You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tune A Fish!

Did you ever have a conversation with a sales person trying to sell you something but using some stupid logic to qualify why you should buy it? Or watch a commercial advertising a product or service that you couldn’t see anyone buying or using? Or perhaps you watched a news broadcast telling you one of the government agencies just changed its mind 180 degrees on a health care issue that originally was considered significant? Somethings just don’t make any sense.

There is no doubt that with todays digital technology you can create a story that seems plausible and is supported by some facts but is, in truth, a well developed fabrication. This is a process that is being used to sell everything including selling you on what your local, state or federal politician is doing….or not doing…or going to do.

In the area of indoor air filtration systems or air purifiers as they are normally called, there is a lot mis-direction being used to sell you on the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems.  Often times the company will use visual displays and tools to show the effectiveness of a filter to remove large amounts of airborne dirt, dust and allergens. The fact is that even the most ineffective filtration device does well on large particles you can see with the naked eye.

Particles that range in size from20 microns and up are visual with the naked eye but only constitute about 5% of all the particles in the air. The particles that are in the non-visible range or sub micron range constitute the other 95% of the airborne particles. And these larger particles are more easily aspirated in and out of your lungs. It is the finer, less than 10 mcirons in size particles that  will stay logged in the lung linings and mucus membranes.

The difficulty in showing this capture capability of these smaller particles is that it can’t be easily done without using some sophisticated and expensive equipment. Yet, for people that have severe allergies or respiratory issues the purchase of a filtration device that is not at least HEPA quality or equivalent is a waste of money.

It is interesting to note, that the filter devices and air purifiers you see on the infomercials are normally the least effective systems while few HEPA systems are ever advertised. Again, the HEPA filters work on the large and sub micron particles which are not visible. The ones “as seen on TV’  that use the visual component as their main selling tool are most often sold through the infomercial approach.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. For more information on their complete product  line please go to their website at : www.pureairsystems.com

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This Old House!

They say the style and type of home we live in is a direct reflection of our personality. While that may or may not be true, for individuals who buy, renovate or inherit older homes there seems to be a love affair that creates a unique bond. While the newer homes can be true space age modern with all the technical bells and whistles, the older homes can incorporate some of these same technologies except they are blanketed in warmth and charm.

Many of the older homes have an abundance of real wood trim, book cases and stairways. They also may have some of the older lathe and plaster walls used before sheet rock was available. Many of these older homes have basements that are built with cinder block and not poured concrete and they may even have a fruit cellar or canned goods room that were so popular years ago.

Also, central heating and cooling were not used back in the early 1900’s so wood burning fire places or hot water radiators were used for heating. For cooling you just opened up the windows ( assuming you had screens) and doors and dealt with the heat like everyone else.  And these older homes had little or no insulation and the windows and doors were not sealed very tightly so when the wind blew on the outside the curtains over the windows blew inside. This actually brought in fresh air ( along with all the other airborne particles from the outside) and provided a high rate of air exchange.

On the upside, the amount of fresh air that came into these homes helped keep a more “fresh air” feeling but also brought in a large amount of airborne contaminants and allergens. For people living in these homes today where there has been little upgrading or modernization of the walls, windows and doors, allergy season is a nightmare. If there has been no upgrade to a central heating or cooling system there is no way to move the air in the house through a duct system and then through a filter or filtration unit to pull out the airborne particulate. In addition, many of the older basements were built using earthen floors so the potential for mold was very high.

Pure Air Systems has been building fan powered HEPA based air filtration systems since 1985 and has a number of these units installed in older home with minimal or no central duct work. The PAS units are capable of moving up to 2000 CFM of air and can be installed as stand-alone units with ducts running from and to them to pull air from various areas, clean it then push it back to those same areas. This helps to maintain the integrity of the older home while making it more comfortable and livable for individuals who have allergies or other respiratory issues.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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I Shot The Sheriff, But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy!

There is a lot of discussion today regarding the right to bare arms. Everyone is quoting the constitution and telling their senators and congressmen to uphold the 2nd Amendment as written by our fore fathers. There are federal gun laws that in many cases are being challenged by many states and there is the NRA and other political groups that demand their rights be upheld. This issue is so highly charged that people are threatening their local politicians and demanding their rights to be heard.

The right to free speech and to openly challenge what we think is wrong, is one of the main freedoms we have in this country. The 1st amendment says so. When we see an issue that interferes with our rights or challenges our health we are able to speak out about that issue.

One of the biggest issues that faces a lot of people is the ability to work, play and live in a smoke free environment. For some, protecting themselves from the health dangers of cigarette smoke is an important as being able to carry a gun to protect themselves from harm.

Over the past few years almost all of the large and small corporations in the US have banned smoking in their workplace. For Hospitals and other health care facilities smoking is banned even out in their parking lots. Schools, universities, all public buildings have also banned smoking.  All of these new laws were passed as a direct result of the public speaking out and demanding a safer, healthier work place.

In many cities, counties and townships across the US bars and taverns have eliminated smoking altogether. While many bar owners and restaurant owners thought eliminating smoking would kill their business. Just the opposite. People that never frequented bars now came and stayed for long periods of time, drank and ate more and came more often.

Second hand smoke is now considered to almost as much of a health risk as smoking itself. For children and individuals with respiratory problems second hand smoke can be harmful both short term and long term. Again, the ability to openly challenge the tobacco industry as well as local laws and state legislation regarding non-smokers rights has been successful.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. Since its beginning PAS has been providing filtration systems for bars, restaurants and other facilities where smoking is still permitted. These large, high volume HEPA units incorporate Carbon media as well as a prefilter to effectively remove the harmful smoke particles as well as significantly reduce the smoke odor.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration products and systems by PAS please go to our website at:  wwww.pureairsystems.com

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Shirt By Izod, Pants By The Gap, Body By Pizza Hut!

Let’s face it…the US is a fat club. Yes, we are now populated by one of the heaviest groups of people on the planet! I read yesterday that the movie theaters are putting in wider seats ( adding 2″ in width) to accommodate our ever growing behinds. This is not a good sign. Carrying more weight creates numerous problems for the human body.

The increase in diabetes is directly related to the increase in excess body weight and this disease creates other serious medical complications. Foot problems, hip problems, back pain problems and high blood pressure can all be attributed to the excess calories we put into out mouths. One would think that with all the new health clubs around and the large number of people joining these clubs that we would be a society of slim people with sculptured bodies.

One of the casualties of excess weight is the increased risk of weakening your immune system. This is the major defense mechanism you have to fight off infection, disease and allergies. When this is not operating correctly you have a much better chance of having allergic reactions to airborne contaminants that otherwise would not affect you. You also have a higher chance of getting an infection from simple cuts and abrasions because your immune system can’t adequately fight the invasion to your body.

For many people with allergies or for those who are more susceptible to infection, the use of high efficiency air filtration products and systems is recommended especially for their home living environment. By removing a large percentage of the airborne allergens and pathogens it allows even a weakened immune system to operate more effectively.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985.  These systems are designed to be used in the residential, commercial and institutional markets. The HEPA systems by PAS are designed to be used either as stand alone units or attached to the HVAC systems as a whole house filtration unit.

The PAS units use a certified 99.9% at 0.3 micron filter that removes the majority of the respirable sized particles. So even for individuals with severely weakened immune systems the PAS units will not allow their systems to be compromised.

For more information on the PAS line of HEPA and Carbon based units please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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Warning Labels Are There For A Reason!

Recently a friend of mine experienced a severe chemical problem with a mildew reducing product he purchased for his home. This individual lives in Florida and goes up north to Minnesota during the summer months. He closes up his home in Florida and runs his air conditioning on an “away” mode to save on electricity. He also purchased 12 of these mildew reducing packets and placed 8 of them in various closets and bedrooms. He has used this product before but never read the Warning label that is in big, bold, red letters on the side of the packet.

Due to high humidity in Florida during the summer months it is necessary to keep your air conditioning running for at least 50% of the time when you are gone to ensure the humidity levels stay below at least 60%.  If you don’t the clothing, carpets and curtains can get wet if the dew point is reached in the home  mold and mildew problems will occur.

The mildew reducing material used by my friend stated in their warning ……”Not to be used in an UNOCCUPIED area”. That’s right. They obviously found that using this product in an area where the air was stagnant or the temperature and humidity levels were too high could create a problem. And it did!

This product contained 91% Paraformaldehyde and the rest of the compound was inert material. This level of this type of formaldehyde is way above the threshold level for occupied areas let alone unoccupied areas. When a neighbor who was looking after the friends home while he was away went into the home he almost past out. The fumes burned his eyes, nose and throat and some of the metal statues in the home were tarnished and etched. He called the fire department who eventually called Hazmat and they quarantined the home.

A professional restoration company was called in and they placed fans, carbon adsorption systems and a ozone generator to both assist in the oxidation and removal of the formaldehyde. As of this writing the carbon system and ozone generator are still there.

The issue here is that even though many products that contain chemical components are sold in hardware and discount stores does not mean they are automatically safe to use. The warning labels are there for a reason and should be taken seriously. Know what you are dealing with and if you have any questions contact a professional or the manufacturer.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems for the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial markets since 1985. Their website has a great amount of information relating to chemical compounds and the ability of the PAS systems to remove those harmful chemicals. For more information go to: www.pureairsystems.com.

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As The World Grows Up – The Demand For High Tech Health Care Grows With It

Remember when you talked about the US and Europe as first world countries and the rest of the world as second or third world countries? Remember when Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and even Korea were not even considered in the global GDP numbers?Well a lot has changed in the past twenty years and now all of these countries are becoming mass exporters of goods to the US and the rest of the world. China is now an economic powerhouse and South Korea is building world-class cars.

Countries in the African continent and South America are now becoming more industrialized and with the use of the digital network are in touch with the world via Facebook and Twitter. And, like the rest of the industrialized countries they want better health care for all their citizens.

Very few of the lesser industrialized nations have any domestic manufacturers of drugs and medical equipment so the vast majority is imported from Europe and the US. Some of it is also manufactured in China and the smaller Asian countries. One of the biggest challenges is providing hospitals and health care facilities that are designed to do more than just tread minor injuries. They require surgery suites and isolation rooms for many of the health care challenges these countries have to deal with and in many cases these facilities just don’t exist.

However, in many cases they have converted old buildings and even trailers into semi-surgery rooms with much of the same medical equipment we see in hospitals here in the US. The conditions in these facilities is not always sterile so post operative infections are very common. To help eliminate this problem a number of facilities and organizations that run these medical facilities have  looked to companies like Pure Air Systems to provide portable, high performance HEPA based air filtration systems to help reduce and eliminate the post operative infection problems.

Pure Air Systems has been producing commercial grade, high performance HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985 for the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial markets both in the US and overseas. In the past three years PAS has shipped over 30 HEPA systems to medical facilities in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. These units are used to both pressurize and deliver HEPA filtered air in a surgery suite or operating room at rates up to 30 air changes per hour.

The PAS systems can produce up to 2000 CFM of HEPA filtered air through the use of a motor driven fan using a ECM motor that is rated at 120/240v 50/60 Hz so it will operate on any electrical system anywhere in the world. The digitally controlled motor allows for finite speed adjustment so it can be operated from 10% of volume to 100% in 1% increments. This allows for installation in various sized rooms using one system. The HEPA filters are all commercial grade, certified to 99.99% at 0.3 microns.

For more information on the complete line of PAS products please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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Soccer…Love It or Hate It!

With all the hype about the World Cup of Soccer being played in South Africa and the US having a pretty good start one would think these would be the games to watch here in the US.  But not so. It seems that the “most popular sport in the world” is not really appreciated here. Yes there is soccer for the kids and some high schools and most colleges play soccer, but very few people watch it and even fewer understand it.

Much of the problem with the acceptance of soccer is the fact that it is not an American sport. Baseball, Football and Basketball are all US born sports with lots of history and tradition. US sports fans like “their” sports. Even Hockey has some challenges being accepted here in the US because it is a Canadian sport. And, like soccer, Hockey is not easy to understand.

US citizens are conditioned to what some would call the “immediate gratification syndrome” or keep me excited because I get bored easily issue. This is true with almost anything we do. We have little patience and are not prone to enjoying the small subtle parts of life.  The US sports provide high drama, immediate gratification and are relatively easy to understand.

Our impatience and lack of trying to understand the basics of an issue are carried through to everything we do. This is especially true in the way Americans view health care. When we have a health problem we immediately go to our Doctor. We don’t take time to understand the underlying reason for our malady, we want an immediate answer to our unknown condition. And we want some form of treatment…..NOW!  It has been determined that almost 40% of all Doctor visits are not really necessary.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. A great majority of their residential customers suffer from allergies and chemical sensitivities. For many of these individuals the use of various medications or just plain isolation from the contaminant  source have proved to be of minimal value. However, for many of these individuals the commercial grade HEPA systems have provided immediate relief when applied and used appropriately.

For people with allergies caused by airborne allergens and particulate, the use of the certified, commercial grade HEPA systems provides for a reduction of 99.99% of all particles 0.3 microns or larger. When a significant amount of these particles are removed from the environment those individuals who react to these allergens get relief in a very short period of time. Usually within 24 hours of operation.

We suggest you go to our website and look at our complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems. There is a lot of information there to better help you understand the systems capabilities and how they can impact your life. Our website is: www.pureairsystems.com

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You Can Run But You Can’t Hide

The advent of the cell phone with both photo and video capability has made it almost impossible to hide anything from anybody. Now with the introduction of the new iPhone4 with one of the two cameras on the front of the phone you can now play “Dick Tracy” for real. Imagine, walking along talking and having a video discussion with your family, friends and co-workers from anywhere at anytime. Nothing will be left to the imagination. Nothing.

For all the complaining about people trying to maintain some privacy it seems we are all now truly living in a “glass world” so to speak. No matter where you go…..there they are!

For asthma and allergy sufferers and individuals who react to certain chemicals in the air, it is the same issue. No matter where they go…there they are!

For chemically sensitive individuals the issues are more complicated. Driving in a car, riding in a subway, taking a bus, flying in an airplane; all these transportation methods can be detrimental to the chemically sensitive individual. All of the man made materials that are used in the production of plastic components, seats, carpeting, wall coverings and carpets can produce chemicals that create significant health problems for these individuals. Other than trying to minimize the amount of time they spend in these confined chemical soups, these individuals have few options.

It is the same issue for people who suffer from airborne allergens, pollen, ragweed, etc. Most modes of transportation have little or no air filtration devices in their heating/cooling systems.  When confined in a small space with outside air being introduced into moving vehicles the allergy sufferer is now being bombarded with a high concentration of airborne particulate not only from the outside fresh air but from the clothing of the other passengers in the vehicle.

As the title states, “You can run but you can’t hide” from the world we live in. However, you do have the ability to control the amount of chemicals and particulate you breathe in your own home. Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based whole-house air filtration systems since 1985 and offers a complete line of commercial grade systems to meet your every need.

For more information on the line of HEPA and Carbon systems as well as media filters please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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For Architectural and Engineering Firms Pure Air Systems Has The “Right Stuff”

Ever since the movie the “Right Stuff” came out, the use of the term Right Stuff has come to symbolize the best of the best for both men and women. And it has been used to identify a product or process that continues to be a leader in performance and reliability.

Pure Air Systems manufactures a line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems and has been doing this since 1985.  From the initial design the goal was to build the best possible air filtration system using tested and proven commercial grade components and then offer the systems to the residential as well as the commercial market.

Over the past 25 years the PAS systems have become known as the best high performance HEPA based air filtration systems on the market. The addition of the ECM digitally controlled, 120/240v 50/60Hz motors to the systems allowed the units to be used not only in more commercial applications but also anywhere in the world.

The systems are designed so that they can be used in multiple configurations, applications and processes. The PAS units can be used either attached to an existing HVAC or air handler unit or as stand alone systems. And the ECM motors allow for finite speed control from 10% of volume to 100% of volume in 1% increments. This finite speed control allows the systems ( which range in maximum volume from 600 CFM to 200 CFM) to be adapted to almost any application requiring both true certified HEPA filtration or Carbon adsorption systems with exacting air flow control over pressure drop.

For Architectural & Engineering firms the PAS line offers a unique product that the engineers can adapt to applications requiring this type of filtration, power, performance and reliability. And, because the systems use motors that have a universal electrical rating, these systems can be installed anywhere in the world. This is a huge advantage for  A&E firms as they no longer have to ask the supplier to modify or change the product to meet an overseas or commercial electrical requirement.

The PAS units are all fabricated from high strength steel and powder coated painted. This allows for use in any environment and many of the PAS systems that were sold in the last twenty years are still in operation. A true testament to the design and fabrication of these systems.

So, for A&E firms looking for the “right stuff” all they have to do is go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com and they will be able to obtain all the information they need to select the right system for their application.

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I Want The Best For Less!

When ever I hear the comment about buying the best product or service for the least cost I am reminded of the Rolling Stones song, ” You can’t always get what you want, but you can get what you need”. Today much of the products we purchase are made up of component pieces that are manufactured in various parts of the US and around the world. This allows the manufacturer to get the best part for the best price by having component suppliers compete with each other for the business.

While this process produces a completed product for the lowest cost for the manufacturer. And, as long as the product meets the current operational function as designed, it will get built using this process. This is the lowest cost product process….not necessarily the best quality built process. Because as the saying goes…”you get what you paid for”.

Company’s have found that while many customers purchase based upon name brands and expected reliability, the majority of people will purchase the least expensive of the models because they assume they all have the same quality. This is why it is so hard to sell quality today as most individuals ( residential and commercial) believe quality is a given. So, the manufacturers have, over time, decided that as long as the product functions well and gives the assumed performance requested by the consumer, they will build the product as inexpensively as possible.

To do this they asked their suppliers to use alternate materials and designs to keep the costs down but still allow the product to be operational. Replacing steel or metal components with plastic or nylon components and have more pieces made in China, Korea, Taiwan, etc. allowed the manufacturer to be more competitive and still meet the performance requirements of the customer.

As real quality became less important than perceived quality the US manufactures soon found that to keep prices down they had to build their products overseas just to stay competitive. As a matter of fact, Apple designs and builds all its iPhone’s in China. They can now get good quality from overseas manufacturers. ( meeting the perceived quality requirements of the US buyer)

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based, fan powered air filtration systems since 1985.  They continue to use almost all US made, commercial grade components with over 90% of the systems parts coming from US suppliers. They still use the same heavy duty steel housings, industrial grade motors, certified commercial HEPA and Carbon filters and provide the same performance characteristics as when they were built in 1985.

For more information on the PAS line of HEPA and Carbon based products please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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