on just how negatively air pollution can impact cognitive development.  

  How Does Air Pollution Affect the Brain?

  High levels of air pollution are known to cause inflammation in a variety of human tissues. This inflammation, in turn, is what causes many of the diseases that are associated with unclean air. New studies in mice have found that the same kind of inflammation can occur in the brain. In fact, exposure of mice to high levels of air pollution has been shown to result in inflammation that can last for several months. Though there isn't yet definitive evidence that the effect is the same in humans, it is very likely that it could.   This effect of air pollution on the brain may also account for the correlation between living in highly-polluted areas and poorer cognitive performance. People exposed to too much pollution are known to exhibit poorer memory and lower overall intelligence scores than those who have not been exposed. Some scientists even hypothesize that exposure to air pollution could be a contributing factor to developmental disorders, though there isn't sufficient evidence to directly support that conclusion as of now.  

  What Can You Do?

  Even though the research isn't yet definitive, it's clear that there is at least a very good chance that air pollution can affect cognition, in addition to raising the risks for many chronic diseases. With that said, it's important for everyone who might be affected by air pollution to do whatever they can to protect themselves from its negative effects. One of the best things you can do is to start or join initiatives in your area that focus on limiting pollution and cleaning up the air. Often, colleges and universities will have environmental cleanup projects, as will local non-profit organizations. By participating in these initiatives, you can do your part to make the air in your city cleaner and less harmful to yourself and your neighbors.   In addition to working for change, it's also important to protect yourself from the air pollution that exists at the moment. The best way to do this is to use a high-quality combination HEPA and carbon air purifier in your home. One of our top recommendations is the IQAir GC Multigas, which can remove both VOCs and extremely small particulate matter.

Though most people can relate to the experience of odors being unpleasant or overwhelming, few people have to live with physical symptoms on account of them. For a small group, though, odors can cause symptoms akin to allergic reactions. This is a condition known as fragrance sensitivity, and it can make daily life very difficult for those who suffer from it. Here's what you should know about this condition and some of our top air purifiers for fragrance sensitivity.  

  What is Fragrance Sensitivity?

  In essence, fragrance sensitivity is a strong reaction to the chemical compounds that produce odors. This reaction can occur either in the respiratory system or on the skin, depending on where an aromatic substance is sprayed. Some of the common products that can trigger fragrance sensitivity reactions include body sprays and cologne, air fresheners and certain scented cleaning products. Though the symptoms of allergy sensitivities aren't technically allergic in nature, they can closely resemble allergic reactions. People with fragrance sensitivities often exhibit coughing or sneezing, runny noses and even skin rashes when exposed.  

  How an Air Purifier Can Help

  With the right kind of air purifier, the chemical compounds that trigger fragrance sensitivities can be removed from the air. To do this, you'll need an air purifier with a carbon filter, as HEPA filters can't remove airborne chemical compounds. Carbon filters are frequently used in air purifiers to eliminate VOCs, and are just as effective in removing odors from the air.  

  Top Air Purifiers for Fragrance Sensitivity

  When looking at air purifiers for fragrance sensitivity, it's important to find units that offer deep carbon filtration to focus on heavy VOCs and odors. Some of the units that we most recommend for this purpose include:  

•   EnviroKlenz
•   Amaircare 3000 VOC
•   Field Controls TRIO
•   Airpura C600

  Each of these air purifiers is equipped to handle odors through a deep-cleaning carbon filter system, making them great air purifiers for fragrance sensitivity. If you have any questions about these or other units we offer that can help you control your fragrance sensitivity symptoms, please feel free to contact us for answers and personalized recommendations.

Spring is breaking out across the United States, and with it come the seasonal allergens of tree and plant pollen that cause many of us to suffer from severe allergies each year. This year is expected to bring a fairly intense spring allergy season in many regions of the country. Here's what you need to know about allergy season 2018 and how you can keep your allergies to a minimum when the pollen begins to fly.  

  Why Will Allergy Season 2018 Be More Intense Than Usual?

  You may have noticed over the course of the past several years that your spring allergies have seemed to get progressively worse. A large part of the reason for this is gradual climate change. As the weather starts to warm earlier and earlier in the spring, plants also start to produce pollen earlier and in greater quantities. The result is allergy seasons that last longer and are more intense on average. Allergy season 2018 is expected to fall into this pattern.   This trend also affects which areas of the country are affected by allergies. In Alaska, for instance, spring allergy season is historically extremely mild because of the cooler weather. Over the past few years, though, incidents of severe allergies in Alaska have become much more prevalent, largely due to warmer springtime temperatures.  

  What Different Regions Can Expect

  In allergy season 2018, high pollen levels are expected over parts of Florida and the deep South, with moderate pollen levels prevailing over the rest of the southern states. The Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states are expected to have a somewhat lighter year thanks to heavy rainfall, with higher levels of pollen predicted in New England and across the North and most of the West.   Thanks to the warmer spring, most regions can expect to see pollen allergies beginning soon. Days with heavy pollen could begin as early as April. Cooler regions, such as the North, will see their pollen levels peak later in June.  

  Using an Air Purifier and an Air Quality Monitor to Minimize Your Allergies

  There's no doubt that allergy season is unpleasant for those of us who suffer from pollen allergies. If you want to make allergy season 2018 and future seasons more tolerable, consider using a HEPA air purifier and a good air quality monitor together in your home. The air purifier can remove pollen and other common contaminants, while the air quality monitor can give you insights into potential quality issues with your home air and confirm that the air purifier is combating all of your air problems.   Some of our top recommended air purifiers for pollen include the Austin Air Allergy Machine, Amaircare 3000 and the Field Controls TRIO. For a home air quality monitor, we recommend the Foobot, a top-rated monitor that uses color-coded indicators to tell you about your basic air quality and a smartphone app to give you deeper insights.   Have questions about how to use an air purifier to keep your allergies under control? Don't worry, we're here to help. Feel free to contact us, and we'll be happy to answer your questions and help you pick out the perfect air purifier for your home.