Maid In Amerika

If you go to the comments section of any article published on-line that discusses the plight of the American manufacturing machine you find people complaining bitterly about the fact that nothing is made here anymore. In truth, the vast majority of major products are made here in the US. However, almost all of the consumer electronics and most of the general duty appliances are made outside the U.S., and therein lies the problem.

If you use a cell phone, computer of any style or type, tablet or other digital communication device, more than likely it is manufactured overseas. Yes, many of these companies, like Apple, are based right here in the U.S, but they have their devices made some place else. Small appliances also fit into the same category. Yet, it is interesting to note, consumers may complain about the perceived lack of American made products, but they will purchase the imported brands even if there is a similar product that is actually made right here. The main reason…price. Over time people have rationalized that one companies product is the same as another companies product and therefore price is the deciding factor.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade, certified HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. These units were and still are made right here in the USA. In 1989 PAS began putting “Made in the USA” stickers on each unit. It was our way of telling people this product was fabricated from all US made components. The intent was to assure the public that we were not importing the products from overseas.

Over the years a number of  U.S. based companies offered alternate air filtration technology based systems that in some case competed with our smaller units. The majority of these systems were fabricated overseas and they were usually of a lesser quality but also considerably less expensive than our systems. And even though PAS has repeatedly shown to meet or exceed the performance requirements of our customers, many individuals and some companies continue to purchase the imported products.

Today, Pure Air Systems continues to manufacture all of its systems here in the U.S. Some of the electrical components and a few mechanical components are fabricated overseas as these required parts are no longer made in the U.S. However, our products are still some of the most powerful, effective and sophisticated HEPA air filtration systems made today. Customers from around the world now use our filtration systems and our reputation for quality and performance is seldom challenged.

There is no doubt, that companies around the world have access to the same technologies and components and the need to continue improving our products has never been greater. However, we will never sacrifice quality and performance for price. We know what is required to provide our customers with the best available air filtration technology and they rely on us to maintain that premise.

For more information on our complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration products please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com or follow us on Twitter @pureairsystems or go to our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pureairsystems.

 

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Udder Futility

There are hundreds of thousands of blogs posted every day online and almost 90% of all newspaper and magazine articles are actually blogs or produced from blogs. You would think with everyone using computers with spell check software on which they are writing these blogs that they would actually use the software to check their spelling. And some do. Unfortunately the software doesn’t check for correct word usage.

Take the title of this blog for example. This is a term often used in sentences and usually means totally frustrated or not worth doing anymore. However, the way this title is written its’ meaning is somewhat different. Utter futility I can understand….udder futility must have something to do with a non-functioning or frustrated cow or goat, I guess….. Right church, wrong pew.

Companies often use this “play on words” approach to get your attention. It is, in many ways, a rather childish way to get your attention. But it works. If you have read this far you know what I mean. It would seem to me that if your product or service really has any value you wouldn’t stoop to using this type of marketing ploy. But we are.

Pure Air Systems has been making commercial grade, HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985. Over the past 26 years we have had to continually convince the market that true, certified HEPA filters were vastly superior to standard air filters and anything calling itself an air “purifier.” The use of that term was really, and never has been, correct. Nothing actually purifies the air. You can heat it, cool it, blow it, suck it, stir it, move it and filter it. But not really purify it. That connotes making the air pristine and totally void of any impurities.

Yet, the term purifier continues to linger on. Why, we really don’t know. Maybe it just sounds like it does more…..purify versus filter. Maybe its like saying you want a women or man who is pure of heart rather than someone whom needs to filter what they say. Don’t know. But we use it.

The problem with using the term air purifier in front of the filtering device you are promoting, is everyone uses that term. Whether it’s an electronic air cleaner, ozone generator or ionic cleaner….they all use the word purifier some where in the title of the product. First of all none of the three devices just mentioned actually purify the air….in fact none of these devices do much to filter the air. Sorry if you bought one or sell them. We only tell it like it is. It is the Udder Truth.

For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based filtration systems please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com, or follow us on Twitter; @pureairsystems. You can also call us, toll-free; 800-869=8025.

 

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Willie Make It…Betty Won’t

“Play on words” has been a popular tool of writers and journalists since newspapers were in print. The title of this blog, for example, is taken from some family get together’s when I was a young man. It seems there were a lot of what I call “goofy” phrases used in the early 50’s. This title is one of them. Maybe you have seen it before ….or heard it used. In either case use of this type of phrasing is a great way to get attention from readers.

In today’s world the vast majority of people get all their information, books, classes and social interaction online. The ability to capture your attention has never been more demanding. Getting someone to read something  for more than 8 seconds is now considered a real coup…and if you can get them to read your entire article, blog or product description you are in rare company.

Telling stories and providing helpful, insightful information seems to be one way to get people to view your material. It is for this reason that many companies now incorporate blogs into their websites, like this one, to provide updated and topical data to the market.

Pure Air Systems has published over 150 blogs in the past two years. Over time the number of people reading the blogs has increased dramatically. But most importantly the blogs provide topical information as well as directing potential customers to our website. This is important as all of the technical and operational information about our HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems are found there. Whether you are a contractor, end user or engineer, the data you need is located on the website.

In addition to the blogs, a special section on our website is designed to provide general information on all aspects of air filtration, indoor air quality, heating/cooling systems and ventilation. We call it “Pure Air University.”  We believe it is important to offer some basic knowledge on all things IAQ so that the public has the ability to make an informed decision when selecting an air filtration system. The information provided through this section is not designed to sell but rather designed to tell.

After being in business for over 25 years, you learn a lot about what information is important to potential customers. They have seen the hyped marketing materials from many of the companies that sell air filtration or air purifier systems. Many of those companies that sold “gimmick” based technology are no longer in business. It seems no matter what you say or how you say it…performance is the only viable marketing tool. We know this and that is why we are still here. Our systems perform as promised…period. No play on words needed.

For more information on our complete product line please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com.  Or call us at: 800-869-8025.

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Carpe Diem

The first time I actually paid attention to this Latin phrase was when I saw the 1989 movie Dead Poets Society, staring Robin Williams. The term Carpe Diem means “Seize The Day.”  The movie was about boys coming of age in a prep school and their teacher was providing new ideas and ways to think differently about themselves and the world around them. Some of us look at the world through rose colored glasses while many of us look at the world in wonder.

It is in my nature to question everything. While it is easier to sit back and accept what we hear and read, questioning takes energy but also tasks the informer to explain their position. We seldom question information from sources we believe to be credible or from associates who seem to know more about certain issues than we do. We certainly don’ t want to be cynical all the time and yet we get trapped into accepting something based solely on a small amount of information.

Information on product performance is especially susceptible to this problem. Well-known companies with well establish product lines can come out with a new product or service and we immediately accept their “hyped” performance claims simply because of our product loyalty. We will purchase their product and deem it unacceptable only after we have determined over continued use that it just doesn’t meet the performance claims.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA air filtration systems since 1985. The acceptance of true HEPA filters for best choice of removing respirable sized airborne contaminants has slowly progressed over the years. For years ASHRAE standards for pleated media filters ranging in efficiencies of 30% to 95% in particle reduction efficiencies were touted as best choice for airborne particle reduction. However, unlike the HEPA filters which actually have an efficiency rating based upon particle size, the ASHRAE standards were based on particle weight not on particle size reduction efficiency.

Over the years a new “MERV” rating system for filter efficiency came into use to even the playing field. These new MERV ratings established a particle size removal rating for each MERV grade of filter based upon the effectiveness of removing a percentage of particles at 0.3 microns in size. Which, by the way, is the particle size standard for HEPA fitlers. They have to have a minimum efficiency of 99.97% reduction of all particles 0.3 microns in size or lager to be considered a true HEPA filter.

Once the new MERV standards were adopted by the filter manufacturers it opened the eyes of the people and companies that use air filters. Like Robin Williams who stood on the desk in his classroom because he wanted to look at the world from a different point of view, the MERV ratings offered buyers a more objective way to evaluate air filters.

You can view the entire line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems manufactured by Pure Air Systems on our website at: www.pureairsystems.com. Or contact us by phone at: 800-869-8025.

 

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The Future Is The Past

It has been said that advancements in technology doubles every five years. If the changes in digital communications is any indication of what is happening then that statement is probably correct. We used to have a few years, at least, to adapt to and learn to use new devices and processes. Today things are changing every six months. Or so it seems. For some of us the constant changes are exciting. But for many people the rapid changes clash with their thoughts of how things used to be.

While changes in technology will continue to make extraordinary advances, some things don’t change. Health care problems, for example, are still an issue and those people that suffer from allergies, asthma and airborne contaminants seem to be a constant. With all the advancements in medicine, the ability to cure the common cold or eliminate allergy issues continues to evade us. While there are newer anti-histamines and allergy medicines, people still suffer from all the old symptoms.

The changes in air filtration systems designed to eliminate or reduce airborne contaminants have made some advancements. However,  for the most part, the technology  to capture particles on a filtration media is still basically the same. Some technologies such as electronic air cleaners and HEPA filters have been around for over 50 years. HEPA filters, for example, were developed in 1941 and have set the standard for removal of fine, sub-micron airborne particles.

HEPA filters have undergone some major advancements in HEPA paper design. HEPA filters now share the stage with their cousins ULPA and SULPA. While the standard HEPA filter, which has a standard efficiency of removing particles 0.3 microns or less at 99.97%. The ULPA filters and SULPA filters have efficiencies as high as 99.99995% at 0.12 microns.

Pure Air Systems has been using HEPA filters as their standard media since 1985. Today, all of the HEPA filters used in the PAS systems are scanned HEPA filters, meaning they are 99.99% efficient on all particles 0.3 microns or larger. With over 25 years of experience and thousands of systems installed around the world, Pure Air Systems continues to keep the same high performance standards established at their origin.

It is interesting to note that when PAS introduced HEPA filters to the residential and light commercial markets in 1985, few people knew about these filters. Only the electronics and nuclear industries were actually using these filters. Today, Pure Air Systems customer list reads like the Fortune 500. Pharmaceutical, laboratory, military, government, institutional, micro-chip, optical, medical and many other types of companies use the PAS HEPA systems for critical manufacturing and processing operations.

Homeowners who have been dealing with allergy problems have found some relief in utilizing one of the many HEPA systems offered by PAS. The new HPS 350 and HPS 500 portable units now provide the same commercial grade HEPA filtration for small areas and individual rooms in homes and offices. For more information on the complete line of HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com. Or follow us on twitter: @pureairsystems.

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The Powers That Be

The term “the powers that be” is a phrase used to refer to those individuals who collectively hold power over a particular domain. The phrase often connotes a sense of resignation or cynicism and is used when referring to a large corporate entity or government structure that has enough power to affect change even if it is not for the betterment of the populace as a whole. Many of us see this process take place with the corporations we work for and with laws passed by local, state and federal governments.

In today’s world of social media and instant information and instant feedback from anyone and everyone on every level we have the power to express our opinions and feelings about those issues that dramatically affect us and yet “the powers that be” continue to try to convince us that  we need to follow their lead. This is especially true in the area of indoor air quality and air filtration or air purifying systems.

For years the the most commonly used air cleaner for the residential market was the electronic air cleaner. This device was considered the standard in the industry and laid claim to a number of performance guarantees that were never achieved. Yet people continued to purchase it because this was the only system HVAC contractors new how to install. And,they required very little maintenance or cleaning. The interesting part is that people didn’t realize the poor dust removal performance until medial air filters entered the scene.

Electronic air cleaners only needed to be cleaned or washed down a couple of times a year. The one big selling point to the consumer was the fact that you didn’t need to replace anything…ever. Just clean the particle collecting plates or wires on a regular basis and make sure the power pack was working correctly. When high grade media air filters were introduced into the market the HVAC contractors fought their entry with a lot of energy. While electronic air cleaners were being sold for $600.00 to $1,200 dollars installed. A filter frame and filter media unit was only a few hundred dollars and more often than not just included in the price of the HVAC system installation.

Once homeowners began to realize that the air media filters, which were usually a pleated polyester or cotton fiber material, were more effective at remove the airborne dust particles the sales  of electronic air cleaners dropped dramatically. Even though air media filters had to be replaced once every three months or so, the vastly improved dust collection was preferred.

Pure Air Systems offers a complete line of HEPA, Carbon and polyester dual-layer ring panel air filters that are very effective at removing and reducing harmful airborne contaminants. These systems are normally attached to the existing HVAC systems and in many cases can used as stand alone units. It is interesting that today, “the powers that be” now recommend HEPA or other types of media air filters over any of the electronic air cleaners currently on the market.  For more information on the complete line of commercial grade air filtration systems available from PAS please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com. Or you can follow us on Twitter at: @pureairsystems

 

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Full Metal Jacket

The other day I watched  Stanley Kubrick’s iconic war movie “Full Metal Jacket” on HBO. I had seen this film before but there was a scene that took place in a helicopter that I somehow forgot. The main character, who was a journalist, was hitching a ride in the copter to the front lines. He was sitting next to a soldier manning a 50 caliber machine gun who was firing the gun at Vietnamese running through their rice paddies.

The journalist asked the gunner how many people he thought he had killed? The gunner said,”About 150.” The journalist asked, “Any women or children?” The gunner replied, “Around 50.” The journalist has a shocked look on his face and says, questioningly, “You shoot women and children?” The gunner replies calmly, “Yes.” The journalist is appalled. He looks at the gunner and says, “How can you shoot women and children?” The gunner thinks for a second and says, “It’s easy…I just don’t lead them as much.”

We can justify things we do depending upon what is happening at the moment. Somehow even though we know its not the right thing to do or could even impair our health, we tell ourselves we will correct the problem before it becomes critical. Most often we don’t. This is especially true when it comes to health issues related to lifestyle.

One of the most challenging issues we deal with today is the amount and types of airborne contaminants we inhale every minute and their overall affects on our current and future health. We all know cigarette smoke is harmful both in direct smoking and second hand smoke. We also know working in and around dusty, dirty, commercial and industrial environments is both dangerous and can have an immediate affect on lung capacity and other significant side effects.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based, fan powered, commercial grade air filtration systems since 1985. These systems have proven to be some of the most effective air filtration products for removing and reducing the levels of harmful airborne particles smaller than 0.3 microns. This includes much of the particulate generated by cigarettes and other airborne contaminants.

The HEPA and Carbon based PAS systems can be attached to existing HVAC systems and air handlers as well as being used in a stand-alone configuration. The systems range in size from 300 CFM to 2000 CFM. These systems all use digitally controlled ECM motors so air flow adjustment to CFM levels of less than 50 CFM are possible with all the units. This means the systems can be used in any residential application as well as those commercial, medical and industrial markets where finite control of air flow is critical.

With the continuous bombardment of airborne chemicals, gases, particulate and plant and animal matter, our lungs are being challenged every day.  While it is possible to isolate yourself as much as possible from known, harmful airborne contaminants, the ability to condition your living and working environment with one of our HEPA based air filtration systems is just as important.

For more information on how we can assist you in breathing better and improving your living and working environment please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com. You need to take the lead in this issue.

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Process Of Elimination

Whenever I have a problem with a mechanical device I try to use the “process of elimination” approach to resolve the problem. This is usually done by determining what the problem “isn’t” and then solve for what it could be. This process allows me to better isolate the real problem, since once you know what the problem is…the solution should not be far behind.

It is funny how many people have a pre-determined idea of what the problem is that they are facing based upon a one time incident that took place years ago. They automatically assume it is the same issue without even attempting to see if it could be something else. This is especially true with people who suffer from allergies and airborne contaminants. Many individuals will develop allergy  symptoms that they believe can only be caused by one allergen because their symptoms mimic the ones they suffered in prior experiences.

As an example: a woman who has suffered from contact with certain grasses or tree pollen has the same reaction when she is exposed to certain molds. She believes the problem to be grasses or tree pollen even though it is late fall when there is no pollen present in the air. This precludes her from looking at other possible allergens so she decides that the solution is just to stay indoors as much as possible. In reality, the mold in her HVAC duct system or mold that is growing behind walls that got wet during the summer rains due to the small hole in the roof is the real culprit….so the woman continues to suffer through the fall and into the winter.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing HEPA and Carbon based air filtration systems since 1985 and has supplied thousands of allergy sufferers with air filtration systems that have significantly reduced or eliminated their symptoms. Dealing with airborne particles that are invisible to the naked eye can only be accomplished with HEPA filters as all other mechanical or electronic devices are simply not effective in removing the small, respirable sized particles that cause most of the allergic reactions. And, because of the amount of experience Pure Air Systems has in dealing with allergy sufferers, we can offer some constructive comments on what we believe the real problems to be. We understand how to use the process of elimination to determine the real problems. This allows us to better select the best HEPA system for your specific issue.

Pure Air Systems has a significant amount of information on their website that will educate you on the types of allergens present in the air and the HEPA systems available from PAS that will assist you in removing or reducing these airborne contaminants. For more information please go to: www.pureairsystems.com.

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Full Dark, No Stars

One of the most popular authors in this century has to be Stephen King. He can create terror with words better than most writers and no one comes closer in trying to scare the crap out of you than Mr. King. Almost half of his novels and short stories have been made into movies for either the big screen or TV. He continues to write and his latest novel is a collection of four stories all designed to make you wince.

It is always interesting to see how people react to his stories. He makes the characters and their situations ( many of which are very improbable in the real world ) come to life in such a way that even though we know this is just a story we get sucked up into the world he creates. Stephen King has developed the ability to instill fear.

Fear is a very powerful tool. It is used by parents to get their children to behave properly; used by men and women from the pulpit to  make you remember to be true to your religion; used by politicians to make you change your mind about a certain topic or issue and used by marketers to get you buy a product or use a service to minimize certain potential risks to your life.

It has been written that the term Fear actually stands for ” False Evidence Appearing Real.” This is probably more often true than not. Even so, many companies continue to use this process. And, one area where the “Fear” process is used most often is in the field of environmental contamination and indoor pollution control.

Since the late 60’s and early 70’s companies that make air filtration and air purification products have used various levels of – health risk fear – to get you to purchase their products. They talk about the types of airborne contaminants that are in the air we breathe and the high concentrations of these contaminants especially indoors. “The air in homes is comprised of a toxic soup” or “the air we breathe indoors is 90% worse than the air outdoors”; these are the most commonly used “fear” statements by many air filtration companies.

The funny thing about these warnings is their level of truth. In almost all cases the levels airborne contaminants and pathogens indoors is almost 100 % worse than levels outdoors. The challenge comes in when companies promote their products as being capable of removing over 99% of the airborne contaminants that may cause allergies or respiratory issues that are found indoors, and they don’t work.

Pure Air Systems has been manufacturing commercial grade HEPA and Carbon filtration systems since 1985. These systems are designed for the institutional, industrial, commercial and residential markets. These filters are designed to remove over 99.9% of airborne particles 0.3 microns and larger. These systems do work.

For more information on the who issue of indoor air quality, filtration technology and the complete line of filters available from PAS, please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com.

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Twenty Five Years And Counting!

Pure Air Systems is 25 years old this month. In 1985 the company was originally called Halcyon but later changed its name to Pure Air Systems to better reflect the products that it manufactured. In today’s business world being around for 25 years is quite an achievement and we are proud of the fact that individuals and corporations still view our products as some of the best and most reliable air filtration systems on the market.

In 1985 indoor air pollution was just coming into its own. There were individuals who suffered from being exposed to various airborne chemicals and particulate in homes and buildings. Most often these people were considered a little left of center and few people in the medical field actually recognized these issues as real physical problems. The term that was coined at the time to describe the people who suffered was ” environmentally ill” or EI.

Today we know that many of the building materials used in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s contained chemicals that would off gas and create some significant indoor air quality issues. In addition the total lack of fresh air ventilation combined with minimal filtration in the air handling units created high CO2 levels as well as high concentrations of respirable sized particulate. Now those people who were considered environmentally ill actually suffered from chemical sensitivities developed by long term exposure to these airborne contaminants.

Pure Air Systems was the first US air filtration manufacturer to offer true, certified HEPA filters for the residential market. In 1985 only firms that manufactured electronic devices the government, laboratories and some hospitals used HEPA filters. Today, HEPA filters are used in hundreds of applications in every corner of the world….. and Pure Air Systems has its systems in most of those applications and a majority of overseas countries.

In addition to the HEPA filters used in our systems, we also incorporate true, industrial grade carbon media for adsorption of odors and gases. Carbon is standard in all the Pure Air Systems fan powered air filtration systems as are the dual layer polyester prefilter medias. These filters capture all the larger particles so that only the small, less than 10 micron sized particles get to the HEPA filter providing a longer life for the HEPA itself.

Pure Air Systems was also the first air filtration company to use the new GE ECM digitally controlled, variable speed, dual voltage motors. These motors were incorporated into our devices in 1999 and 2000. Today these motors are used in almost every HVAC air handling system and air and water moving devices in the market today. These motors allowed our overseas customers that use 220 volt 50 Hz electrical current to use our systems. Today, over 35% of our new business comes from the overseas markets.

Pure Air Systems offers a wide range of HEPA based and Carbon based fan powered air filtration devices. They also offer a line of air filters and carbon media filters for the residential and light industrial markets. For more information on our product line please go to our website at: www.pureairsystems.com

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