No more allergy medicine for me!

Reading thru some of the negative articles about the Fresh Air prompted me to respond with a little information. I don’t want others to get the impression that the Fresh Air is going to be hazardous or difficult to use or try out. If you have problems with your machine, it is imperative that you check with your dealer as they may have some suggestions for you to improve the experience – it may be simply changing a setting or the location of the unit. If your dealer doesn’t help then contact Ecoquest (www.ecoquestintl.com).

Get the facts about ozone. Ozone is not air pollution and it does not cause air pollution. Ozone is the natural response of the environment to clean up the air pollution, hence, when air pollution levels rise, ozone levels rise. Increased levels of ozone can be irritating, but so can increased levels of water – especially when there is no where for it to go. The Fresh Air is most effective with adequate circulation. If you are trying one out in an environment that is extremely dusty or you have lots of animals in the house, or if you burn candles frequently, then you may experience some problems with air quality. You need to set it on the lowest setting (250 sq ft) and let it run for a while – it is cleaning your air but may stir things up initially. Gradually increase the sq ft over time, but if it starts to bother members of your house, drop it back down for a few more days but increase circulation (increase fan level on the machine and/or ceiling fans). Run in “away” mode as often as possible when no one is in the house (in the beginning – to boost the initial cleanup). If you have a lot of dust (like I do with 3 indoor dogs and 2 indoor cats and in a new neighborhood with lots of construction), get the harsh environment pads from your dealer (they are fairly inexpensive) – they have made a difference in how well my unit runs. Candles add significant amounts of particulate in the air and the Fresh Air will cause these particulates to fall from the air and may leave a fine black dust everywhere.

I have been able to quit using allergy medicine since having the Fresh Air in my home (almost a year now). I have also seen the Fresh Air remove mold and mildew from a window and bathroom in my mom’s house. She left the unit on “away” mode with the fan in the direction of the affected areas and over the period of a few hours, the mold disappeared.

Cleaning is simple. Remove the back cover, remove the lint screen – I usually take it outside and gently (but firmly) tap it against my hand to remove any dust – if needed I will vacuum it out. Remove the purifier plate and wash it according to the instructions in the manual. You will receive 2 purifier plates with your machine. While the first one is drying, place the 2nd one in your unit. Wipe out any dust that might have accumulated inside the machine. Replace lint screen and back cover. You can also remove the front grill and wipe down the fan blades if needed. After your purifier plate dries, store it away in the provided protective bag. Unless you use the harsh environment pads, there are no filters to buy. The purifier plates last for several years and are about $15 to replace. The RCI cell lasts for 3 years and is about $100 to replace.

Warranty info: 3 years parts and labor; 1 year RCI; 90 days purifier plate; 180 days remote.
EQ Dealer site: http://www.ecoquestintl.com/healthinharmony
Here are some good articles about ozone and safety:
Ozone Used for Air Purification: http://www.ecoquestintl.com/dlrdown/website_infolibrary/OzoneUsedForAirPurification.pdf
Kansas State University – Reducing bacteria and fungi on surfaces
KSU Surface Testing: http://www.ecoquestintl.com/dlrdown/website_forms/KSU_Surface_Testing.pdf
USDA Article: http://fsrio.nal.usda.gov/news_article.php?article_id=3483
KSU Whitepaperhttp://fss.k-state.edu/research/whitepprs/Franken20051103.pdf