here's my xmas present to you all- a simple home improvement tip to improve the air you breathe [View all]

[farminator3000]

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 02:34 PM - Edit history (1)

buy a 20 inch box fan (lasko is good)

buy a 20 x 20 furnace filter

it says on the label what pollutants the filter removes

this is the cool part-
duct/duck tape the filter to the intake side of the fan.
DON'T spend 15 minutes doing that and then realize that you put the arrows on the filter backwards

arrows on filter--->towards fan. filter taped to side of fan where air comes in. air goes thru filter FIRST.

NO windows involved- air in room sucked thru filter by fan, blown out into same room (sorry for the sexual imagery)

the sides are easy, just make sure the corners are airtight.
turn it on and smile cause you just saved $800 on a fancy air scrubber
it really works!
put an on/off timer maybe (mine just runs 24/7), 15 min on/ 15 off if your electric bill is a problem

your lungs will thank you! there's a video out there somewhere with a guy in a lab coat explaining it.



happy xmas, and merry breathing!


MERV 1-4 Air Filters: These inexpensive fiberglass mesh filters only remove particles over 10 microns in size and do very little to improve the indoor air quality in your home.
MERV 5-8 Air Filters: Medium quality pleated air filters that can remove particles down to 3.0 microns in size.
MERV 9-12 Air Filters: High quality air filters that can remove particles down to 1.0 microns in size.
MERV 13-16 Air Filters: Highest quality in standard filters. Removes particles down to 0.3 microns.
MERV 17-20 Air Filters: Also known as HEPA air filters (High Energy Particulate Air). These filters surpass the standard MERV rating by removing 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micron and larger. While often used in hospitals, they cause too much air resistance to be installed in a standard HVAC system without making modifications first.

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Minute, invisible particles in the air in our homes and businesses are a primary threat to health. They evade the body's filtering mechanisms and penetrate deep into lung tissue, carrying toxic substances, which are absorbed in the body.

This category includes copier toner, mold, fine powders and dust, bacteria, and viruses.

Particle Sizes

The size of particles affects their potential to cause health problems. Particulate matter is measured in microns—one micron is one millionth of a meter; there are 25,400 microns in one inch.

Particles larger than 10 microns do not usually reach the lungs, but can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Small particles with diameters smaller than 5 microns can travel deep into our breathing passages. Particles the size of 2.5 ('PM2.5' measured by air quality monitoring agencies) and smaller is considered 'fine particulate' and is of serious health concern. Smaller than 1 micron in size can be inhaled right into the aveoli, or air exchange sacs at the end of our bronchial tubes in our lungs.

Examples of approximate ranges of particle diameter sizes:

• pet dander is 5 to 10 microns (PM5 to PM10)
• pollen is 10 microns or more
• room dust is 10 to 300 microns
• human hair is about 100 microns (range of 60 to 300)
• mold spores are 10 to 30 microns
• lead dust is 2 microns
• anthrax is 1 to 5 microns
• paint pigments are 0.1 to 5 microns
• wood smoke particles are 0.2 to 3 microns
• tobacco smoke particles are 0.01 to 4 microns
• humidifier particles are 0.9 to 3 microns
• copier toner is 0.5 to 15 microns
• some bacteria are 0.3 to 10 microns
• pesticides and herbicides are 0.001 microns