5 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality!

The summer heat is bad enough, but it's even worse when you can't escape to your A/C do to poor indoor air quality. The EPA lists indoor air quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health. Fortunately there are ways to improve it, from simple day to day tasks to hiring local service pros. You dont have to live with poor indoor air quality!

Here are five of the best ways to help improve your indoor air quality!

1.) Let Your Home Breathe-

Okay we will start you off with an easy one. Open your windows if it's cool enough out, and let your home breathe. If you feel comfortable doing so, leave them open over night.  This will help recycle your homes old stagnant air while bringing in fresh air. Make sure you turn off your A/C before you do this.

2.) Use Pleated Air Filters - 

To improve the indoor air quality in your home you should never go less than a MERV 8 pleated air filter. These pleated filters will make sure to filter out the dust and dirt in the air. Many people purchase lesser grade filters as they don't seem to get dirty as fast. However, this is because they only collect a fraction of the pollutants that a pleated filter will collect. As always be sure you are replacing your air filters regularly (we recommend once a month).

Bonus Tip- Spice it up with essential oils! Put a few drops of your favorite smelling essential oils on your air filters before installing them. This will give your home a great healthy and natural aroma.

3.) Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum!-

Did we mention vacuum? Your carpets and floors collect he vast majority of the dust and dirt in your home. Making sure to vacuum once a week will help to prevent this dust and dirt from getting into your air. Always empty out the canister and/or change the bags when they get full too. If it becomes to full the vacuum will expel the excess dust and dirt into your air.

4.) Take off Your Shoes-

Your shoes see it all and have stepped in it all.  No matter how careful you are about what you step in, dirt, dust and more will attach itself to you shoes throughout the day. Leaving your shoes on when you walk around your home will cause that dust, dirt and more to get into your carpet, floors and even your air. To help reduce the amount of foreign contaminants in your home, all you need to do is take off your shoes as you step inside.

5.) Air Duct Cleaning-

If all else fails, you probably need an air duct cleaning. Your air ducts could already be full of dirt and dust, spewing it back into your air everytime your A/C turns on. Air duct cleaning is considered to be one of the most effective ways to improve your indoor air quality. If you are not sure if they are dirty, many HVAC and Duct Cleaning companies offer inspections to find out. Just be sure to do your research on the company prior to scheduling them to come out.

Bonus Tip-  If you are located in the greater Phoenix area in Arizona, click here to schedule a FREE air duct cleaning inspection. No cost, no commitment.

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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!

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.

Healthy Home DIY Tips & Tricks with Essential Oils

Essential oils are a product made by the distillation of natural material, usually by water or steam. The resulting all natural oils are highly aromatic and can be used for a number of holistic reasons from health and skin care to aromatherapy.  Essential oils can also be used for healthy home do it yourself projects. These projects can range from simply getting your home to smell nice all the way to pest control.

Here are a few do it yourself healthy home tips and tricks you can do with Essential Oils.

Air Filters- 

While doing your monthly air filter replacement in your home, put a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the air filter before you install it. Put a drop in each corner as  well as a couple in the center of the filter.  This will keep your home smelling great for a month when you change your air filters again.

Freshen While You Vacuum- 

Depending on the type of vacuum you have this can be done two ways. The first way is if your vacuum uses the disposable paper bags.  If so just add a few drops to the bag before you install it.  If you have a reusable bag or a bagless vacuum simply put the drops on a cotton ball and place the cotton ball inside the bag or canister.  Then every time you vacuum you will leave behind a fresh scent.

Linen Spray-

Get a spray bottle and fill it with 1.5 cups of water.  Then add 3 ounces of vodka and about 30-35 drops of your favorite scented essential oil.  Lavender is a popular choice for this spray. Shake the bottle up to mix the ingredients and spray your linens to give them a pleasant aroma.

Get Rid of Smelly Shoe Odor-

This is possibly the easiest trick you can do.  Put a few drops of some great smelling essential oils on cotton balls and leave them in your shoes overnight.  The next morning your shoes should be smelling good as new.  Just make sure to put your shoes out of the reach of any pets you have when you do this.

Keep your BBQ Bug Free-

No one enjoys a BBQ with a bunch of mosquitos and flies buzzing around.  To keep these annoying bugs at bay drip a few drops of citronella oil on the coals of your bbq and on any candles you have out.

Amazing Smelling Laundry-

To get your laundry smelling fantastic put a couple drops of an essential oil like lavender or your own favorite blend on a dryer sheet. Put the dryer sheet in with your laundry and turn the dryer on.  Your laundry should come out smelling even better then usual.

Homemade Air Freshener Spray-

Rather than using those store bought aerosol sprays that are full of dangerous chemicals you can make your own air freshening spray with essential oils.  Get a spray bottle and fill it up with no more than a cup of distilled water.  Then choose 3 of your favorite essential oils that go well together.  Put 8 drops of each oil in the spray bottle.  Shake well, and wah-la you have a healthy homemade air freshening spray.

Homemade Pest repellent-

If you have pests like mice, spiders and ants in your home this is an easy trick to get rid of them.  Put a few drops of Peppermint oil on a cotton ball.  Then put the cotton balls in the problem areas of your home.  Most of these pests detest the smell of peppermint so this should drive them out of your home.

Easy Simmer Pots-

Want to freshen up your entire house quick and easy?  Fill a pan with water and bring it to a boil.  Once it begins to boil set it to simmer and add drops of your favorite smelling essential oil. This will have your home smelling great in no time. Just remember to keep putting water and drops in the pan as they evaporate into the air,

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5 Tips for a Better Working Vacuum

Your vacuum is hands down one of the most important cleaning tool your household can have.  It does almost all the dirty jobs your house has to offer, from cobwebbs to dirt.  

With all this dirty work, your vacuum stores a lot of dust particles and bacteria from your carpet and furniture. In order to limit the amount of dust and bacteria build up, it is important to empty the bag or canister of your vacuum after each use. Why do this? Well think about the last few messes you cleaned with your vacuum. All of that has sat and festered in an enclosed space all clumped together. You also have to remember that your vacuum is a machine just like your car and all that dirt build up is not good for it and can result in it breaking down. Another reason to clean it is when the vacuum's filter (yes your vacuum has a filter) is full it takes up more power and has to work harder which will cost you money and will shorten the life of your appliance.

Here are some healthy home tips to keep your vacuum clean, maintained and running great!

• Empty Out Your Vacuum- Frequently change your vacuum's bag or empty its canister depending on the type of vacuum you have.
• Check the Vacuum's Filter- Your vacuum's filter should be changed or washed, depending on type of filter it has. This should be done almost as often as you remove the bag. Check with the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Clean the Brushroll- This is the part of the vacuum that always gets jammed by rubber bands, paper clips, and other miscellaneous items. If you keep it clean it will help to pick things up better.
• Replace the Belt- Your vacuum's belt should be changed once every 6 months to a year, depending on how much you use it. If you don't do this you risk damaging your vacuum beyond repair.
• Check For Clogs- Check your vacuum for clogs, and clear them out if found. If the vacuum is clogged it will not generate as much suction causing it to be ineffective. It will also make the motor work harder which can cause it to burn out as well as being a big energy drain.

For vacuum clean up service contact Joe Filter and for repairs contact your vacuums manufacturer.

   

Vacuum with Essential Oils

Who doesn't want to find cool new ways to freshen your home without harsh chemicals. Here's a step by step guide on how to freshen your home using your vacuum and some essential oils.

Gather your supplies:

• Favorite essential oil scent

• Vacuum cleaner

• Fresh vacuum bag or empty vacuum canister

• 1 tissue for bagless vacuums only

Simple Steps

Place 5 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil on a fresh vacuum bag.

Install the scented vacuum bag according to your vacuums instructions.

All that's left now is to vacuum!

Bagless vacuum? No problem! Place 5 to 10 drops of essential oils on a tissue and place directly into the vacuum's empty canister. 

Indoor air pollution increases with the amount of chemicals you spray into the air. Drop the aerosol cans and try vacuuming with essential oils. Check back often for more home tips and tricks!

A Healthy Home This Fall Starts With The Air You Breathe

Make it a priority to get your home healthy this fall. This week we challenge you to improve the air quality inside your home by completing these two home cleaning tasks.

The air inside your home is important, but are you doing your part to keep it clean? Keeping the air inside your home clean can be as simple as replacing your air filters and making time for a good thorough vacuuming.

Cross these 2 Fall Hit List items off your list and help improve your home's air quality.

#1 Replace Your Air Filters

Replacing your air filters seems simple, but how many people actually do it? Protect your investment and do your part to make sure your HVAC system is running efficiently. This fall order a supply of fresh air filters. Changing your air filter every 30 days can help relieve allergy symptoms, reduce dust, and reduce air pollution inside your home. Breathe in the difference this fall and replace your air filters.

Order your supply of air filters today! 
JoeFilter.com carries a variety of air filters! Free Shipping on all orders at $50.

#2 Thorough Vacuuming

Improve your home's air quality this fall by vacuuming the areas in your home you often skip. It's recommended to vacuum high traffic areas at least once week to help reduce dirt and dust buildup. This week tackle the areas in your home you usually skip when vacuuming.  We've put together a few suggestions for you to help improve your indoor air quality this fall.

Vacuum Hit List

• behind your fridge 
• lamp shades and lighting fixtures 
• sliding door track 
• window sills and window track 
• behind your furniture 
• baseboards 

The air inside your home is important to your health. Start this fall off right by improving the air quality inside your home.

Simple Spring Cleaning Tips

Annual spring cleaning is not just about tidying up, its also about improving your health by maintaining important healthy home maintenance items.   

Number 1: Fresh Air Filter

Replacing your dirty, polluted air filter should be on the top of your spring cleaning list. Its about that time of year when we start turning our HVAC systems on to circulate the spring air. Replacing your air filter is important because leaving that dirty air filter installed reduces the quality of your indoor air. Replace your air filters with a fresh air filter to improve the quality of your indoor air. See our tips on replacing your air filters.

Number 2: Replace Your Batteries

Only working smoke detectors save lives. Replace your smoke detector batteries during your annual spring cleaning. Smoke Detector Battery Tips

Number 3: Dust Your Light Bulbs

The dust on your light bulb heats up when lit. Sometimes that dust when heated can give off an unpleasant smell. Don't forget to dust your light bulbs.

Number 4: Clean Your Vacuum

Take the time to clean your vacuum, its worked very hard and deserves some TLC. doityourself.com

Number 5: Keep Air Circulating

When you are knee deep in scrubbing with harsh chemicals, remember its important to circulate your indoor air by opening a window, turning on exhausts fans, or turning your HVAC system fan on. See our post on scenting your air filters to give your circulated air a great scent!