Seeking allergy relief through air purification

If you’re like me, and many of my friends and family, allergy season is in full swing.  Fortunately, there are things we can do to help relieve the itchy eyes and sneezing, the worst of my symptoms being severe sinus pain.

There’s not much I’m going to do outside my home.  The yellow dust on my car each morning tells me a bit about how the rest of my day will go.  But inside my home, I have taken steps to reduce the allergens floating around in the air.  Luckily for me, pollen is the least of my worries.  Inside the house, there is a much more sinister enemy.  Unfortunately I have not yet tracked down the name of the culprit.  I know only that he hides in my closet among the layers of dust on the floor.  I stay clear of him, for he is the one who in one quick swoop, knocked me to my knees with sinus pain that could take down the fiercest of beasts.

Ok, ok, maybe I exaggerated a little, but it was quite painful.  It did knock me onto the couch in an attempt to find some position to lessen the pressure in my head.  But an allergy tablet and 30 minutes later, I was back on my feet.

Sweeping the closet is a good start in preventing another such attack.  But there is more I could be doing to fix the problem.  Central Air Purification would be great, but since I don’t have any duct work in my house, I’m looking more into individual air purifiers in the rooms that need it most.

Air purifiers clean the air, removing allergens such as pollen, dust, mold and pet dander.  They work in different ways depending on the type you choose.  Some pass the air through a special type of filter that removes the particles in the air then blows the air back into the room.  HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air filters) are the most effective in removing tiny particles.

Some purifiers do not use a HEPA filter, but instead use ozone.  However, high levels of ozone can be dangerous if a person is overexposed.  You will want to contact a specialist if you feel your home requires ozone treatment.  Unfortunately, ozone may actually worsen allergies in some people.

Others, like the one in my home, use an electrostatic filter to capture the particles in the air.  Some electrostatic air purifiers will then send the air through a charcoal filter to remove even more contaminants.  I like this type because the filter is reusable.

Of course, air purifiers can only do so much.  Frequent vacuuming and dusting is also critical in keeping allergens to a minimum.  If you want to know more about air purification, the folks at AirNow would be glad to help. 

Avoid Procrastination

Today I’m going to deviate from HVAC to talk about a problem many business owners as well as employees face: Procrastination. 

What is Procrastination?

Have you ever put something off that you should be doing now? If so, then you have fallen victim to procrastination. It happens to everyone every once in a while. The key is to know when it is unwise to put things off and how to avoid the temptation in the first place.

Bernard Meltzer once said, “Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time.”

What Causes Procrastination?

There are many reasons (excuses?) to put things off. It could be just that you are waiting for the right time to do the job, or that you are not in the mood. Other reasons could have to do with the way you organize your work. Answering these questions might help you determine why a task is not getting done:

• Are your goals clear?
• Is the task more difficult than anticipated?
• Is the task taking longer than expected?
• Do you understand what the outcome of the task is supposed to be?
• Where did the task assignment come from, and how do you feel about it?
• Is the task too ambiguous?

Some personality traits might be blocking your ability to perform as well, such as the fear of failure or success, perfectionism or the need to develop decision making skills.

How Do You Avoid Procrastination?

Confronting these issues can help you avoid putting off tasks. Below are some steps you can take to stop procrastinating and get the project done!

Set Goals:

• Clearly define your final objective.
• List the steps it will take to achieve your goal.
• Note the steps that have already been completed. A visual reminder that you are making progress can aid in keeping up your motivation.

Motivate Yourself:

• Ask yourself what is your motivation. Having a positive motive for completing a task can help to keep you on track. If you are thinking negative thoughts about a task, you are more likely to put it off.
• Make a list of your roadblocks. Decide what you can change and change it so you can reach your goal.
• Ask yourself what will happen if you do not complete the task. Knowing this may be enough to motivate you.

Develop a Plan:

• Make a list of the resources you will need to complete the task. These can be books, time and even people.
• Develop your plan using realistic steps.
• Schedule your tasks according to the amount of time it should take to complete each one.
• Set aside time each day or week to focus on the project.
• Set periodic goals and reward yourself when you reach them.
• Find someone to review your work periodically.

Some final reminders to beat procrastination: Always remember that mistakes do happen. Make sure you do not dwell on them, but chalk it up as experience, learn from it and move on. There will be distractions and escapes. Do not give in to temptation! There will be emotional roadblocks such as frustration when things don’t seem to be going right. Rather than let it stall your progress, develop a plan to get past it and move forward. Finally, visualize your success! Good luck out there!

Environmental Control for Data Centers

Understanding humidity control in critical environments such us data centers can help save energy and money.  Unfortunately, the use of HVAC technology in such environments is still fairly new and needs to be improved to realize the most energy efficient methods.

 

Even though environmental control for data systems first came to the forefront in the 1960’s, it’s only been in the last decade that the most significant advances have been made.  Standards are continually changing as needs change.  It is well known how quickly computer technology changes and the HVAC industry must constantly evolve in order to keep up with the cooling demands.

 

The efficiency of climate control systems in data centers relies not only on the fuel being used, but also in the overall design of the system itself.  Because of the ever changing needs in different data centers, older designs that were once highly efficient in one application may not be the best choice in the newer data canters.  Incorrect design could ultimately lead to increased energy consumption beyond what would have been needed in a better designed system.

 

The next challenge that needs to be overcome is better understanding the limitations of the computer equipment itself.  There is not enough data on the effects of humidity on the equipment.  While it is known that excessive humidity will damage the equipment, it is not known how varying levels of humidity within the recommended range affect the equipment’s overall life.

 

Another unknown is how the use of outside air would affect the equipment.  In HVAC, the use of outside air would greatly increase the efficiency of the system.  However, outside air is likely to carry with it dust and dirt particles that could build up inside the equipment and cause a short circuit.  There are also greater fluctuations in the humidity of outside air.

 

Data Center designers as well as operators need to work together to determine the best course of action for keeping the systems at peak operating performance.  Understanding the pace at which technology changes as well as continually gathering as much data as possible for analysis will go a long way toward ensuring the most energy efficient cooling systems for data centers.

 

If you need more information on Data Center Environmental Control, contact AirNow/Herricks Mechanical Corp and we will be happy to assist you.