Re: Are these filters for real?

[Guest guest]

Its debatable how much the level of UV light found in these EXPENSIVE

devices can oxidize bacteria..

Keep that in mind.. I think that in these kinds of applications simple

is better..

What did you think about the units with " 704 " in ther names on this page?

They are very small, and would remove the smallest fungal fragments

that filtration inherently fails to get.. Those are the ones that go

deepest into the lungs..

http://www.fantech.net/hrv_erv.htm

If you live in a multi-story building, especially if your building has

any south or west, or even east facing walls that get sun,the stack

effect can be VERY strong.. That sheer volume of air coming into your

apartment through every crack in the floor, walls, etc, (I know older

buildings and they LEAK) will overwhelm filters, even " workhorse "

ones..

[Guest guest]

It's hard to tell. They are alot cheaper, aren't they? I imagine it

might be difference in how much air they handled, which means how big a

hepa filter, how much activated charcoal, how well they are built (like

if there is alot of air leakage 'around' filter, so it can circumvent

filter and charcoal somehow. Unless they are rated by someone there is

no telling. In other words if unit has a very tight filter and fan

that is supposed to pull air through it, instead air finds away around

the filter, path of least resistence. However they could be

inexpensive and do a decent job. I'd like to know also. Does anyone

know a way to test these? As for the UV light Jeff said those aren't

effective because the brief time light would come into contact with

whatever is in the air wouldn't be enough to kill anything. Also I

found the UV light I put over my a/c coils degraded the fiberglass in

the a/c box with it's constant light and insulation fabric started to

flake off. Additionally the a/c box that I put it, when the pan

started to hold water due to the pan becoming unlevel, started to grow

mold despite the UV light in there.

>

> I already have Austin Air in each room, which is a workhorse that I

> like and trust for basic air filtration.

>

> What does anyone think of these?

>

> http://www.surroundair.com/buying_guide_pollutants.htm#Mold

>

> Hope the URL comes thru--anyway its " surroundair " and they have a few

> models with UV light.

>

[Guest guest]

Yeah they seem too cheap and small to trust. I wish I could, as that

would be a great temporary solution! Who did the studies? There is no

independent confirmation. I wish we could find out.

[Guest guest]

Carl said the electrostatic only works when air is kept moving, so you

couldn't cycle on and off these units or drop in electrostatic effect

will drop the particles it has suspended. You said you have yours

cycle off and on.

--- In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...>

wrote:

>

>

> What did you think about the units with " 704 " in ther names on this

page?

>

> They are very small, and would remove the smallest fungal fragments

> that filtration inherently fails to get.. Those are the ones that go

> deepest into the lungs..

>

> http://www.fantech.net/hrv_erv.htm

>

>

[Guest guest]

Do you mean my HRV? yes, I have a very fancy wll mounted control that

allows you to pick

the on off cycle and a bunch of other things.

Its great. Overpriced but great.

You don't need it, though. A simple on off switch will do.. (most of

the time its just on at the low setting.. we leave it on all the time,

sometimes when its very humid we turn it to cycle on 15 minutes on an

hour, but usually its just on on low.. You can't hear it at all at

that setting.. (granted, ours is upstairs in a special little closet

we built for it.. though)

Even when we had it sitting on a bench downstairs, it was very quiet..

We have a fairly large one.. the small ones are probably very quiet.

I was thinking you could build one yourself from electronic parts and

sheet aluminum.. perhaps.. If you are handy with stuff like that.

If anyone is interested, I know where to get suitable (ultraquiet) fans..

[Guest guest]

Jill,

It's easy to criticize any product and their marketing claims. But

some are easier than others. Surround Air is a compelling name

but I see nothing different (or better) than dozens of other

products with reliable claims.

I'd really want to see these in person. For example, the one for

500 sq feet (a 20 x 25 room) is being held between someone's

hands. That's awfully small for the size fan needed plus the huge

HEPA to move 400 CFM (at 6 air exchanges per hour). That's a

BIG unit that would have to cost more! Check out units rated

around 400 CFM on http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/

The combination of all these techniques is usually not needed

and are redundant. But the price is below known reliable ones.

Read carefully http://www.surroundair.com/coverage.htm

They mention and then dismiss both coverage (air exhanges per

hour) and CADR. They mis-state coverage and they

misrepresent what CADR measures, implying their combination

of technologies make those objective measures unreliable. I don't

agree. CADR will measure the total effectiveness so why dismiss

it? Then they offer no corrective data. They only dismiss and

leave it to us to therefore accept their claims.

Then compare their info, mostly correct, on HEPA at

http://www.surroundair.com/hepa-air-filter.htm with

http://www.surroundair.com/ionic-air-purifier.htm

They say they use HEPA with a link to the above but further on

the incredibly state: " Test Results: 99.5% Particle Removal in Air

Chamber Test. "

If HEPA is 99.97% why is their HEPA only 99.5%? This

contradicts their own statement about HEPA media.

Then, why state less than HEPA when they claim the

HEPA plus ions increases effectiveness? It should be

higher than 99.97%. And if their answer is the difference

between 99.97% and 100% is insignificant then why

should they build and we need the UV and the ions etc?

If it traps mold and bacteria, why UV light? The implication is the

UV affects the whole room rather than just shining on the HEPA

media. Same for the ions. The ions (which don't appear to be

ozone, BTW) can affect the whole room. But it depends on the

strength and the location of the probe. If it is inside the case (to

prevent getting poked) its effectiveness is minimal.

What I see is very clever language. I wish they put as much effort

and creativity into the product.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> I already have Austin Air in each room, which is a workhorse that I

> like and trust for basic air filtration.

>

> What does anyone think of these?

>

> http://www.surroundair.com/buying_guide_pollutants.htm#Mold

>

> Hope the URL comes thru--anyway its " surroundair " and they have a few

> models with UV light.

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>