Another point to consider is if you have a cleaning company clean your home. Typically the cleaning company will bring their vacuum from house to house, which may not seem all that bad. However, if you have allergies to pets, and they cleaned a house with pet prior to coming to your house, you may experience allergies as a result. Also bugs, fleas, and other bacteria can migrate when a vacuum is transported from house to house. To help alleviate this problem, we recommend that you have your cleaning company use your own vacuum. This will also ensure that they have the right cleaning equipment to effectively clean your home.

March 25, 2009 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Electrolux Home Care Products, Inc. have announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. NAME OF PRODUCT: Ergorapido,Pronto and Precision Vacuums UNITS: About 320,000 Distributor: Electrolux Home Care Products, Inc., of Bloomington, Illinois Hazard: The vacuum's battery can expand and burst, posing a risk of injury to the user and bystanders. Incidents/Injuries: Electrolux has received 34 reports of incidents in the U.S. involving damage to the vacuum and surrounding property. There have been two reports of minor injuries, including swollen hands and irritation to the eyes from contact with battery powder. Description: This recall involves 2-in-1 cordless stick vacuums with a detachable hand vacuum and free-standing charger. Units involved in the recall have 9.6-volts printed on a serial plate on the underside of the handheld unit, and the following serial numbers: 074000001 through 085100001 and 74000001 through 85100001. EL1000A - Pronto EL1000B - Pronto EL1000BX - Pronto EL1000BZ - Pronto PE1000B - Precision EL1005A - Ergorapido EL1006A - Ergorapido Sold at: Major and independent retailers nationwide from November 2007 through March 2009 for about $100. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should immediately unplug and stop using the recalled vacuums and contact Electrolux for a free replacement of the handheld portion which contains the batteries. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Electrolux Home Care Products at 800-932-1778 between 8:00 am and 7:30 pm CT, Monday-Friday and 10:00 am -and 6:30 pm CT, Saturday - Sunday.

Central vacuum or built in vacuum cleaners are installed into a home.  This can be done in new construction, a rehab, or fitted into an existing home.  Central vacuum works by adding inlets on each floor of you home, and then pvc pipe is run to the power unit which is typically mounted in the garage or the utility room. The way the vacuum works is by plugging you hose into one of the inlets, and the dirt travels through the pipe in the wall and into the power unit.  The dirt then collects into the dirt bucket at the bottom of the power unit, and is only emptied on average twice a year.  The motor in any central vacuum is larger and more powerful than what you may find in any canister or upright vacuum cleaner. 

 

The way that the power of a central vacuum is measured throughout the industry is by air watts and water lift.  The higher that each of these numbers is the more suction that will be generated from the central vacuum.

 

 You will also need to take into account the square footage of you home, since all central vacuums cover a different range.  You will want to find a central vacuum that covers a larger square footage than the size of you home. 

Complete Central Vacuum Catalog

A vacuum cleaner with a bag can help to trap all of the dust, dirt, and allergens in the bag.  A bag that has a seal to close the opening is the best bet at keeping the dirt in the bag.  Bags that lack the seal may release dirt into the air when changing the bag.  A HEPA bag or high filtration bag will help to minimize particles that come trough the exhaust.

 

A vacuum cleaner without a bag can be very bad for a allergy and asthma suffer.  When you empty the dust cup you may want to wear a mask, since there is typically a cloud of dust when empting cup.  If you do not have allergies then this may be a good solution if you are looking to save money on bag costs.  Not all bagless vacuums will save you money.  Some bagless vacuums have multiple filters that you will need to be changed on at least a semi-annual basis, which can be expensive. 

Electolux took its rhyming phrase “nothing sucks like an Electrolux” and brought it to America from English-speaking markets overseas. They didn’t know that the word “sucks” had become a derogatory word in the States.

According to the definition in 40 CFR 745.83:

"HEPA vacuum means a vacuum cleaner which has been designed with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter as the last filtration stage.  A HEPA filter is a filter that is capable of capturing particles of 0.3 microns with 99.97% efficiency. The vacuum cleaner must be designed so that all the air drawn into the machine is expelled through the HEPA filter with none of the air leaking past it."

Therefore, renovation firms should look for a vacuum cleaner that was designed to be operated with a HEPA filter, rather than a shop vacuum that can be fitted with a HEPA filter in place of the original basic filter.  A vacuum retrofitted with a HEPA filter is not necessarily properly sealed or designed so that all of the intake air goes through the HEPA filter.  EPA also recommends that renovation firms ask the manufacturer or retailer whether the machine has been tested to ensure that it achieves the high efficiency required of a HEPA filter (capturing 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles).  

 

 

Baton Rouge: Following the approval of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to grant Title 32 status for the Louisiana National Guard, Governor Bobby Jindal announced the activation of the Guard to support the oil spill response efforts in the Gulf. The Louisiana National Guard began pre-positioning soldiers and resources on the coast and by Saturday, 600 Guardsmen will begin assisting with oil spill response efforts. The National Guard will provide support for at least 90 days of military duty from up to 6,000 soldiers and airmen serving on active duty. The Guardsmen will provide security, medical capabilities, engineers, clean-up efforts and communication support. On Thursday, Governor Jindal sent letters to Secretaries of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security requesting that the Louisiana National Guard be utilized to support the oil spill response efforts under federal Title 32 status

Baton Rouge: Following the approval of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to grant Title 32 status for the Louisiana National Guard, Governor Bobby Jindal announced the activation of the Guard to support the oil spill response efforts in the Gulf. The Louisiana National Guard began pre-positioning soldiers and resources on the coast and by Saturday, 600 Guardsmen will begin assisting with oil spill response efforts. The National Guard will provide support for at least 90 days of military duty from up to 6,000 soldiers and airmen serving on active duty. The Guardsmen will provide security, medical capabilities, engineers, clean-up efforts and communication support. On Thursday, Governor Jindal sent letters to Secretaries of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security requesting that the Louisiana National Guard be utilized to support the oil spill response efforts under federal Title 32 status

Consumer Information on Boil Orders

Boil water orders or advisories are public announcements advising the public that they should boil their tap water for drinking and other human consumption uses like cooking, hand washing, brushing teeth, etc. Boil water orders are preventative measures issued to protect public health from waterborne infectious agents that could be or are known to be present in drinking water. Boil water orders are issued by the MassDEP Drinking Water Program (DWP) when MassDEP DWP determines that the consumers of a particular public water system should take precautionary measures with their tap water.

When a boil order or advisory is issued the local public water supplier (PWS) must take appropriate corrective action, continue to monitor its water supply, and notify customers when it has remedied the problem and the boil water order is lifted. The PWS should be contacted for details, and in limited instances consumers may find more information on their city or towns web site. For general information on boil water orders consumers may also check the MassDEP or US EPA website and fact sheets on contaminants.

Below are general precautions MassDEP recommends you take when a boil water order has been issued for your community.

General Precautions

DISCARD any ice, juice, formula, stored water and uncooked foods that were prepared with tap water during the period of concern.

USE BOILED OR BOTTLED WATER for drinking, food preparation, mixing baby formula, making ice, washing food, manual utensil and equipment washing, rinsing and sanitizing, brushing teeth or any other activity involving the consumption of water.

CHILD CARE CENTERS AND SCHOOLS should use only bottled or boiled water for mixing infant formula, hand washing, and for mixing sanitizing solutions for diapering areas and surfaces such as tabletops and toys. Adult employees should use a hand sanitizer after washing hands with tap water and soap. Do not use drinking fountains and discontinue the use of water play tables. Follow all guidance provided by the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) and/or the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC).

RETAIL FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS must follow the guidance of the local board of health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MassDPH). Wholesale food manufacturers must follow the guidance of MassDPH. Meat processing plants must follow the guidance of MassDPH and the United States Department of Agriculture.

SWIMMING POOLS, HOT TUBE, AND SPAS that are operated properly, including routine monitoring for adequate disinfection levels, may continue to operate.

SHARE THIS INFORMATION with all other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received thsi notice directly (for example, visitors). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

TRANSLATE THE PRECAUTIONS for anyone who does not understand English. Tips for drinking water use during a boil order There are two simple and effective methods you can use to treat drinking wate for microbiological contaminants (bacteria).

Boiling: Bring the water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute. Laboratory data show this is adequate to make the water safe for drinking.

Disinfecting: Disinfectant tablets obtained from a wilderness store or pharmacy may be used. In an emergency, liquid chlorine bleach such as Clorox© or Purex© can be used at a dose of 8 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of bleach to each gallon of water. (Careful measurement with a clean dropper or other accurate measuring device is required when using liquid chlorine bleach.) Let stant for at least 30 minutes before use. Read the label to see that the bleach has 5-6% chlorine.

Washing Dishes It is best to use disposable tableware during the time the water needs disinfection. If that is not possible, the following steps should be taken:

Wash dishes normally but be sure to rinse them in a solution of 1/8 teaspoon of bleach, as mentioned above, in a gallon of warm water (submersion in a dishpan for a minimum of 5 minutes is advised). The dishes should be allowed to air dry. Gloves should be worn when handling bleach to minimize any skin irritation. Because of the many variables involved with dishes washed in a dishwasher, it is recommended that you use the additional rinse step, as described above, after washing.

Bathing and Showering Young children should be given sponge baths rather than put in a bathtub where they might ingest the tap water. Adults or children should take care not to swallow water when showering.

Brushing your Teeth Use only disinfected or boiled water for brushing your teeth.

Ice Ice cubes are not safe unless made with disinfected or boiled water. The freezing process does not kill the bacteria or other microorganisms. Washing Fruit and Vegetables Use only disinfected or boiled water to wash fruits and vegetables that are to be eaten raw.

Hand Washing Use only boiled or disinfected water for hand washing.

Cooking Bring water to a rolling boil for 1 minute before adding food.

Infants For infants use only prepared canned baby formula that is not condensed and does not require added water. Do not use powdered formulas prepared with contaminated water.

Houseplants and Gardens Water can be used without treatment for watering household plants and garden plants. The exception would be things like strawberries or tomatoes where the water would contact the edible fruit.

House Pets The same precautions taken to protect humns should be applies to pets. Aquatic organisms (e.g. fish) should not be exposed to water containing elevated levels of bacteria. If the organism's water needs to be refreshed use appropriately boiled or bottled water.

Flush All Taps When The Boil Water Order Is Lifted When flushing it is important to carefully follow the instructions provided. Flushing your household and building water ines including: interior and exterior faucets, showers, water/ice dispensers, water treatment units, etc. Water heaters may need to be disinfected and flushed to remove any contaminated water. Some types of water treatment devices may need to be disinfected or replaced before being used. Check with the manufacturer for details. Read more about flushing.

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