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Started in 1985, Pure Air Systems has been providing commercial grade, certified HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems to the residential, commercial, institutional, governmental and industrial markets for 25 years. Over those years PAS has always subscribed to building the best, most effective high performance HEPA systems for their customers. And some of the customers and applications have been interesting to say the least.

While the HEPA and Carbon systems are used in hundreds of applications there are a few that are somewhat unique. For example, there is a police station in a major city in the southern US that happens to have a lot of marijuana confiscated due to the high percentage of dealers in the area. The pot is placed in the evidence room which is locked and secured. Evidently over time the odor from the marijuana permeates through the evidence room and the employees were having some challenges with concentration ( if you know what I mean).

Pure Air Systems was contacted and asked if we could assist them in this odor problem. We suggested one or our larger, 2000 CFM all carbon units to help in removing a high percentage of the pot odor. The system was installed and the odor issue was resolved. To this day they continue to order replacement carbon for the system. Obviously business is still good!

One of our residential customers was a big game hunter and would have a number of his kills stuffed and mounted. These were the complete animal not just the head. These trophies would be placed in a wall area behind glass for viewing. The enclosure was not completely sealed so dust and dirt would get into the trophy case and get on everything. Keeping the enclosure clean was difficult and tedious, so he contacted us and asked if we could provide him with a HEPA filtration unit and system design to keep his trophy cases somewhat clean room clean.

PAS used two of the small 600 CFM HEPA units and designed a ducting system to attach them to back of the trophy cases and circulate HEPA filtered air through the cases 24 hours a day. This resolved his dust on the Bear problem and he was a happy camper!

The HEPA systems from PAS are designed to be used either attached to HVAC systems or as stand alone units capable of being used in almost any application. One of our customers wanted to use our HEPA systems in a mobile hospital unit. This unit was used over seas and designed to go into the back country to provide medical attention to people who lived in isolated areas. One of the larger HEPA systems was installed and the mobile hospital had a mobile surgery room. The PAS systems use a 120/240 volt 50/60 Hz ECM motor which can work with any of the electrical power systems anywhere in the world.

On our website is a listing of a number of companies and installation types that you can view. For more information on our complete line of  HEPA, Carbon and filter medias please go to www.pureairsystems.com

Since 1985 when Pure Air Systems first came out with its fan powered, commercial grade HEPA filtration unit, the systems have been used for all types of air quality problems and co-joined with other equipment proving its all around capabilities. Because the PAS HEPA systems use highly efficient yet powerful fan motors these units are like WD40, they work on everything.

When you think about an air filtration unit, especially a HEPA based unit, you automatically think the system is used strictly as a filtration device. While that may be true for the majority of HEPA filtration units, the PAS systems can be used as a small air handler, pressurization unit, stand-alone mobile unit, in conjunction with any HVAC unit, and as an all Carbon unit.

The PAS line of fan powered HEPA and Carbon based systems were originally designed to be installed on the return air side of any forced air ducted heating/cooling system. In this capacity they can clean all the air in a house or office area up to 48 times per day.  They can even introduce small amounts of outside filtered fresh air through the unit to assist in pressurizing the environment and reducing the levels of CO2 in heavily occupied facilities.

In applications where a small amount of heating or cooling (1 to 2 ton capacity) is required, the larger, more powerful PAS HEPA systems can be mated with a cooling coil or electric heating element so that the system will move the heated or cooled HEPA filtered air through a small area and provide comfort control with filtration all in one unit.

The PAS HEPA Systems can be used in any medical, electronic assembly or critical high tech environment to both filter the air to meet the clean room requirements as well as pressurize the room to minimize any in-leakage of outside air. In addition, the unique variable speed dual voltage digitally controlled motors used in the PAS unit allow for finite air volume control to maintain proper air flow and pressurization when needed.

The ECM variable speed motors are rated 120/240 volt, 50/60 Hz and will operate anywhere in the world. This means remote areas when a HEPA filtration type of system is required can be accomplished using the PAS HEPA filtration systems. The units can also be installed in mobile trailers or wheeled mobile units like ambulances, mobile labs, mobile medical units and mobile HAZMAT units.

When an application calls for removal or reduction of a specific odor or gas, the PAS HEPA units can be easily converted to all Carbon units to effectively handle the gaseous problem. This conversion can even be accomplished in the field.

For more information on the complete line of PAS HEPA and Carbon filtration systems as well as customer references and installation information please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

Most homeowners will at some point do some remodeling or renovation in their homes. Sometimes it just means painting the walls or adding some shelving. But in many cases the renovations are more dramatic and including adding or tearing down walls and ceilings or adding a room or two.

Whenever you tear down something, paint a wall, cut some lumber, add tile or carpeting you are generating a lot of dust and particulate into the environment. This is inevitable especially when you are removing sheet rock or adding sheet rock and sanding the joints. Cutting wood or flooring also adds a lot of dust into the area. During this part of the renovation you need to be aware of a few things.

First, if you are cutting wood or flooring or sanding sheet rock it is advisable that you cover the return air grills in the affected area and also turn off the HVAC unit. The fine dust generated during the cutting and sanding procedures will find its way into every crevice of the room and if you HVAC unit is running the fine dust will be pulled into the HVAC unit.  Second, you need to open a window or door and place a fan in the opening blowing out the door or window so you are moving some of the fine dust outside, assuming it is not 20 degrees outside. Third, you need to put a new furnace filter in your HVAC unit prior to the renovation and then remove it once you are done. If you are using a HEPA filter system or high end media it is recommended that you remove the HEPA altogether and put a general duty filter in its place during the duration of the renovation.

If you allow the fine dust particles that are generated during the sanding and cutting to get into the supply side of your HVAC system you will have dust blowing out for months. These fine particles are very small and hard to see until they form a layer of dust on a dark surface.  This is why you want to cover the return air grills in your home.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985 and also offers a complete line of furnace and HVAC filters. For more information on the complete line of filters available from PAS as well as information on a wide variety of air pollution issues please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

Candles have bee around for almost as long as man has been on this earth.  They were the very first form of man-made light and were used almost exclusively for many years as the main source of light for houses and buildings. The use of a burning wick and combustible fluid or fuel have improved over the years but the basic candle technology is alive and well in 2010.

Today candles are sold on-line, in candle shops, specialty shops and in most large retail stores. They are scented and many of them come in hand crafted jars with all types of accessories. They provide a nice accent to any room and the scented candles can even be therapeutic. However, they generate a lot of airborne particulate that can be health concern.

Most candles use a standard cotton/wax wick. As the wax burns you have the release of the scented wax used in the candle making process and unburned hydrocarbons or candle soot. You may not notice the carbon soot coming off of the burning candle, but if you hold a piece of clear glass about three inches above the flame  you will eventually see the deposition of carbon or soot on the underside of the glass. This soot is light and easily becomes airborne.

You may notice the candle soot when  you change out the furnace filter in your HVAC system. Ever wonder why the filter was black and not grey? Did you think this was just some really dark dirt? Think again. Much of the dark material on the filter is soot from the candles. The soot becomes airborne, is picked up in the return air grills in your home and then deposited on the filter media.

The unfortunate reality is that much of the carbon soot is extremely small and what you actually see is only about 40% of the soot. The other 60% is too small to see with the naked eye. Some of this sub-micron soot will pass through the furnace filter and end up being deposited on your walls, furniture, floors, etc. It can also be inhaled into your lungs.

Over time this can become a health issue especially if you have severe allergies or respiratory issues. For small children with developing lungs, keeping candles out of their rooms is a good idea. If you use multiple candles the amount of soot is increased. And, candles that are scented are made with special additives to the wax to create the scent. Some of these chemicals are released during the burning of the candle and may create some additional health issues.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. HEPA filters are capable of removing all of the soot particles produced by the candles. The systems incorporated carbon as well as the HEPA filters and the carbon will remove the gaseous molecules produced from the scented candles. These systems easily attach to the return air side of your heating cooling system.

For more information on the complete line of air filter and filtration systems offered by PAS as well as more information on particulate removal, please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com.

The milk on the upper lip ads have become iconic. When you see it you automatically know the caption above or below the photo will say “Got Milk ?”  What if you saw a photo of a basement wall or a picture of the underside of an unfinished basement floor with either a black or white substance growing on the wood or surface? Would you think “got mold ?”

Homeowners who have older homes or homes with unfinished basements that have some moisture issues may see mold in these locations. Mold grows anywhere there is some moisture, a food source, relatively warm, and lack of light. The presence of mold has no bearing on how well you keep you house clean it is a natural process that has been around since the earth was formed.

While there are numerous mold remediation companies and “Mold Doctors” the reality is that most molds are not really harmful to humans, although they can be a problem for allergy sufferers and the mold will eventually grow and eat through wood.

There are a number of ways to eliminate the mold without spending a fortune and it can be done usually using only household chemicals.

First, if you do have a moisture problem such as basement walls that leak, a sump pump that doesn’t work well during heavy rains or a basement that has been flooded due to a broken water pipe, you need to resolve the problem and minimize or eliminate the water source. Flooded basements due to broken pipes are only a problem if the floor has carpeting and the water came up the walls into the sheet rock. Then the carpets need to be removed and dried and cleaned and you may have to replace the sheet rock and the sub-wall if necessary.

Treating the mold itself is easy. You can use 9 parts water to one part bleach (scented is best) and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the affected area once a day for a week and the mold will be gone. Bleach kills the mold on contact and the diluted amount should not affect the surrounding surfaces.

After a week you can wipe down or sand the areas if wood is the affected surface and then check the surface every few days to make sure you have killed and removed all the mold. Even dead mold once airborne can be an issue for some people. Again, if you have a moisture or water problem that must be resolved first or the mold will grow back.

Of course you should also have a very effective air filter in your HVAC unit that is capable of removing any of the airborne mold and other airborne contaminants. Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA  and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985 and has a line of furnace air filters that can significantly reduce the levels of mold in your air. For more information on the complete line of air filter products and information on the various types of mold please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

Depending upon where you live in the US this past week you have seen pollen exploding  from the trees, shrubs and plants. Usually the levels of pollen during the Spring range from 90 to 200 parts per million. In some places of the country, especially the southeast, the levels are approaching 4500 ppm! You can actually see the pollen in the air, on cars, outside tables, anywhere there is a flat surface. This greenish, yellowish material is wrecking havoc on both allergy sufferers and non-allergy sufferers alike.

For those who suffer annually from the spring time pollen and ragweed this year is one for the record books. Interestingly many people who have never suffered from pollen are experiencing some respiratory and sinus discomfort. This only proves that the human body can only safely filter out so much airborne particulate before the immune system is affected.

With these levels of pollen you should wear a mask when outside and when inside your home you want to make sure you close all the windows and run your air conditioning whenever possible. This will minimize the entry of the pollen and assuming you have adequate filtration on your HVAC unit you will remove a significant amount of the pollen that is in the house.

With the ever increasing levels of airborne particulates and contaminants in the outside air and coming into homes and buildings, the type and quality of the air filters or air filtration systems you use is more important than ever.

Most home owners use some type of media filter that is placed in the air handler at the entrance of the return air from the home. This removes much of the larger particles and some of the small ones. The more efficient the air filter (higher MERV ratings) the more effective the filter is at removing a larger percentage of the smaller, respirable sized particulate.

One of the best sources of information on filter efficiencies and particulate removal is the web site of Pure Air Systems. PAS has been making HEPA and Carbon based filtration systems since 1985 and has a line of polyester ring panel dual layer commercial grade filters that are very effective when used in your HVAC unit. In addition, the HEPA based units are designed to work with you heating/cooling systems and offer the highest removal efficiency of airborne particulate for residential use on the market today.

The web site has a great resource section that discusses how filters work, what pressure drop means, what MERV ratings really mean and how to apply the correct filter technology for your application. For more information on the complete product line of PAS and to educate yourself on filter technology please go to:  www.pureairsystems.com

An Apple a day keeps the Doctor away! Or perhaps ” An new Apple product a day makes the stock market play”! In any case it seems that anytime Apple comes out with an new “i” product a segment of the population drools until they can get their hands on the new Apple “i”ssue.

The iPad, like the iPhone and some other internet portable devices, do offer some significant benefits other than just having the newest technology on the  block. Getting information on just about anything is as simple these days as touching a screen and reading the data.

It wasn’t that long ago that acquiring any type of current information required either a trip to the library or requesting printed material from a selected source, be it a company or the government. And hopefully you received the information within a week or two of requesting it. The only current instant information sources were your friends, associates and professional groups. If you really needed an answer quickly you had to rely on one or two sources ( if available) at best and then make a decision.

Today you can get information on any topic instantly from any source from anywhere in the world…right at your finger tips. The more information you have the more objective you can be in making the right decision or choice. While people complain there is too much information, if you learn how to select data from the right sources, you can usually get enough good data to make better than reasonable decision.

One major area of data search is in the area of health care. You can now get information on any disease, condition, malady, physical or emotional with supportive text, illustrations and recommended procedures and cures. And, you can ask for data that is current within the last hour!  This information has some real value but the most important aspect of this transfer of health information comes in the form of preventative health care.

If people have a specific health issue, say severe allergies, they can search for information that not only tells them what to do once the allergic reaction takes place but also how to avoid the problem altogether. Information on other environmental (both outdoor and indoor) issues can also be accessed. And, if you are interested in knowing more about the entire area of allergies, pollution and indoor air quality, you can point your iPad toward the website of Pure Air Systems.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA based air filtration system since 1985 and has been dealing with all the airborne contaminant issues that affect individuals since that time. Today, PAS is considered one of the leaders in air filtration for the residential, commercial, institutional and industrial markets and has systems installed all over the world.

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

The passage of the new health care bill one issue comes to the fore front again. That is the subject of wellness or preventative health care.

The emphasis is on preventative health care for good reason. People without access to health care or those who only go to the Doctors after they have been ill or injured for a time usually require more treatment than if they had visited a physician when their health problem first started. This means more money is spent with more aggressive treatments and in many cases specialists being involved.

While the old expression of “you can’t be too careful” often falls on deaf ears in the case of health care prevention it should be your mantra.

We all know that regular exercise, a good nutritious diet and not smoking and drinking to excess is the best course to minimize health problems and reduce the amount of money spent on health care.  For this reason “an ounce of prevention” is absolutely true.

Along with life style selections we make the environment in which we live and work are critical to good preventative health practices. While we often can’t control our work environment we can have control of our home environments. This means living in a properly heated and cooled space with the proper amount of moisture and clean air.

It has been proven that exposure to small amounts of harmful airborne contaminants over a long period of time can be more harmful than short term exposure. It is for these reason that you should always consider using high efficiency filtration on your heating/cooling system as you spend at least 8 hours per day in your home.

The level of small, sub-micron particles that are in the air in most homes are relatively high. Aside from the normal airborne dust and dirt you also have pet dander, particles from rugs, clothing, skin flakes and dust mite feces. In addition any pollen or ragweed or other plant pollens are brought into the home via your clothing. Add to that the gaseous molecules from the various cleaning chemicals used in the home and you can have an environment that does not promote good, preventative health care.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. These systems used true, certified 99.99% at .03 microns HEPA filters and commercial grade carbon. They can be attached to your existing heating/cooling system or used as stand-alone systems.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon systems from Pure Air Systems, please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

There is no end to the amount of discussion on the health issues related to smoking.  Everyone either knows someone who smokes or is a smoker. Today most public buildings don’t allow smoking as do offices, hospitals, schools and churches. In fact the only places you can smoke is outside, in your own home (maybe) and in bars that still allow smoking.

If you live with a smoker or work in an environment where smoking is allowed you know the challenges of getting smokers to quit or smoke less. Smoking is more addictive than the majority of illegal drugs. And the cost of smoking in dollars for health care is enormous. In addition, smoke from cigarettes and cigars will coat the walls, ceilings and HVAC duct work with a nicotine substance in any home or office building over time.

If you are around a smoker in your home or office and you inhale the smoke for a continued period of time you will in essence have the same lung damage as the smoker himself. It is for this reason that smoking is prohibited in so many places.

Cigarette and cigar smoke contain hundreds of chemicals many of which are considered carcinogens. Breathing in these chemicals over time can create significant health problems. In addition you have a constant odor problem with smoke which tends to cling to everything, including your hair and clothing.

Some of the health issues include OCPD, respiratory dysfunction, eye infections, lung cancer to name a few. It is important therefore to minimize your contact with cigarette smoke. If you live with a smoker they need to smoke outside. If you work with a smoker and he or she won’t quit, you need to find another position in the company or find another job.

Cigarette and cigar smoke is very small. The amount you see with the naked eye represents only 35% to40% of the smoke coming off the cigarette. The rest is less than 10 microns and much is it is less than 1 micron in size. It is this smaller size particle that remains in the lung linings and mucus membranes and is not expelled when you breathe out.

Due to the nature of cigarette and cigar smoke it is not easy to remove this contaminant with general duty air filters or even ventilation. Pure Air Systems has been selling its HEPA and Carbon based filtration systems for smoke removal since 1985. HEPA filters will capture over 99.99% of the smoke that it sees. The carbon media will adsorb much of the nicotine odor.

While the majority of our HEPA systems for smoke removal were installed in restaurants, bars, and bingo halls, a large number have been sold to homeowners. These systems are attached to the return air side of the HVAC system and will capture all the cigarette smoke and odor that is pulled into the system through the return air grills in the home.

If you are really serious about the air you breathe in your environment then you need to get some serious filtration systems that will actually remove the harmful smoke particles and odor.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA an Carbon based filtration systems offered by Pure Air Systems, go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

Breathing is a natural, normal, unconscious process. We breathe in oxygen and nitrogen and breathe out carbon dioxide. However, if you stop breathing for just a minute or two at the most, you become unconscious forever.

Respiration rates ( breathing rates) are somewhat dependent on your level of activity. When at rest your breathing will slow down. When you are exercising your respiration increases. How much oxygen you breathe in is important as you require more when energetic than at rest. Breathing in oxygen is not the only thing you take in. You are also breathing small amounts of small particulate that is airborne.

When you exercise outdoors you will breathe in large quantities of pollutants that are generated from all types of sources.  Even in the mountain air you will have various plant and tree pollen that is in the air. When exercising indoors, the types and levels of airborne pollutants increases exponentially.

If you exercise at a club or gym type facility you have interesting mixture of airborne contaminants. Things such as skin flakes coming off of the people around you, dust mite feces, dust generated when people are using exercise equipment and running on the floors, particulates being circulated through the HVAC system and body odor from your exercising neighbors.

For people with severe allergies or respiratory issues, being indoors and breathing large amounts of air just increases the chance that you will inhale enough particulate and airborne contaminants. This means that while you are exercising to stay healthy you are also breathing in unhealthy air.

Most health clubs don’t use any type of air filtration other than a standard duty air filter in their air handlers and HVAC equipment. These filters will take care of the larger dust particles but do nothing for the small respirable size particles.

When you exercise in your own home, however, you do have the ability to control the levels and types of airborne contaminants that you breathe in.

There are high end, high performance HEPA based portable systems that can be placed anywhere in the home or basement when you exercise. These portables will help maintain a cleaner environment in a bedroom or workout area. True, commercial grade HEPA filters will remove 99.9% of all airborne particles 0.3 microns or smaller. In addition, many have some form of odor or gas reducing material to assist in removing odors and gases in the environment.

Exercising should be done on a daily basis. It is important to remember that staying healthy is an important part of “life” routine. When you exercise you breathe a lot. Make sure you are breathing contaminant free air. Your health depends on it.

Pure Air Systems has been making HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. They offer a complete line of systems that can either be attached to your existing HVAC unit or used on a stand-alone basis. PAS also offers a line of portable HEPA systems. For more information on the PAS equipment please go to our website at: wwww.pureairsystems.com