New products, and an opportunity...

[MaineShark]

Just wanted to let you guys know about some nifty products I've newly added to my lineup.

In addition to the other products I carry, I've recently expanded into a greater number of indoor air quality products.  If you don't have forced-air, read this anyway, since there are systems that don't require existing ductwork.

The first is a really neat device.  It's a self-changing furnace filter.  If you have forced-air heating and/or cooling, you should change your air filter(s) every month.  Of course, most people don't.  So the filter manufacturers make their products extra-porous to keep them from plugging up when the majority of customers wait the inevitable year between changes.  That means that a lot of dust, pollen, mold, etc. gets through.  So, OptimAir made a self-changing filter.  It's a reel-to-reel system: both reels are mounted in a housing on the side of the duct, and a frame slides into the existing filter slot, over which the filter media slides.  Each cartridge has enough media to handle a year or two (depending on your system and needs).  At predetermined intervals, it winds up the old, dirty filter and exposes new, clean filter.  Because the filter change interval is guaranteed, they can use a much better media that will capture a lot more of the allergens and dust than conventional filters do.

I can't give pricing on those, because there are different sizes for different ducts, but if you (or someone you know) have need of such a device, let me know and I'll tell you what measurements I need in order to give you a price.  It's really a very cool system, and has a lifetime warranty.

The other products are Sanuvox UV air purifiers.  Most of the UV systems out there do next to nothing for air purification.  Any of the UV "stick lights" are actually designed for preventing mold growth on objects, like A/C coils, and do little or nothing for air purity.  The light intensity drops off so rapidly as you move away from the bulb (down to useless levels for air purification by the time you get 2" from the bulb) that nothing much is accomplished.

The only UV systems that actually work are photo-oxidation systems.  They are effective against biological contaminants as well as chemical contaminants like smoke, paint fumes, etc.  These come in two basic sorts.  The first uses a UV-C light that shines on a catalyst.  The UV-C kills some germs directly, and the catalyst produces ions that oxidize germs as well as chemicals and mold spores and the like.  These systems require replacement of the lamp(s) and catalyst on a regular basis, and can produce noticeable amounts of ozone during operation.  The second type uses both UV-C and UV-V light.  The UV-C still has the same germicidal effect, and the UV-V directly oxidizes other contaminants, without the need of a catalyst.  This is the system that Sanuvox uses.

The non-catalyst system is superior for a couple of reasons.  For one, the catalyst is expensive to replace, and that cost is eliminated.  For another, the higher-energy UV light being produced by the bulb itself keeps the bulb clean (other systems typically ask you to clean the bulb monthly, although few people do, which results in reduced effectiveness).  The Sanuvox process encloses the bulb in a relfective box that keeps the UV from dissipating out into the duct, creating a high-energy "kill zone" that will even destroy things like TB and other diseases.  For comparison, influenza is about three times easier to kill than TB.  After a few passes, effectively all the air has had an opportunity to go through the kill zone.

Also, the Sanuvox system uses a very high quality lamp that is guaranteed for three years, as opposed to most other systems that not only don't guarantee the lamp, but require it to be replaced yearly.  Cut the lamp replacements interval by three, and eliminate catalyst replacements altogether, and the cost of ownership goes way down.

These systems are available for installation into an existing duct system, for as little as $450 (that represents a discount for Porcupines, not the normal pricing), depending on the size of your house.  And there are units that include a fan and a complete HEPA filtration system for those who want a fully self-contained system that will produce the ultimate in air quality (I can even add humidification and/or dehumidification to the HEPA systems).

There are also portable units that are rated for around 900 square feet, although many people report that they can handle a lot more than that (so buy one, then add another if you need it).  I guess you could compare them to the various "ionic" systems that are available by mail order and whatnot, but there really isn't any comparison.  The most popular of those units was actually proven to be pretty much useless by Consumer Reports, and the manufacturer tried to sue them for reporting the truth.  On the other hand, the Sanuvox systems are independently tested and work as advertized.  Plus, like the whole-house models, they have the high-energy lamp that lasts three years.  The portable units list for $885, but I can sell them for $625 to non-Porcupines, and $550 to Porcupines.  If you want to buy them and re-sell them, that's fine by me.  If you buy one for yourself, and decide you don't notice any difference within 30 days, you can return it for a full refund.  I would encourage anyone who has allergies, or who needs to eliminate odors from pets, cigarette smoke, or any other sources, to give these a try.

If you have special needs that go beyond the norm (for example, a salon that wants a fume hood and purification unit to remove nail polish odors), let me know what you need, and I'll design a system for you.

I'm hoping some of you may be interested in purchasing some of the portable air purifiers, as these really are amazing systems, and I've heard nothing but good reports from anyone who has tried them.  Plus, as I said, if you don't notice a difference, you can always return it.  I'm trying to get some orders lined up, so I'm offering reduced pricing and the money-back guarantee.  Eventually, the pricing will go up, but I've wanted to sell these things for a few years, and now that I have my own company and can sell the products I want (even if they aren't "high-profit-margin"), I'm really excited to be able to sell these.  If anyone is interested in pricing for any of the other products, or has any questions, please ask away...

Joe

[KBCraig]

Welcome back, Joe!

I hope everyone will join me in trying to boost Joe's karma.

[Insurgent]

Based upon what you have written, what would you think about this product? http://www.nanobreeze.com/index.html

[MaineShark]

Based upon what you have written, what would you think about this product? http://www.nanobreeze.com/index.html

It's a catalyst-based product, so it has the limitations that I described above.  In addition, since it's only producing UV-A, the effects will be pretty minimal.  UV-A is very safe, to you, as well as to germs.  UV-C destroys DNA and can cause skin cancer and other problems, which is why the lamp in any higher-quality unit will be enclosed, not exposed like that.

Additionally, they note that their lamp is only good for one year ($50 plus shipping for replacements), and I would expect that it probably has lost a lot of effectiveness before that, as dust will build up on the surface and a lamp weak enough to look at is far too weak to burn off the dust and achieve self-cleaning like the Sanuvox systems do.

I'm sure you could get some purification effect, if you installed enough of them.  I don't see any claim as to how large an area each one is supposed to purify, so I'm guessing that means you'd need so many to have an effect that they are unwilling to even discuss it.  Any legitimate air purification product is at going to have general guidelines as to how large an area it can cover.

Joe