Saturday, February 28, 2015

S C JOHNSON WAX 23314 "OUST" CLEAN SCENT CANDLE

Oust produces a spray deodorizer/sanitizer that is useful. By itself, it is not able to overcome the dread "basement odor," but it is better than many other products.

This candle is another way that Oust tries to address odor control issues. The candle serves as both a deodorizer and a sanitizer, as the spray does. However, the method is different. In this case, you light a candle and burn it down. In the process, it is supposed to enhance air quality.

While the candle does improve the ambient environment, it is hardly a cure all. Nonetheless, it is a useful product and does help to deal with basement odors.

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Honeywell 50100 Enviracaire Air Purifier

I own two of these air filters and I love them. These air filters do an excellent job of cleaning the air in relatively short order and I keep these air filters in the bedrooms for clean air sleeping. I recently moved into a older house that has dirty HVAC ducting and while I am slowly cleaning those ducts out I needed a temporary fix. Additionally, I own a dog that sheds a lot and I have a child with severe allergies. Additionally, I am also an allergy sufferer (mold and cats). After doing extensive research on air filters, I decided to go with this Honeywell 50100 HEPA filter. There are a couple of reasons for decision. 1) The overall cost of this filter is the lowest (unit + replacement filters) I found at the time. I bought the unit for around $80. The average HEPA filter replacement is around $20. 2) The second reason I bought this unit is that I like noise. This is not one of those whisper quiet HEPA filters and that is OK by me. I am a big fan of white noise (after all I have two kids that like to get up early and make noise). This unit on its lowest setting is fairly quiet. However, the medium setting is loud and the high setting sounds like a jet passing overhead. Most of the time I have the unit set on medium. This is loud enough to drown out the garbage man picking up trash at 4 am. I have been happy with Honeywell products in the past and this is no exception. I also own a larger Honeywell HEPA filter that uses the same filter type as these units so I buy them in bulk. These filters also use a prefilter that goes around the outside of the HEPA filter. Using this filter extends the life of the HEPA filter tremendously. I vacuum the prefilter every couple of months or so. I recommend this filter to anyone who appreciates a well made decently priced HEPA filtration unit and doesn't mind a bit of noise.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Hunter 30707 PermaLife Medium Room Air Purifier

I can't believe it ! These thing's actually work my husband slept through the night without snoring and he had no congestion in the morning. Weird. I really did not know what to expect. I feel alot better also and no congestion in the morning either. I am a believer.Don't know how that little thing work's But it does.I also bought the five star I love the both of them. The hunter is upstairs and the five star is down stairs have 3 dogs 2 cats 2 birds lots of dander and we live on a busy street the dogs and cats love to hang around the five star. the air is really clean now no floaties. Thankyou I will be getting another for the bird area.

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Autoflo 40ep Autoflo Humidifier Replacement Filter

  • Fits AutoFlo humidifier models 30, 40, 40S, 250, 4000, A40 and Power Flow 25.
  • AutoFlo furnace humidifier filters (evaporator pads).
  • Measures approximately 8 3/4" x 9" x 1 5/8".
  • High performance, high output!
  • Honeycomb filtration to trap mineral pollutants found in water and help prevent them from entering your home.

What can I say--it is a metal filter for a humidifier. Appears to be good quality, same as the original one in the humidifier. Fits in the plastic frame. What I expected.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Hoover WindTunnel T-Series Upright Vacuum

After going through 2 dysons, a bissel, and a Hoover platinum bagless in the last 8 years, I decided my problem was not all my cats, dogs and messy childrenbut the "bagless" vac instead. I did this get version at Sears since I could test drive it there. I have never had a vac with so much suction!!! I test drove the kenmores, dysons and new LGbut there was no comparison. You don't need an self propulsion on this model b/c once you turn it on, the suction is so great it moves itself across the floor. I know it's not super fancy like the othersbut it's nice to have the brush on/off as a foot pedal on the base you can press easily and it's easy to just drop the bag out when it's full. Great job Hoover!

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Flanders/Precisionaire 80055.041625 Pre Pleat 40 Furnace Filter

I bought two of these filters. I haven't yet installed one but I was very interested in the quality of the product. It seems to be just a slight grade lower in construction/materials than the original but I am sure it will work just fine. Considering the cost savings, I feel it is an excellent alternative to paying $50+ (as I had been) for the OEM product.

2013-0423: I have now gone through the filters. They are just as effective as the OEM. Today, I'm placing another order.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Honeywell Replacement Filter

This is a filter for a humidifer. Not sure what I can say that will sway anyone except to say that it fits our humidifier well, and the humdifier works well when it is installed.

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24x30x1 (23.5 x 29.5) Accumulair Emerald 1-Inch Filter

Upgraded our A/C, which included a new air intake. Went from an easy to find 24"x24" filter to a not so easy to find 23.5" x29.5" filter. Amazon had a good selection and for no particular reason I chose this one. Arrived quickly, and most important, it fits. Can't evaluate effectiveness, since I feel no different now then I did with the old system (although my electric bills are down at least 20%).

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Calutech Blueray High Output UV Air Purifier

So honestly I can't say that it has changed my life, etc. There are just too many variables when it comes to allergies and mold and stuff to reasonably attribute to 1 source.

But since installation I have noticed a significant decline in mold in my vents. Yeah it isn't gonna magically kill the mold already in your vents, but once I bleached and cleaned them, it may have helped prevent regrowth. It probably helped that I also fixed the AC bowl so it wouldn't dump water down my ducts...

When you look at cost vs specs you can clearly see that Calutech is a winner. This one here has a whopping 120 watts of power, which is a ton compared to most models you will see with only 30W or 10W.

Remember that this 120Watts is total power which is Joules per second and is distributed around the lighted area. Stuff that gets exposed has a very short exposure time and is only going to pick up a tiny percentage of the total power emitted due to the exposure time and how small the object is.

Its just like when you walk through a room. How much of the total light output of a light bulb in the room did you absorb? Even if you walk really close to the light, you are surely only absorbing a small percentage.

So you need a lot of output for it to kill or disable any organisms. However, the main thing I wanted it for was to keep mold from growing around the wet areas in the AC itself. For this purpose, it is fantastic! The light is always shining so mold really doesn't have a chance.

This light has filters to ensure it doesnt transmit 180nm ozone-creating UV which is good. You definitely don't want an ozone generator in your attic!

Make damned sure you don't look at the UV light when installing. 260ish nm wavelength UV can mess up your eyes and cause cataracts. It is not like the 380nm stuff that is used for currency-lights and viewing scorpions and parties.

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Crane Adorable 1 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier

A great little humidifier. Well worth the money for its functionality...the cute appearance is a bonus. It is not loud at all and really cranks out serious humidity.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Black & Decker Power Mop

I waited impatiently for this product's release and was not disappointed in it! Due to a knee problem I have difficulty in getting my kitchen floor absolutely clean using the typical spray-and-wipe tools such as the Chlorox Ready-Mop (which I had been using). Those work fine on a smooth surface but can't really get into any lower spots (like grout lines or lower areas in a textured-surface tile) very well. I'd often wished for something like the Black & Decker ScumBuster tool but with a long handle so that it could be used standing up. Well, this new product is exactly that, with the bonus of the onboard liquid dispenser and "mop-up" cloth right there as well. The bottle dispenser attaches instantly with a push-and-click, which is far easier than the setup on the Chlorox ReadyMop. The ability to use any cleanser (or even just hot water if that's your preference) and any mopping pad is yet another plus. My only question is why it took so long for any manufacturer to come up with a cleaning tool like this?!

Hoover Portable Canister Vacuum

Purchased this Hoover 3 months ago. I currently have a Eureka Mighty Mite and decided that I wanted to have another lightweight canister vacuum for downstairs. I happened to come across the Hoover Bright Orange canister vacuum and thought it was so neat looking, and since it was a Hoover how could you go wrong.

Well the problems are as follows: suction fair at best; wand connecting to the head won't stay put it keeps coming apart no matter how hard you push the wand into the head; the bag since I wasn't getting any suction I checked the bag and found that though it was only half-filled, the bottom of the bag had disintegrated this happened twice. I'm not sure if this was due to its close proximity to the filter/motor, but I have never had a bag do this on any other vacuum cleaner I've owned.

Sorry to say, but it's a great looking vacuum, but that's the only thing going for it.

Definitely buy the Eureka Mighty Mite if you're looking for a vacuum for light cleanups.

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Sunday, February 22, 2015

20x20x5 MERV 11 Honeywell Replacement Filter (2 Pack)

The quality of this product is just as good as the Honeywell filter I replaced and it fit perfectly. It was snug but slightly rocking the filter on the lengthwise axis as I gently installed the filter made it much easier. Good product and price! Resarch what you are ordering, measure the media you are replacing also look at the "actual size" data listed with the product and wou will be fine :^)

Filter Stream AirTamer Ionic Travel Air Purifier

I have many ionizers, also a couple of different wearable ones. I also have a professional ion counter to actually measure the output.

All the other wearable ionizers use a needle to emit the ions. Those models all have 3 disadvantages: They emit ozone (I want ions, not ozone), the ion stream is very focussed at one point (almost like a laser pointer or a highly focused flashlight) and the emitting needles wear out rather quickly.

This unit uses a tiny carbon fiber brush instead of a needle. I can measure a surprisingly high ion output 180 degrees in all directions around the brush (no focused beam). I am sure that it encloses my whole head much better that the focused beam of other devices hitting my chin. No ozone to detect. Brush should keep a very long time. 2x CR2025 batteries keep it running for a surprisingly long time (longer than any other battery operated ionizer I own) and if you buy them online at the right place, they are really cheap (although this is not rally an environmentally friendly solution).

Disadvantage: It's a but heavy and looks weird. I wish they would make a model that looks more like a piece of jewelry (but unisex, please) or an amulet. I really don't like if people stare at the "thing" around neck, but I can live with it.

Currently I experience some kind of allergic reaction on the skin on my chest right under the unit (with the unit on top of a t-shirt, of cause). Not sure about that. Will watch it...

Saturday, February 21, 2015

CX 1000 TAPS Air Purification System

I'd like to get another one of these, but it is way overpriced (as I think ALL air purifiers are). The company I work for was going to become a distributor for this product, so I got one at manufacturers rep cost 3 years ago, and put it in my daughter's room, who suffers from mild to moderate seasonal allergies. It has run almost constantly for those 3 years and flawlessly too I might add. And her allergies have improved. She doesn't wake up in the morning congested and wheezing like she had. When in auto mode you can hear the fan ramp up briefly when the load get heavy in the room. We moved it for awhile to another room in the house, and the amber lights showed how "dirty" the air was, and we watched as the air improved and the lights turned to green. It is quiet. She keeps in in "small room" mode at night when she sleeps. right next to the bed, and it is extremely quiet. Even when the fan is running at higher speed, it is still very quiet. I'd buy another one, but not at the prices I have seen them advertised. But it is a great product.

Refresher Liquid Spray Fragrance

I ordered it because the product advertised that it was the scent of freashly brewed coffee. It do not live up to the expectations at all. Yes, the scent was pleasant, but did not smell like coffee as described and for that reason I have rated it two stars.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Aprilaire Model 600 Automatic Whole-house Bypass Humidifier

This is my 3rd Aprilaire 600 and they were all worth every penny. (The 600 used to be called the 600A, now both are automatic and the 600's electronics are slightly updated.) The 600 can be switched to manual mode, if desired.

My first unit was in my last house and was run for 2 years with no issues, then we moved. I just installed 2 in my current house (since I have 2 furnaces, 1 for each floor). I set it to humidity level #5 out of 7, which sets the relative humidity to 35% when the outdoor temperature is about 20 degrees F (details in the manual). The unit automatically turns on when the furnace is running and there is a call for more humidity. The unit can turn on your furnace blower in order to add humidity even when the furnace is not running, but I didn't want that option, so I didn't wire it in. If you do wire it in, there is a switch on the control unit so that you can turn it on or off.

Pros

* It's automatic and comes with an outdoor temperature sensor. This allows the unit to automatically adjust the humidity level so that you don't get condensation on your windows (condensation and the associated mold growth are why some home inspectors do not recommend humidifiers.)

* For us, it reduces nose bleeds and sinus infections.

* No standing water for mold to grow in. No individual room units to clean and refill.

* Works great, turn it on as the weather starts to get cold (also turn on the water to it and turn the lever to open the built in damper) and turn it off as the weather warms up.

* Low maintenance: Replace the water panel 1 time per year

* Low repair costs: There's no fan or extraneous parts. The only moving part is the valve that turns on and off the water. The value is quick and cheap to replace if it ever builds up enough sediment or mineralization to impede function.

* Low upkeep: The manual says to replace the water distribution tray and valve solenoid every ~5 years. All the parts are easy to access and relatively cheap. After 2 years my original water distribution tray showed no wear and I don't think it will really need to be replaced.

* Integrates with the electrical power in your furnace, so there's no extra wiring (assuming your furnace is new enough to have the jumpers.)

* Completely silent.

* Uses almost no electricity

* I did not notice a decrease in air flow coming out of vents throughout the house.

* Easy to install if you are handy. Our local Heating guys charge about $450 to install these and it only takes them 2 hours. I did it myself in about 4-6 hours. All the tools you really need are sheet metal snips, a good drill to put in sheet metal screws, a wrench for tightening plumbing connections, wire strippers, and ideally a 3/4" metal drill bit to install the electronic control. Installation instructions are included in the box, including wiring instructions. The instructions aren't idiot proof, but they're easy to follow for a handy person.

Cons

* Some water is wasted as unevaporated water does drain out the bottom. While I don't want water wasted, I actually think this is a preferable design. I don't want to waste electricity heating the water to create steam and I don't want a tray of standing water for mold or bacteria to grow in (the 400 model has a tray of standing water and no drain, but is otherwise the same as the 600.) I haven't noticed a change in my water bill since installing these units.

* A drain is required. I directed mine into my air conditioner's condensation drain which feeds to the sump pump. No problem. It it's a problem for you, try the 400 model.

Function

The unit works by taking air that has been heated by your furnace and passes it through a panel that has a small amount of water running across it. The water panel looks a bit like a radiator. The water on the panel evaporates into the hot air and gets distributed through your existing ductwork. That's it, nothing fancy. Note that, just like any humidifier, the unit is more efficient if you connect it to hot water rather than cold.

If you decide to install it yourself and go against the recommendation to have a professional do it, you'll also need the following:

#8 sheet metal screws

1/4" copper water line

1/2" ID clear vinyl tubing for drain

Clamp to attach the vinyl drain tubing to the humidifier

Small wire nuts

6" start collar for bypass connection

6" 90 degree elbow(s) for bypass connection

6" pipe for bypass connection

18-2 thermostat wire (a few feet of 18-5 may be helpful to go between the humidifier and your furnace, but 18-2 will work there as well)

Depending on your furnace, 2 quick disconnect electrical plugs may be needed to connect the included transformer to your furnace's power.

If furnace circuit board does not include humidifier accessory terminals an Aprilaire #50 Current Sensing Relay will be needed.

Optional Duct tape (don't use fabric tape, UL rated foil backed tape will last much longer and won't burn) or mastic will improve heating efficiency.

Optional you may want to feed the vinyl drain tubing inside a 3/4" PVC drain to make sure if doesn't get damaged or knocked out of your drain.

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Gonzo Odor Eliminator

I decided to purchase several pouches of volcanic rocks from a couple different vendors to see if they are all the same and whether one has an advantage over the other. I tried both the "house odors" and "pet odors" varieties. The rocks from Amazon.com seem, in essence, to be the same as from the other store except for a couple differences that are important to me. The rocks from were packaged nicely, cleanly, and were easy to open. On the other hand, the rocks from this amazon.com vendor were packaged sloppily and arrived filthy with volcanic dust. Even though I was careful, the dust got all over the place. Also, the packages were difficult to open without leaving some of the plastic and paper label attached, so they were unattractive to have around the house. I ended up having to hide them behind furniture. Another good thing about the rocks the pouches each came with a nice, separate hook to make it easy to hang them. I had never purchased from before and probably will not again (they have nothing else I want) but if you are looking into purchasing volcanic rocks, you may want to check them out. They cost more but I think it's worth it I found that I was angry at myself for not buying all of them from there. (P.S. I have absolutely no affiliation with .)

I will come back to update my review after having used the rocks around the house for a while to see how effective their odor-absorbing ability is.

Update: amazon has blocked the name of the other online store, which is fine. You can probably find it on your own it's a store that specializes in environmental "earth" products. Another good thing about it they offer closet-sized versions of the pouches. Just remember if you don't mind the mess and difficult packaging, the rocks in both products are essentially the same.

Update #2: I've had several of these packets around the house for over a week and have not noticed any difference. I thought that they may need to be "revived" so I put them all out in the sunlight for several hours, as they recommend. No improvement. I feel silly for buying so many of them at once instead of trying out one or two. I feel like I've thrown away my money. The odor I'm trying to get rid of is not even a powerful one it's subtle. So you'd think it would be easty to remove it with the rocks. I'll leave them out in the hope that, in time, they will work, but I have to admit that I'm not optimistic about it.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Toot Away | Natural + Organic SCENT FREE Air Freshener

Or at least ought to be. Not to knock past prizewinners, because they're really smart and accomplished and all, but I think there should be a category for applauding stuff people like you and me can really appreciate. Like this stuff!

I don't know how this product does what it does, but I think it does it better than anything else I've tried.

Circumspect enough for you?

You spritz the air and anything you want to go away goes. It's as if whatever happened didn't. This spray does NOT mess around. I've never seen anything like it. A little goes a long way. I keep a bottle in the bathroom, one in my purse, but the jury's still out on making it a gift. (I don't want people to think I think they're smelly or anything. Sometimes folks take stuff the wrong way, you know? I gave a cousin a book on healthy eating and she quit speaking to me for some reason I still don't get. Go figure.)

But it's non-toxic and erases odors, and that is very cool indeed. Get this stuff and believe me, you will make yourself and everybody in your immediate vicinity very happy!

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Lasko #3723 20-Inch Premium Box Fan 3-SPEED

This is an in-depth video review of Lasko's most recent entry into the premium three-speed box fan market. We will cover all of the bases here, including: manufacturing quality, speed settings, and relative sound levels compared with other box fans.

Summary: We love this fan!

UPDATE 7/14/2010: The Lasko in the video has unfortunately perished as a result of the actions of dastardly neighborhood pests. I can't go into detail because of pending litigation, but nevertheless the fan was still going strong after nearly *three years* in service! The upside? This model is still produced! Thank the heavens! So we've bought another. The new model is as well-built as the last. Nothing blows like a Lasko!

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Bissell Style 15 HEPA Filter Cartrige

I did not put this into service, yet. I did check the fit when it arrived. No problem. Some reviewers mention difficulty fitting this "style" filter to the vac. They DO have to be inserted FULLY into the base notch before you push the top towards the seatand then a medium pressure at the top until the top clicks under the catch. These filters are meant to seal rather tightly around the edge to be effective. I can tell no difference from the Factory Bissell filters.

InstaPure F2BWT3P-1ES Faucet Mount Water Filter System

I like the style,the looks, the ease to install & filter longevity( 200 gals.) Twice as long as any other system & the least expensive filter to replace.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2015

20x25x4 (19.5 x 24.5 x 3.75) Accumulair Emerald 4-Inch Filter

I was very disappointed in these filters. First they are not 25 inches by 20 inches by 4 inches. They are not well made. They are rather flimsy. They are approximately 3 and 1/2 inches thick. This left a 1/2 gap in my furnace filter compartment that caused an irritating rattle and an improper air seal. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

PURIFIER,AIR TOWER,BK

The thing I like about this filter is the oscillating feature although mine has decided not to oscillate after just over a year. The prefilter makes this a better filter than most of its type. The prefilter catches large particles while finer dust is processed in the metal washable filter. There is only one problem with this arrangement however, unless those particles are coated with super glue, they tend to blow right out the front side as evidenced by all the dust on the front of the unit. The problem is that the finer the particle the more dangerous it is for your health, the deeper it can be inhaled. For those mold spores that it DOES catch, it is death through the dehydrating process as air constantly moves over them, that is if they don't break away and fly out of the front over time due to the current.

Cleaning is relatively easy, unless you happen to smoke. in that cause, the little 5 mins soak in warm dishwater just wont cut it. On the bright side, since cigarette smoke it so sticky, maybe it will encourage those pesky dut molecules to stay on the grill they are deposited on.

Still searching for a better filter. I will tell you about the plasama cluster in about 6 mos.

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Monday, February 16, 2015

ViagrowTM 6" Carbon Filter

A common problem with basements is mold and the odor that high humidity can cause. I have succesfully removed the mold spores with high efficiency furance filters mounted to several 20 inch box fans sitting in the basement. However, as high humidity arrived in the Spring the odor of a damp basement began to develop. This carbon filter, mounted with a 6 inch duct booster fan from a local hardware store, has successfully removed the mold/odor from my basement. The carbon filter from this vendor came very quickly and was well packed so that no damage came to the filter.