Healthy Home Tips for Cold and Flu Season.

Cold and flu season is upon us! Of course you do not want your family or yourself to pick up one of these nasty bugs, but sometimes that is easier said than done.  As we all know there is no magic cure for the cold and flu, you usually just have to ride them out. You can however take steps to help prevent the spread of germs around your friends and family. This will help lessen your chances of getting sick.

Try out these tips this cold and flu season to keep yourself and your family in good health!

1.) Wash Your Hands Frequently-

This is the simplest yet one of the most effective forms of prevention you can do. Whenever you blow your nose, sneeze, use the restroom or are in contact with people and animal be sure to wash your hands. To completely get rid of viruses from your skin, you need to scrub hard for 20 seconds or more.  If you are not near a place to wash your hands, an alcohol based hand sanitizer will do in a pinch.

2.) Change Your Homes Filters-

Your homes filters (both water and air) are literally made to collect all the bad impurities from your air and water. But if you do not change these filters regularly they can become so full of contaminants that they can't hold them anymore and are rendered in effective.  Worse yet they can actually become so full they begin to release all the contaminants they built up back into your air and water only in higher concentrations. This is why it is important to follow the manufactures recommendations on when to change these filters. Air filters should be changed monthly to quarterly depending on how often you run your system. Water filters are typically recommended to be changed every 6 months.

3.) Antimicrobial Filters-

This tip goes along with the tip above.  If you are really worried about getting sick or have someone in your household that is sick, you may want to invest in some antimicrobial air filters. These specialty air filters will sterilize the air that is pulled through it, helping to kill off harmful microbes in your homes air. Thus helping to prevent the sickness from spreading to everyone in a house.

4.) Avoid Large Crowds-

Basic statistics here folks.  The more people around you the more likely someone in that group is sick.  So during the cold and flu season if you can avoid big crowds, do so. This can be easier said than done especially during the holiday season.  So if you can't avoid the crowd just be sure you follow the other tips.

7.) Disinfect Your Homes Hotspots-

Hotspots are parts of your home that everyone touches and uses multiple times a day. Examples would be doorknobs, railings, kitchen counters, fridge and microwave doors, kitchen counters and even your toilet. These items and places see a lot of traffic throughout the day and are more likely to be breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Make sure you disinfect these areas thoroughly with a disinfectant spray.  

6.) Clean Your Cleaning Supplies-

This might seem like an oxymoron but if you clean your counters with a dirty rag or vacuum your room with full vacuum, you are just adding to the problem.  Before you start cleaning make sure all of your equipment is clean and ready to go.  Using dirty rags and mops will actually just end up spreading around more germs around your house, and using a full or dirty vacuum will just end up kicking more dust and dirt into your air.


If you follow these tips, it will up your odds of staying healthy and active this cold and flu season.

To learn about our healthy home services and what we can do to help you this season please visit joefilter.com!

10 Steps to a Healthy Happy Home!

Having a happy healthy home should be the goal of every homeowner and renter. The question now is how does one go about maintaining a healthy happy home?

The answer? Preventive maintenance, or as we like to call it Healthy Home Services. This includes but is not limited to changing air filters, cleaning your grill, dryer vent, air ducts and definitely replacing your water filters, and smoke detector batteries.

Here are 10 steps to a happy healthy home!

Step 1: Replace your air filters every month! This will help keep your indoor air clean and prevents your HVAC system from wasting energy trying to pull air through a dirty filter.

Step 2:  Clean out your vacuum every couple weeks or at least once a month.  Your vacuum takes care of some of the dirtiest jobs your home has to offer.  Keeping it clean will help make sure it keeps doing its job to the best of its ability.

Step 3: Change/replace any burnt out light bulb. This should go without saying since no one like tripping and falling or stubbing their toe because the lights don't work.

Step 4: Top off your water softener salt. Having soft water prevent scale build up in your hames plumbing and it is good for your hair and skin.

Step 5: Change your water filters. Most of the more common home water filter systems like fridge filters and RO systems are recommended to have their filters replaced every 6 months. Doing this prevents the filters from leaching and helps ensure your water stays healthy and clean.

Step 6: Change out the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months.  Not only is this recommended by the fire department to help avoid a tragedy, but it will also help prevent those annoying low battery beeps at 2am.

Step 7: Clean your dryer vent. A dirty dryer vent is an energy drain and a fire hazard. That is why the fire department recommends cleaning it at least once a year.

Step 8: Keep your grill clean. Keeping your grill clean by quickly cleaning after every use and by doing at least 1 deep clean a year. This can help to extend the life of your grill and keep it grilling in tip top shape. Plus nobody wants to see their burger coming off a nasty dirty grill!

Step 9: Have your air ducts cleaned. Most homeowners are unaware that the EPA reports air pollution levels inside our homes can be 2 to 5 times higher than outside. An air duct cleaning is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality.

Step 10: Install a Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns what temperatures you like, turns itself down when you’re away and connects to your phone. This will help you save energy and will send you safety alerts to your phone even if you are not home!

Need help checking these steps off your Honey-do list? Visit joefilter.com or give us a call at (480) 813-9494!
Keep your home happy and healthy by putting it on Joe Filter Autopilot today!

What are Sediment and Carbon Water Filters?

There are variety of water filtration systems out there, from the under the sink RO, to fridge filters and even the portable water pitcher with a filter. No matter what system you use, most household water filters are either a carbon or a sediment filter.

What are sediment and carbon filters you might ask?

 A sediment filter is a filter usually made from spun poly or cotton (as well as a few less common fibers), that is designed to remove sediment from your water (aka. dirt and other visible solids). A sediment filter will not filter out chemicals or affect the taste of the water however, that's where the carbon filter comes in.

A carbon filters use positively charged or "activated" carbon to remove negatively charged impurities such as certain chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Activated carbon filters using the process of adsorption.  This is where pollutant molecules in your water become trapped inside the pore structure of the carbon. This allows the carbon filters to catch the majority of pollutants that the sediment filter cannot.

How do I keep them working correctly?

Its simple you just replace the filters before they go bad. Most manufactures recommend replacing your water filters every six months. This is because your filters are constantly submerged in water, capturing pollutants.  After six months, your water filters can have bacteria growing within the filter media, as well as a variety of other gunk they have accumulated. Once your filters become too full (usually between 6 to 12 months) they can begin leaching the contaminants they collected back into your drinking water in higher quantities!

Need help replacing your water filters? Ask Joe Filter for help!

5 Ways to Make Your Home Healthier.

Here are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home happy and healthy!

Keeping a healthy home is important, but how do we do it! The majority of the air we breath and water we drink is at home.  If we want to take steps to making our homes healthier we should start with the air we breath, water we drink and lets throw in fire safety just for fun!
Below are 5 quick and simple ways to keep your home healthy.

1.) Change your air filters:

Did you know the EPA reports that air pollution levels inside our homes can be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. This is why we recommended to change your air filters once a month. Being on top of your air filter changes will help to minimize the amount of air pollutants being circulated through your home.

2.) Clean out your vacuum:

Your vacuum does all the dirty jobs in your home causing it to become full dirt from weeks of use.  When it becomes too full it will begin putting all this dirt and dust back into your homes air. This is why it is important to empty the bag or canister of your vacuum before it become full.  You will also want to check and clean/replace your vacuum's filter when you do this, if your vacuum has one.

3.) Top off your water softener salt:

Did you know a water softener helps to prevent scale build up within your homes plumbing.  This helps to prevent leaks and extends the life of appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.  A water softener can only do this if it is properly maintained by topping off its reservoir with the water softener salt.

4.) Change your water filters:

If you put off changing your water filter too long they could begin leaching contaminants back into your water. This means everything they've collected could be put back into your drinking water in higher quantities. Most water filters are recommended to be changed every 6 months.

5.) Test your smoke detectors: 

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) says to test your smoke detectors at least once a month and to change their batteries every six months. It may seem like a menial boring chore but it just may save your life some day.

Want a simple way to check these items off your to-do list visit JoeFilter.com to learn about our healthy home services.

Could Not Changing Your Filters Make You Sick?!

Filter changes are not exactly what you wake up excited about... But could not changing your filters make you sick? The answer is YES, it could. 

Now we are not saying that forgetting to change your filters here and there is going to give you some crazy disease that throws the world into chaos, resulting in having to fight off mutant beavers for food... but anything is possible. Most likely forgetting to change filters will result in much milder problems, but still problems nonetheless.

For instance air filters are recommended to be changed once a month.  If you put off doing this dust and dirt can accumulate on the filter to the point where your filter will not let your HVAC system draw in any air.  This can cause strain on your HVAC system, higher energy bills and your homes air no longer being circulated and filtered.  Without your air being circulated and filtered dust and germs can become more prevalent.  Resulting in anyone with allergies or asthma to be at higher risks of attack.  As well as heightening your chances of getting sick.

100 Common Water Toxins

Not changing your water filters, such as RO and fridge filters, can also cause problems.  If you put it off too long the filters may begin leaching the contaminants they've collected back into your drinking water, only in much higher quantities. Drinking these contaminants in higher doses could result in a variety of adverse health problems.  Illness that could come from this would depend on what contaminants and toxins are leached back into your water. Click on the picture to the right for a list of common water toxins.

The moral of this story is, keep yourself and your home healthy and change your filters regularly. 

Don't want to worry about remembering your filter changes?  Call Joe Filter today (480) 813-9494 and ask about putting your home on Autopilot!  

Not in our service area? Subscribe to Joe Filters Healthy Home in a Box and never forget a filter change again!

Replace Your Fridge Filter Already, its Been 6 Months!

When was the last time you changed your refrigerator filter?  If it has been over six months it has been too long!  Most refrigerators these days will have a water dispenser and an ice maker.  If your fridge has both or just one chances are it has a filter too.  The refrigerator filter allows your fridge to supply you with fresh ready to drink water, so you can say so long to tap and bottled water.  However, a refrigerator filter does not last forever.  The filter typically will only last for about six months.  This is because the refrigerator filter can only clean a certain number of gallons of water before wearing out. Since it would take a lot of work for the home owner to keep track of how many gallons of water they use, it is estimated out to be changed every six months.

Now you might be thinking, "what happens if I don't change it regularly?" Well there are a couple of things can happen if you wait too long to change your filter.

1. One of the first things you would notice is the water pressure will slow down considerably. This is because the more solids and pollutants your filter captures, the harder it will be for water to pass through it.
2. Another symptom of a worn out filter you might notice is cloudy water and ice, as well as a change in taste and smell.  As the filter becomes overly full it becomes less effective at filtering and can start leaking higher percentages of pollutants and dissolved solids back into your water supply. The dissolved solids will cause the water to have a cloudy appearance.  Where as different types of pollutants can cause the taste and smell to change.

The biggest reason to change your fridge filters every six months is for your own personal health and safety. Many of the pollutants your filter catches are perfectly fine to consume in small doses. However, when you wait too long to change your filter and it becomes overly full.  It can begin to leak all the pollutants its caught over the months into your water at much higher percentages. A few of the pollutants that could be leaked back into your water supply are Arsenic, Asbestos, Chlorine, Lead, and Pesticides.  Drinking high percentages of these pollutants can cause a variety of different health issues. That is why it is so important to change your Fridge filters regularly every six months.

To purchase new refrigerator filters visit JoeFilter.com and for refrigerator replacement service call (480) 813-9494.

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How do I Flush my Refrigerator Water Filter?

When replacing your refrigerator water filter, it is recommended to "flush" your filter before use. Most refrigerator water filters are made up of a carbon mediablock. Through shipping and handling, bits and pieces of the carbon block may become loose inside your filter. Although drinking it won't hurt you, most people prefer to run water through the filter because of the bitter taste carbon can leave in your mouth.

Flushing your newly installed refrigerator water filter is easy! All you need are a few supplies and a newly installed refrigerator water filter. Not sure how to replace your filter? We suggest you consult your refrigerator manual for further instructions on replacing your water filter.

What you will need:

• Large pitcher
• Rag or towel to place on the floor
• Sink 

Step 1 

Place the rag or towel on the ground to absorb any water spills.

Step 2

Determine how many times you will need to fill your container to flush 3 -5 gallons of water

Step 3

Place your container under the water dispenser and fill. The water will probably look cloudy and may have small carbon particles. This is normal and why you should flush your water filter before use. You can pour the water directly down the drain. 

Step 4

It usually takes 3 to 5 gallons of water to completely flush your new water filter.

You're all set! If you need a new filter be sure to visit our online sales and grab one!

5 Important Things You Should Know About Your Refrigerator Water Filter

Refrigerators play an important role in our homes by helping prevent food from spoiling, but they can also provide us with clean, great tasting water. Most refrigerator models have a water filter installed to help remove contaminants and bad tastes from your tap water before you drink it.

Here are 5 important facts you should know about your refrigerator filter.

1. Refrigerator Water Filters Don't Last Forever

Once your water filter is install the clock starts ticking. Most refrigerator water filters have a lifespan of 6 months of use. Your filter reduces impurities from the water and ice cubes that dispenses from your fridge, but only for average of 6 months. After 6 months the filter will reach its limit.

2. Buy in Bulk

Refrigerator water filters have an unlimited shelf life as long as they are kept in a cool, dry environment. Great news! Stock up on your refrigerator water filter at JoeFilter.com and recieve FREE Shipping!

3. How to Find The Correct Filter

The easiest way to identify the correct water filter to purchase is to look directly on the existing filter. Your existing water filter should have a filter model number. If your water filter does not have a filter model number, you can use your refrigerator make and model number to find the correct water filter.

4. Know How to Replace your Water Filter

Search your model number online or check your manual to find the correct instructions to replace your particular filter.

5. After Replacing Your Water Filter 

After replacing the filter you will need to "flush" your water filter. Most refrigerator filters are made of carbon media block. Flushing your water filter is simply running water through your new filter before it is ready to drink.You may see cloudy water or specs of carbon while you run water through your new filter. Most manufactures recommend that you run 1-3 gallons of water through your new water filter.

What You Need to Know About Water Pollution

Water Filters:
Water filters have a very important job in your house. They filter contaminants like arsenic, lead, bacteria, and other substances from the tap water in your home. In addition to that, they also improve the taste and smell of your water.

Types of Contaminants: 
According to the EPA, Pharmaceutical contaminants are prescription and over-the-counter therapeutics or veterinary drugs. Consumer-products are personal and cosmetic such as soaps, fragrances, and cosmetics. EPA states that these types of contaminants are discovered in our water, but at a very low volume. For more information on pharmaceuticals and consumer-product chemicals in your water source visit the EPA .

Reverse Osmosis:
Reverse Osmosis filters can be one of the most effective way to remove contaminants out of your drinking water including pharmaceuticals and consumer-product chemicals. But only if you are doing your part to ensure your RO system has what it needs to remove contaminants out of your water by replacing your filters regularly.

Learn More:
Want to know more about water filters and contaminants like Cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, or Disinfectants? Check out the CDC Guide to Water Filters.

Why it is Important to Change your Water Filter

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that more than 4 out of 10 Americans use a home water treatment unit.

Refrigerator Water Filters

Water is one of the most crucial elements in order to sustain human life, but is your water safe to drink? The threat of drinking contaminated tap water is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency. There are strict codes and guidelines the public water system is required to meet  before your tap water fills your glass.  For Americans who invest in home water filtration systems, such as reverse osmosis, they're adding an extra layer of protection, but do they replace their water filters as often as they should?

One of the most common home water filter is located right in your refrigerator. If your refrigerator has an ice machine or a water dispenser, it most likely has a water filter installed. Most manufacturers recommend you should replace your refrigerator's water filter every 6 months. Before you call that bogus, think about the purpose of the refrigerator water filter. The purpose of a refrigerator filter is to remove odors, improve taste, and collect containments that the public water system did not remove.

If you thought changing your refrigerator filter every 6 months could be put off, think again. Your water filter has been working hard for 6 months straight, filtering the water you drink. The filtered containments are held inside that water filter... until it is full.

Replace every 6 months

Once that filter has reach its maximum capacity the containments can start leeching into your drinking water. These contaminants are now at a stronger level in your drinking water then they may have been in the first place.

Water filters help filter contaminants and improve overall water satisfaction, but they do need to be replaced on a schedule in order to function properly. Joe Filter offers home filter replacement service as well as online filter sales to meet all your filter needs. When was the last time you replaced your filters?

Fridge Filters: What Do They Actually Do?

Fridge Filters...

Many refrigerators have water and ice dispensers built into them. The majority of these fridges have a water filter somewhere in or on it. But, just what exactly does that fridge filter do? Sure it 'filters' the water, but what is it removing? What should be expected from a fridge filter? When should it be replaced?

Most refrigerator water filters contain a compressed carbon block which removes and/or reduce impurities and sediment that may be present in your drinking water. The carbon block absorbs some impurities like a sponge and holds other impurities holds them on its surface like a magnet.

So which contaminants do refrigerator water filters remove?

Refrigerator water filters remove contaminants from the water you drink and the ice your fridge makes. The contaminants removed depends on the specific water filter you use.  Most water filters remove the bad taste and odor associated with chemicals like chlorine. More advanced water filters remove sediments, microbial cysts-bacteria, chlorine, inorganic chemicals, and metals.

Replacing that fridge filter every six months is very important because as the fridge filter removes the contaminants from your drinking water, it holds them in the filter casing. Eventually, the filter will be too full to hold any more contaminants and you run the risk of all that junk getting into your system! Many fridges have a light scheduled to turn on six months to remind you to change the filter. Some people might ignore this light or just reset the reminder, but do you really want to take risks with the water you drink and the appliance that keeps your foods from spoiling?

Save time, money, and hassle by letting Joe Filter help you with your fridge filter needs. Whether it's with our amazing home service or through our online store, Joe Filter know what you need and when you need it. Check it out today!