Air Purification Archives

Best Dust Mask for Trail Riding

I don’t ride ATV’s or dirt bikes or participate in motocross events. But have talked to lots of people that do. Riding all terrain vehicles (ATVs) is a very popular pastime. The first models were released in the 1960’s and the first 4 wheeler came out in 1983. People tell me they like being outdoors, riding in different terrain, and seeing our beautiful countryside.

One of the big problems people face is the amount of dust kicked up on the trails. They are looking for something that will keep them from breathing dust, but not be so hot they can’t stand it. Fitting comfortably under a helmet is a plus. I hear stories of all sorts of things they have tried. Everything from respirators to plain bandanas.

How do I hear these stories? Well, it turns out that our U2 Sports Mask is a big hit with the trail riders. The mask combines the same material used to make the Q-Mask in a neoprene covering that allows the mask to cover both the nose and mouth without restricting airflow.

Because particles hit the “filtering” material and bounce off, it doesn’t clog up and won’t get hot under the mask. The neoprene and filtering material are both thin, so the mask straps fit comfortably under a helmet. These benefits make the Sport Mask the best mask for off roading.

We originally sold the U2 mask thinking that people that ride bicycles needed a way to keep molds and pollen out of their respiratory system during their excursions.

I liked the mask, because one of my favorite bike riding routes goes past some wetlands that can be full of gnats and other small flying insects. While you can keep your mouth closed, you still have to breathe through your nose and I inevitably inhaled a bug or two every time: one of the grossest feelings in the world!

The U2 mask looked perfect for biking and it was. It allowed me to ride without being exposed to pollens and molds, without restricting my airflow and kept the bugs out of my nose and mouth, all at the same time. As far as I was concerned it was the perfect bike riding mask.

Once we put them out on the internet, ATVers started snapping them up. Seems they had the same needs as the bikers for a great, comfortable mask.

As one of our customers said, “I can follow my buddy on the trail now without eating his dust”. So next time the rider in front of you says “Eat My Dust” just put on your U2 Sports Mask and reply “I don’t think so”!

Til Next Time

Cheryl
The Allergy Store

Air Pollution and Asthma … Bad Air Affects Us All

For years the EPA has been saying the air inside our homes and offices can be more polluted than the air outside the front door.

This is very true because of how tight our homes are engineered to save money. Then factor in all the various household chemicals we use day to day, and you can see we can have indoor air pollution as well as outdoors.

Whether inside or outside, air pollution and asthma are not a match made in heaven.

People with asthma need to be aware of all the “stuff” outside in the air that can hurt them. Man-made air pollution comes from cars, trucks, industries, and other sources of burning fuels.

During the summer months when it is very hot, lots of sunlight and low winds create something called a smog cloud. In some places like LA, it literally looks like fog. Not a day goes by that we don’t hear something about the ozone level or layer.

In our local newspaper, we have an ozone chart that shows what the ozone level for the day will be. In South Florida, most days are good or mild. We have the ocean breeze that keeps the ozone levels down.

No matter where you live, it is important that you monitor your daily ozone levels. People with asthma need to stay in air-conditioned spaces when the ozone levels are high. Ozone is the major reason that air pollution and asthma don’t play well together.

FYI… If someone tries to sell you an air purifier that they say stops harmful ozone and hangs around your neck .. RUN…

Wishing you the best of health
Mike Krause
AllergyStore.com – Serving Customers Since 1989
800 771-ACHOO

Flooring, Formaldehyde and Indoor Air Quality Connected?

Imagine that you or someone in your house has allergies or asthma. Or maybe you are just one of the folks that are concerned about the indoor air quality. You’ve read all the horrible things about carpet. You might have even read our article about the best type of flooring if you have allergies. So you take action and rip out that carpet and replace it with a hard floor. If you selected laminate wood flooring, you may have inadvertently decreased your indoor air quality, not increased it.

The news is enough to make steam shoot out of your ears, your eyes to bleed, and your head to explode. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you put in laminate wood flooring you purchased from Lumber Liquidators you may have a real problem with formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde Affects on Indoor Air Quality

Formaldehyde is used in the glues and as a preservative in many products in home construction and remodeling. During and after installation of items such as cabinets and laminated flooring, formaldehyde gasses are released. These gasses can cause:

Coughing
Burning eyes
Dizziness
Nausea
Headaches
Pain
Respiratory irritation

The federal government recognizes formaldehyde as a known carcinogen and sets limits for exposure.

Formaldehyde and Laminate Wood Flooring Timeline

Beginning in the spring of this year, Lumber Liquidators has come under fire for selling laminated wood flooring that was manufactured in China and exceeds limits for formaldehyde. The timeline is something like this:

March 2015 This is not a good month as 60 Minutes shows up and releases story that claims Lumber Liquidators is selling flooring that exceeds formaldehyde limits. Lumber Liquidators naturally denies the claims as they watch their stock value tumble.

April 2015 While Lumber Liquidators denies that their products are emitting excessive formaldehyde they send test kits to customers that are concerned about their flooring.

May 2015 Oops! Turns out those test kits are showing there is a problem. The first lawsuits are filed. The CEO resigns.

June 2015. Anna Schmidt takes the company to small claims court in Charlotte North Carolina and wins a refund of $796.85. She represented herself. To her amazement, Lumber Liquidators did not want to settle out of court. So, they went to small claims court and she won. She won against one of the top attorneys in Wake County. Things are looking grim for Lumber Liquidators. The EPA begins scrutiny of Lumber Liquidator’s methods of formaldehyde testing.

July 2015. The Global Community Monitor testing finds formaldehyde released by Lumber Liquidators flooring is 100 times over the levels approved by the State of California.

Improve Indoor Air Quality – Remove Formaldehyde

Whether you are in a lawsuit or not, you need to get the formaldehyde out of the air. Some people are looking at air cleaners to do the job. Not all air cleaners remove formaldehyde. Here are the units we think do the best job:

Air Pura P600. Like all the units we are recommending, this unit is designed specifically for the removal of chemicals such as formaldehyde. HEPA, carbon, and ultraviolet light are the tools this unit uses to improve indoor air quality. The AirPura P600 Air Purifier doesn’t use glues in their filters or rubber in their gaskets. No off-gassing and no ozone make this a formaldehyde fighting favorite.

Austin Air HealthMate Plus. The Austin Air HealthMate Plus (sometimes referred to as the SuperBlend) was made for people sensitive to formaldehyde and toluene. The carbon and zeolite mixture in the filter is enhanced with potassium iodide specifically for formaldehyde removal.

This unit has a powerful motor, and it not the most quiet of all the machines, but it is highly effective and affordable. If you already have an Austin Air HealthMate machine, you can convert it to a Austin Air HealthMate Plus Air Purifier by simply replacing your current filter with the Plus filter.

Till Next Time!

Cheryl