Electric fireplaces, like those manufactured by Southern Enterprises, are quickly becoming safer, low-hassle alternatives to built-in fireplaces. With traditional fireplaces, you have to consider what type of fireplace and features you want, where it will fit in your home, who will install it (Will you install it yourself or hire contractors?)—plus, you may need a building permit, which could take weeks to get!

Electric fireplaces don’t require extensive planning or any construction at all. Just remove it from the package, plug it into an electrical outlet, and turn it on. Voila! You’ve got a room filled with the rustic charm of a roaring fire. Since electric fireplaces are space heaters as well, they fill your room with the warmth of a fire more efficiently and without the hazards associated with wood-burning fireplaces.

Moreover, the use of electric light to create the flame means that there is no danger from stray ashes and no pollutants affecting your indoor air quality. The electric flame also keeps the fireplace cool to the touch, protecting children and pets.

Ultimately, the hardest part about purchasing an electric fireplace is choosing one. These heaters are available in a variety of designs, from contemporary to ornate to traditional. The Southern Enterprises Tennyson Electric Fireplace includes bookcases, which brings an air of distinction and additional storage to any room. You can add the antique quality of a stove heater to your room with the DeLonghi SFG1031 Solid-Steel Electric Stove Heater. With its controls hidden behind the front door, even antique aficionados will do a double take at this vintage-inspired unit.

Along with these designs, you can choose from multiple finishes, such as antique white, mahogany, oak, and black. With prices starting below $200, it’s easy to give any room in your house an instant facelift with the timeless look of a fireplace.

So this winter season, don’t just reminisce about great times spent by a fire; experience them again with an electric fireplace. Only this time, you don’t have to stoke it, clean it, or even worry about it. Just plug it in, nestle in your favorite spot, and enjoy the comfortable warmth emanating from your fireplace.

This first installment marks our jump into the world of online video. In the coming months, we’ll be bringing you lots more videos about some of our bestselling indoor air quality products. Be sure to visit the Sylvane YouTube Channel regularly to catch our new additions and to learn more about crafting a healthier indoor environment.

• On the west side of the city, a stretch of Interstate-20 was completely flooded with water – and schools of fish – after floodwaters of the nearby Sweetwater Creek overflowed onto each side of the highway.
• Clarkdale Elementary School in the northwestern Atlanta suburb of Austell became submerged as floodwaters reached the roof of the 46-year-old school.
• Scores of Atlanta city residents had to take boats into their neighborhoods to survey flood damage done to their homes.
• A total of nine people died after being swept away in rushing floodwaters.

Today, (thankfully) the water levels are receding, the sun is shining, and metro Atlanta is continuing to dry out. In the meantime, however, many residents who have lost their homes completely or experienced some degree of flood damage are at a loss for what to do next.

If you find yourself in these shoes, our article How To Handle A Flood can help point you in the right direction. In addition, here at Sylvane, we offer a complete selection of water damage restoration products that can help you clean up and restore your home or business safely following flood damage. From commercial dehumidifiers to air movers to mold-killing disinfectants, we can outfit you with the tools you need to get your space back in shape.

Feel free to call our product experts anytime at (800) 934-9194 if you have questions on our restoration products or need advice.

Window AC units are room air conditioners designed to cool areas in your home, office, or business evenly and comfortably. These self-contained appliances are most often installed inside standard double-hung windows, but some units can be configured to install through a wall if you don’t have a window available.

When compared to portable AC units, window air conditioners can be slightly more efficient, partly because their heat-generating exhaust systems sit outdoors as opposed to inside a room. They provide powerful and flexible cooling that is easy to control using a host of intuitive features.

To learn more about window ACs, read our new article 5 Things To Consider When Buying A Window Air Conditioner. Then, browse our new Energy Star-rated units including the Friedrich X-Star and Sunpentown models. Look for more units to be added to our offerings in the coming weeks.

Drip…drip…annoying drip.

Well guess what? The time you have to wait for that satisfying glass of agua has been drastically reduced with the Clear2O Original Water Pitcher. Nabbing a 2007 “Good Buy” award from Good Housekeeping magazine, the Clear2O water filter pitcher puts clean, contaminant-free water at your fingertips in a record time of 34 seconds.

To filter water 9 times faster than the competition, the Clear2O pitcher uses the pressure of your faucet instead of simple gravity to pass water through a purifying carbon block filter. All you have to do is attach the pitcher’s quick-connect hose to your faucet and turn on the tap. Pressurized water moves through the filter at record speed. When the pitcher is full, you’ll enjoy nine 8-oz. glasses of clean water before your next fill-up – that’s approximately 50% more than similar water filter pitchers.

Your water will be cleaner, too. Clear2O’s filter removes 5 times the amount of impurities as the leading brand’s pitcher. It also has an exceptionally long life. The Clear2O filter purifies 50 gallons or 800 8-oz. glasses of water over its lifetime. That means you could go months and months without replacing it.

I think one of the best benefits of this pitcher, however, boils down to the incredibly positive effect it has on the environment. Every year, bottled water produces about 1.5 million tons of plastic waste. It’s estimated that a mere 20 percent of these plastic water bottles actually make it to a recycling bin. The rest end up in landfills – where they will take 450 to 1,000 years to decompose – or in the ocean – where marine life often fatally mistake the bottles for food.

Drinking water from a Clear2O Original Water Pitcher not only helps you save time and money, it also helps save the planet we call home.

When running on their lowest fan speeds, these units emit sounds that are only slightly louder than a whisper. At 41 decibels and 43 decibels respectively, the CV-P12PX and CV-P13PX can be operated in your bedroom, office, or living room with virtually zero disruption. That’s a long way from many first-generation portable AC models that, when operating, you swear sound like a plane shooting down a runway.

Of course, whisper-quiet operation isn’t the only feature that makes our new Sharp portable air conditioners worthy of a detailed look. Along with automatic drainage, a variety of modes – including a dehumidifier-only mode – and multiple speeds, these new models incorporate Sharp’s proprietary Plasmacluster Ion Technology. This system works to clean your air of impurities and render it fresher and cleaner-smelling throughout the cooling process. Essentially, the Sharp CV-P12PX and CV-P13PX are air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and air filters all rolled into one.

Forecasters say it will be a hot summer. Why not get through it with one of these cutting-edge portable ACs from Sharp?

Each new air purifier is equipped with Blueair’s patented HEPASilent Technology, which performs both mechanical and electrostatic filtration to achieve an extremely high efficiency of 99.97% of particles sized down to 0.1 microns. That’s actually better filtration performance than True HEPA units, which remove the same percentage of particles down to 0.3 microns. Moreover, each unit received exceptionally high CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) scores for tobacco smoke, pollen, and dust.

Along with including the company’s staple features of better-than-HEPA filtration, easy-to-use controls, and quiet operation, these new air cleaners are friendlier to the environment. Each model uses significantly less power than comparable units, helping you to gain greater control over your electricity usage and energy dollars. The Blueair Particle and SmokeStop filters are made of non-toxic and recyclable polypropylene. In addition, these new units emit absolutely no ozone.

With these Blueair air cleaners, you can have clean air, a cheaper energy bill, a healthier environment, and money in your pocket.

Now, there’s even more incentive to invest in one of the new Blueair units. Through June 30th, you can receive a free Blueair air filter when you purchase selected Blueair air purifiers. This works out to a savings of up to $150.

This Ladybug vapor steam cleaner is excellent for residential cleaning tasks, but it’s also a great economical tool for workers in many commercial sectors such as car-detailing, the food and hospitality industries, and janitorial departments in schools, universities, and on corporate campuses. Come to think of it, almost any household and industry would benefit from the Ladybug’s safe and chemical-free approach to cleaning.

Here’s a little taste of what the Ladybug Tekno (and the other Ladybug models) can do for you:

1. Cleans baseboards, ceramic tile, hardwood, and vinyl floors without requiring you to kneel down.
2. Cleans and freshens wainscot, walls, and ceilings without making you pull out that stool or ladder.
3. Freshens, deodorizes, and removes stains from carpets, rugs, mats, and fabrics.
4. Details car interiors—including upholstery, carpet, headliners, door panels, windows, infant seats, vents, and chrome wheels.
5. Kills mold and mildew almost anywhere.
6. Prepares walls for painting or wallpapering.
7. Removes debris from ceilings and wall air vents for better airflow.
8. Restores vinyl, synthetic, leather, and cotton upholstery to its original sheen.
9. Dusts Levolor, venetian, horizontal, and vertical blinds.
10. Polishes windows and mirrors, leaving behind streak-free shine.
11. Cleans window frames and window screens.
12. Polishes jewelry.
13. Kills and removes algae from outdoor decks and other exterior wood surfaces.
14. Unclogs drains.
15. Cleans and disinfects tile, grout, bathroom fixtures, shower stalls, and shower doors.
16. Removes stickers and decals with no debris left behind.
17. Kills unwanted vegetation.
18. Disinfects fitness and sports equipment.
19. Cleans countertops, stove tops, ovens, small appliances, sinks, faucets, and drains.
20. Removes wax.
21. Defrosts freezers.

To read about more uses for vapor steam cleaners, check out our steam cleaner tips and techniques.

The Amcor NanoMax C14000E is the newest model to join the award-winning NanoMax line. Like its counterparts, this unit uses the company’s patented AutoDrain NanoMist Technology to automatically drain condensation from the unit – and to free you from ever having to empty a water bucket again. With 14,000 BTUs of cooling power per hour, this model is also the most powerful in the NanoMax series. It covers up to 500 sq. ft., which makes it the perfect supplemental spot cooler for a living room or other large room on hot summer nights.

One thing I love about this new unit is that it seems to be designed with interior style in mind. Its compact size and sleek outer body is further enhanced by a faux wood-accented control panel that provides a nice decorative touch. Whether it’s placed in a bedroom, office, living room, or den, the C14000E won’t cramp the existing style of the space. Right now, it’s available only in black, but I hear that more designer colors are on the way.

This PAC also helps you save money – a perk we cannot get enough these days. The unit features an easy-as-pie programmable timer that lets you pre-set on/off times to save energy during those hours when the portable air conditioner is not readily needed (i.e. when you leave the room).

Additionally, the simple act of adding this portable AC to the spaces you use most can help you shave dollars off of your energy bill. By running the unit in your most high-traffic rooms – and keeping your central AC’s thermostat at a higher setting – you can potentially save up to 5% on your monthly energy bill, without sacrificing comfort. Read our article Lower Your Energy Bill with a Portable Air Conditioner for more details.

The Amcor C14000E portable air conditioner is a stylish and economical way to beat the heat – and ease the dollar-crunch – this summer.

Here I thought I was doing as much as I realistically could to help our environment. I recycle what can be recycled; I shop with reusable bags; I light my home with compact fluorescent lights; and I’ve started composting. And yet, these actions, while helpful, don’t seem to be enough. I – we – could be doing so much more.

At Sylvane, we try to do more every day. For example, we work hard to adopt greener habits around the office. Along with using recycled product cartons and recyclable shipping boxes, we use 100% biodegradable packing peanuts when packaging our products. We feverishly recycle everyday trash, turn off lights when they’re not needed, and use plant-based cleaners.

We also strive to pack eco-friendly solutions into our product catalog. New this week are a line of Earth-conscious Blueair air purifiers, including the 203, 270E, 303, 403, 503, and 603 models. Here are some additional products that can help to reduce our collective carbon footprint:

Alen Paralda HEPA Air Purifier
Using less energy than a standard light bulb, the Alen Paralda meets both Energy Star and RoHS lead-free standards. When running, it uses only 55 watts of power and produces zero ozone. The Paralda recently received Respiratory Management’s Product of the Year award, giving a nod to its powerful air-cleaning capabilities, which include HEPA particle filtration, ionization, and ultraviolet bacteria elimination.

Toyotomi TAD-T38J Portable Air Conditioner
Now that it’s getting warmer outside, you might be in the market for a portable air conditioner (PAC). When shopping for a PAC, you should remember to look for the unit’s EER, or Energy Efficiency Ratio. The EER tells you how many BTUs are used for each watt of power. The basic rule is: the higher the EER, the more energy-efficient the unit. With an EER of 10.12 and a high-efficiency compressor, the new Toyotomi TAD-T38J Portable Air Conditioner cools your air while consuming minimal energy. The dual-hose unit also doubles as a dehumidifier and air purifier and features a programmable auto mode to help save even more energy.

AllerSoft Pillow and Mattress Protectors
Win the war against dust mites naturally and comfortably with 100% organic cotton dust mite covers. AllerSoft offers pillow and mattress protectors made with dye-, latex-, and chemical-free cotton. All of the bedding covers are SKAL- and Oeko-Tex certified organic to effectively repel dust mites while staying sensitive to skin and allergies.

Crescent Moon Natural Wool Bedding
Using 100% organic cotton and naturally porous alpaca wool, Crescent Moon manufactures dust mite proof pillow protectors, duvet covers, mattress pads, and pillows. Alpaca wool, a great alternative to down, will not harbor dust mites or mold spores, or other bedroom allergens. Moreover, the cotton-wool combination helps keep you dry and comfortable, and the absence of synthetic material means no polluting fumes will be released.

These are just a few of our environmentally friendly solutions. Look for us to add more green products to our catalog in the coming months.

According to the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Portuguese water dogs – or “Porties” – are considered hypoallergenic because they are single-coated and shed less hair than other breeds. However, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) says that the amount of hair a dog actually sheds is not the issue for allergy-sufferers. It’s not a dog’s hair that causes allergies. It’s a dog’s dander, or dead skin cells.

AAAAI says that pet allergies are triggered by a specific protein found in an animal’s dander, saliva, or urine. This protein attaches itself to microscopic airborne particles that float throughout the air. Allergic reactions start when these particles are inhaled. All dogs, regardless of their breed, possess these proteins. Therefore, in essence, there is no such thing as an allergy-free dog.

There are, however, breeds that are more allergy-friendly, like Porties. These dogs have to be groomed more frequently, which removes a good deal of the dander in the process. Poodles and miniature schnauzers are other good examples.

So while the Obama family may have found a gem of a dog in Bo. (How cute are his first official photos?) He is not exactly allergy-free. The Obamas will want to keep a close eye on how Malia’s allergies fare with Bo at her side.

They might also consider using some of these strategies for coping with pet dander allergies. You might find them useful, too.

• Visit an allergist or immunologist for allergy treatment options. These may include regular allergy shots, medication, and/or lifestyle changes.
• Keep the pet out of the allergic person’s bedroom. Pet dander can easily collect on pillows and bedding, which may lead to heightened symptoms in the morning and at night.
• Use a HEPA air purifier to filter out pet dander, pet odors, and other irritants from the air. The Austin Air Pet Machine is designed specifically to remove even microscopic pet allergens with its 4-stage HEPA/carbon filter.
• Use a HEPA vacuum to get rid of allergens that have settled onto carpets, floors, and upholstery. The Bissell Lift-Off Revolution Pet Vacuum contains 3 separate filters, including a HEPA Post-Motor Filter, to clean floors, filter allergens, and help return clean air to a room.
• Bathe the animal weekly to reduce the amount of dander shed. You can use special pet wipes or pet shampoo designed to remove allergens as well as dirt and saliva.

For instance, if you live in the Northeast, you can expect heavier pollen levels as a result of the area’s high population as well as the large number of pollen-producing plants in the region. The Midwest will also likely see a more severe allergy season, stemming from the late winter flooding and snowstorms, which have made the ground ripe for tree and grass growth. In the Southeast, there are conflicting predictions. While some numbers predict a less severe allergy season, allergists at the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic, say residents in the region should hunker down for a particularly tough season, based on recent pollen trends and weather patterns.

Whether you are living in one of these spring allergy hotspots or in an area that expects to see typical pollen counts this year, you’ll definitely want to prepare yourself and your family for aggravated symptoms. Here are some ways that you can better manage the effects of spring pollen and reduce the severity of your allergies, no matter what the forecast says.

1.) Use an air purifier to clean the air indoors. Air purifiers, like the Austin Air HealthMate and the IQAir HealthPro, help filter out airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, mold, and odors from your indoor air with the help of special HEPA and carbon-based filters. The result is cleaner, contaminant-free air that is not as likely to trigger sniffles, itchy eyes, and sneezing.

2.) Shower after spending time outside to wash away pollen that collects on your skin and hair. One of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of pollen you track indoors is to shower after spending long amounts of time outdoors. This will reduce the likelihood that pollen grains will settle on your furniture, be swept up into your indoor air, or find a new home in your bed.

3.) Clean bare floors, rugs, and carpets with an allergen-blasting vacuum. Vacuums such as the Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum and the Halo UV-ST Ultraviolet Vacuum, are specifically designed to remove allergens from your floors and to prevent them from being sprayed back into the air. The Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum uses airtight HEPA filtration along with multi-cyclonic technology to remove nearly 100% of allergens, dust, and dirt. The Halo UV-ST Vacuum also uses a HEPA filter, in addition to germ-killing ultraviolet light. This type of light shines on your floors as you vacuum to kill 99% of viruses, bacteria, flea eggs, dust mite eggs, and mold spores to give you the cleanest possible floors.

*Take advantage of our sale on the Halo UV-ST Vacuum. The model is currently priced at $329 (regular price: $399).

4.) Keep your windows and doors closed. This is a key strategy for keeping pollen out of your home. Keeping doors and windows shut and well-sealed will prevent pollen-rich air from traveling inside. It also prevents stray air from escaping, which can ultimately cut down on your energy costs and help your air purifier work more effectively.

For more information on combating spring pollen and fighting indoor allergies, read our article Allergies: Facts and Fixes.

You can also check daily pollen and mold counts using the National Allergy Bureau’s online tool.

According to the National Safety Council, an estimated 300 people die each year from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, and thousands more are admitted to emergency rooms with inhalation symptoms. Many people don’t know that inhaling even low levels of carbon monoxide can cause fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in those with heart disease. At higher CO concentrations, however, a person can experience worsening symptoms like impaired vision and coordination, headaches, dizziness, confusion, and/or nausea. All of these can lead to the possibility of death under prolonged CO exposure. This “silent killer” is virtually impossible to identify because it is odorless and colorless. That’s why it’s important to install an indoor carbon monoxide detector that will alert you if your CO levels grow deadly.

In our case, the level of carbon monoxide lingering in our break room was, thankfully, not considered dangerous. Regardless, we evacuated our office and soon found the culprit. Construction workers in the neighboring office suite were using gas-powered concrete cutters and, strangely, had left a pickup truck idling inside of the office – with very little ventilation. (Anyone ever hear of the book series “The Darwin Awards?” This could have been a great contender.)

After some time, the odorous gas fumes from the power tools (what Drew was most likely smelling) and the CO-rich exhaust from the truck’s engine traveled into our air handling system and circulated throughout our office. After lots of afternoon ventilation – and some serious talking with our neighbors next door – we were fine.

Reading about our experience will likely prompt you to take some time to educate yourself on the dangers of carbon monoxide and learn tips for how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Visit the websites below for loads of valuable – and possibly life-saving – information. And most importantly, please remember to operate your vehicles outdoors!

• U.S. Centers For Disease Control – Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Carbon Monoxide
• National Safety Council – Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet

This past weekend, we launched the new and improved Sylvane.com! If you haven’t already, take a minute and check it out.

We’ve designed our website to be more customer-friendly. We have worked toward this goal in a couple of ways. First, we have reorganized our product category pages to include multiple product filter options. You can use these filters as guides to shop for products by your specific need, by a particular brand, or by your price range. Second, on our product category and brand pages, we have added easy-click links to helpful product articles that you can use for guided reference while you shop. Third, we have streamlined the information on our product pages to make it more organized and accessible. Using these strategies, we strive to help guide you to the best product(s) for your needs.

You will also notice that some of the elements on our new website remain familiar. We still have our detailed brand comparison charts to help you understand the differences between each brand’s products. Our reorganized Learning Center is still available as a valuable resource for indoor health and allergy management information. (Note: Spring is right around the corner. You may want to review our Prepare For Allergy Season article.) And our ever-growing product catalog still includes a wide variety of high-quality solutions for a healthier indoor environment and a more comfortable life.

With that, we hope you enjoy the features of our new website and that you find them extremely useful. Let us know what you think. We welcome your feedback.

I must admit that even amidst positive reviews from our customers, I was very hesitant to pour water through my nose. Visions of gasping and coughing from accidentally swallowing water while swimming as a child flitted through my mind. To add insult to injury, adding salt to that very water didn’t seem like a terribly comfortable idea. Wouldn’t it burn?

Believe it or not it took a conversation at a dinner party to convince me. When I heard a friend of mine tell me that he used a netipot regularly, it made the concept less scary. I mean, if my friend could do it, how scary could it be? He raved about how he loved his neti pot. So I finally took the plunge.

I have to admit that the first time I tried to use the neti pot, I don’t think I quite put my head in the right position. I had water pouring down my throat, flushing out from the top of the neti pot, and trickling across my face – and yes, even some through my actual nose, as intended. That first experience was sub-optimal, but I could tell that my nose felt “cleaner” and that my congestion was improved. Plus, the salt water didn’t burn! Must be the type of salt used in the neti pot nasal wash kit.

The second and third time I used the neti pot, I figured the whole process out. Once you get over the oddness of putting what appears to be a genie lamp in one of your nostrils, it is actually quite easy. My nose and nasal passages appreciate the cleansing and the reduced congestion. For me, this probably won’t be a daily routine until allergy season kicks into high gear. At that time, I will be using the Himalayan Institute Neti Pot in the morning and the evening.

It’s one more item to add to my arsenal.