A Breath of Fresh Air

Seems like most of the country has missed out on a normal spring -- going from the chill of a nasty winter right into a hot and sultry early summer. As a result, the house has been closed up for weeks and the air is getting stale.

There are plenty of air filtration products on the market -- some good, others, not so much. The best solution is a whole-house filtration system like the HEPA Air Filtration Systems manufactured for BEAM. Two models are built-in systems that connect to the air return of forced air heating and cooling equipment. A portable model also is available. The systems provide three levels of filtration and removes 99.97 percent of particulates 0.3 microns or larger -- particles as small as smoke and many airborne viruses. The result is indoor air quality that is as good or better than most hospitals.

In fact, Stuart Krawll owner of BEAM of St. Louis, arranged to have two systems installed to treat the air in tents that were set up in a parking ramp to handle emergency room overflow of H1N1 and other respiratory patients at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Here's the full story.

Ten Facts You May Not Know About Central Vacuums

Thanks to David Letterman, almost everybody has a top Top 10 list. So why not have one here?
Here are 10 good reasons to consider adding a central vacuum system to your home.


1. Indoor air quality ranks just behind energy efficiency in importance to home buyers.

2. Central vacuum systems improve indoor air quality. They remove 100 percent of contacted dust and allergens from the living space without stirring up dust.

3. Beam Central Vacuum Systems have been clinically proven to reduce allergy symptoms up to 61 percent.

4. Installing a central vacuum systems earns 5 Indoor Environmental Quality points in the new NAHB Green Building Standards and 1 point in the LEED for Homes Program.

5. About one-third of luxury homes and one-fifth of move-up homes are equipped with central vacuums and those ratios are growing as more and more builders offer central vacs as standard features.

6. A central vacuum system adds value to a home – typically more than the $1,000-$1,2000 cost of installing a system in an average home.

7. Each central vacuum inlet valve can handle 700-750 square feet of living space.

8. While installation generally is easier in new construction, virtually any existing home can be retrofitted with a central vacuum system in less than one day.

9. In new construction, central vacuum systems can be roughed in at the same time as electrical, HVAC and plumbing rough-ins.

10. Central vacuum systems are sold and installed by independent dealers. Electrolux Central Vacuum Systems – manufacturer of Beam Central Vacuums, has a network of nearly 800 dealers throughout the U.S.

Worst Places for Allergy Sufferers

Anyone who suffers from seasonal allergies already is aware that 2010 has been a pretty miserable year. The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has just come out with its list of Spring Allergy Capitals for 2010. The list ranks 100 communities across the country on the basis of pollen counts, the prevalence of allergy medication use and the ratio of Board-certified allergists per patient. The list shows this year has been especially miserable for those who live in the mid-South and the Midwest.

Knoxville, Tenn., tops the list followed by Louisville and Chattanooga. The rest of the top 10 cities include Dayton, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Philadelphia; Greensboro, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; St. Louis; and Wichita.

Find out where your community ranks.