291–300 of 355 posts
Nice synchronicity that this was posted the same evening I got a ~160 USD Xiaomi Air Purifier 2 ( https://www.mi.com/global/air2/ ) delivered home. Might be a good alternative for those who want an off-the-shelf product, a pretty design and "smartness" like scheduling.
Scrolljacking on this site is unbelievable.
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I'd agree with this. I used to put the high-efficiency filters on my furnace, my HVAC guy said these filters are so heavy that they put a strain on the blower motor. It's better for the motor to use a plain blue fiberglass filter (MSRP $1). You're not really filtering that much out of a closed house, unless you run your forced-air A/C or Heat with the windows open.
I'd peruse this research on High-MERV Filters and their impact on airflow and pressure instead of taking one HVAC technician's word for it: http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/nav/issues/page/4/id/... This graph of airflow vs. MERV rating isn't very conclusive in my mind: http://www.homeenergy.org/UserFiles/file/26-6_p34big(1).jpg Granted there are about a million variables in all HVAC systems that could affect th…
If anyone is looking for general air purifier recommendations. I'm a huge fan of Coway systems. I have pretty bad allergies purchased a Coway Airmega 300 for my 850sq ft studio. I've had it for about 6 months and been incredibly happy with it. I wrote some initial thoughts about it here. https://productdork.com/t/coway-airmega-300-vs-400/56 It has to be the best looking air filter on the market—I wanted something tha…
Once in a while, I will light a candle and when I blow it out, will hear the air purifier go on full-blast (Speed 3) to clear the air.
Interestingly, it sometimes turns to medium power (Speed 2) when I'm just shuffling around the room. I imagine its because I have a few rugs and its pushing up a lot of dust.
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I used the passive variant that you explained in my previous apartment and while it may be effective at keeping humidity down, it's not very effective in bringing a high humidity down. I got an electric dehumidifier and it's drastically more efficient. It pulls over two liters of water per day out of the air if the air is sufficiently humid. I've since moved, so I don't use it routinely anymore, but I still have it a…
My dehumidifier draws 4l per 8 hours.
Note that restricting airflow on a radial fan can cause the motor to heat up. Make sure you get a 20-inch fan with a fuse. To reduce heat, increase air flow by making a box with three filters and by using 2 inch deep filters. Also, when I built my three filter "box" last fall, I was able to order a set of three MERV-13 20x20x2 filters directly from Nordic Pure for less than what they cost on Amazon. Finally, to make…
I agree with placing the filters on the pull side, since that is what all hvac units do and what the filters are designed for. To be effective, you are also corrected that a deeper pleated filter with more surface area is the only way to go. But I am unconvinced the motor will heat up. Certainly there will be less air so if it is air cooled it will heat up from that, but at the same time, a fan in a partial vacuum us…
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Wirecutter doesn’t have endorsement fees
they don't, although if they recommend you, they'll ask you for a cut of sales (affiliate program). if you say no, they'll switch their recommendation to your competitor and never review your brand again. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16729408
I built my own air purifier in 2016, living in London, I was living in a basement and was having breathing problems due to mould. My landlady was gaslighting me at the time, so I built the air purifier. It worked for a while but mould spores cling to the paper filter and eventually grow into the filter material. I think Dyson uses glass fiber filter to stop this problem. My filter helped a lot, but eventually I had s…
I was talking to a buddy that does construction work in a pretty wealthy area (Scottsdale, AZ). They are just finishing up a large luxury apartment. Apparently, the contractor let the drywall get soaked while sitting on palettes during monsoon season, and since the roofing wasn't done there were inches of standing water that resulted in black mold. They just drywalled right over it. In the US. In 2018. In a luxury co…
This happens regularly in the SFBA, in Marin County. Every rainy season I see at least one house being built through Nov-Dec-Jan that is in the bare studs stage and gets soaked with a week or so of constant rain.
And then the sun comes out and they immediately tyvek wrap and seal the whole house up. Sopping wet, soaked studs, entrapped on both sides. I would love to open up the drywall in one of those two years later and see what the inside of the walls look like...
These are very expensive homes ... the four I am thinking of over the past two years were all 2M+.
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how do you prove the timing? that it happened at the time of construction and not after?
You get one of the people who did the installation to admit to it. I'm sure you could find someone who has a conscience or doesn't think they are personally at fault who would be willing to own up to it.
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> I was subletting so had no grounds for complaint How does that work? You may not be eligible for regular tenant protections, but you're still eligible for recourse through regular courts, no?
If you’re subletting a place, you have no legal right to reside there, so one would expect legal recourse to be limited.
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There was recently a vote in Parliament to require landlords to keep their rented properties fit for human habitation. It failed: https://fullfact.org/economy/did-mps-vote-against-homes-havi...
What on earth?!? What about hotel rooms? So AirBnB in UK is dangerous?