IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO ASTHMA SUFFERERS ABOUT CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANERS

Few people realise that the air they breathe inside their homes may actually be more hazardous to their health than the air outside.  Even the most immaculate home is a haven for biological pollutants, dusts mites, insect parts, pet dander, fungi moulds and bacteria.  These powerful allergens can trigger symptoms that are often ascribed to other health problems like colds, flu’s and hayfever.

We breathe in a Billion particles of air pollutants per day that our lungs have to filter out. Unfortunately not all we breathe is good for our health.

•  The average home collects about 4 pounds of dust per week!

•  A 9’ x 12’ carpet or rug will collect an average of about 14 pounds of dust

You are NOT alone!

As we are growing, our body casts off tiny pieces of dead skin. House Dust Mites live off our dead skin! Not a pleasant thought, but the truth none the less.  The problem is there are literally thousands of dust mites that occupy your home and your bed. These prolific and unwanted residents have a life cycle of sixty days producing 200 times their own weight in faeces in that time.  The allergenic faecal pellets of dust mites are easily airborne (especially when bedding is disturbed) or when vacuuming with conventional cleaners. Wether we like it or not, dust mites are UNWANTED RESIDENTS all year round. These dust mite droppings are laden with toxic allergens, and an allergic reaction happens when we breathe in too much of this loaded bacteria, and is what causes a respiratory or asthma attack.

Allergic Reactions

Dust mites are a significant cause of allergic reactions associated with Asthma, Sinusitis, Hayfever, Eczema, Skin Disorders and Eye Infections. All of these can be associated with using conventional vacuum cleaners, infrequent emptying of vacuum cleaner bags & poor cleaning, amongst other things.

A Premier Clean Ducted Vacuum System allows for easy dust removal. The dust does not actually recirculate back into the home whilst vacuuming, which can happen when using conventional portable vacuum cleaners.  The Premier Clean Ducted Vacuum System utilises an external dust collection point that requires only infrequent emptying and eliminates re-circulation of allergens into the home. Premier Clean Ducted Vacuum System uses special double liner bags preventing the risk of dust and other allergens being spread from the unit.

House dust mite allergens are a major cause of asthma in humid climates. In our homes, carpets, mattresses and upholstered furniture are major reservoirs of mites. Current recommendations to reduce allergen exposure are to encase mattresses and pillows: weekly washing of bedding in hot water and regular use of vacuum cleaners with allergen trapping features such as dust bags with 2 layers or whose exhaust air is ducted outside (central vacuums).  Premier Clean Ducted Vacuum Systems use special double liner filter bags which further prevent the risk of dust and other allergens being spread from the unit.  Using vacuum cleaners which do not have allergen trapping features, it has been found that they have had little effect in reducing mites in carpets.

Information Sources:

WA Asthma Foundation:  www.asthmawa.org.au     

US Department of Energy:  http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/bldg/baihp/pubs/mites/index.htm

ANSWERS TO MOTOR PERFORMANCE QUESTIONS

How does “Peak horsepower” (PHP) relate to cleaning ability?

PHP is not meaningful, as it has no direct correlation to cleaning ability.
Motor PHP is established with bare motor (no fans) mounted on a dynamometer, loaded to a torque that far exceeds the greatest torque the motor fans (that suck up the dirt) could veer apply to the motor- unrealistic.

At this high torque where the PHP occurs, the motor generates so much internal heat it can burn out in seconds- unrealistic.

At high currents required for PHP calculations (over 80amps for some 4PHP motors) the motor would trip circuit breakers or blow fuses in customers’ homes –unrealistic.

Motor PHP testing artificially corrects motor winding performances to below zero temperature allowing higher published PHP values- unrealistic.

High PHP motors are often “surcharged”, designed to run beyond reliable limits. These motors would not come near your Premier Clean Vacuums motor’s life or durability.

What do the vacuum cleaners “AMP” and “WATT” values tell us?

Amps and Watts indicate the amount of electrical power consumed by the vacuum’s electrical system.

This power is drawn from the outlet in the customer’s home. However, there is often no direct correlation between air cleaning power produced by the motor and the amount of amps or watts being consumed from the outlet (ie: input power).

What is “sealed suction”? Is it important?

Sealed suction is a test parameter that indicates how much vacuum is developed when the unit has a perfectly sealed blocked inlet.

At sealed suction there is no airflow. With no air moving, no dirt can be picked up to be carried through the cleaner to the filter bag. Vacuum and airflow must combine to carry the dirt.  Therefore sealed suction alone does not indicate cleaning performance.

What is open airflow? How is it important?

Airflow is measured of cubic feet of air moved per minute (CFM) or cubic feet per hour (CMH). Open airflow is produced by the motor with no airflow restrictions to the motor’s fan inlet (wide open motor inlet), so open airflow is the highest airflow that a motor can achieve. However, with no vacuum there is no ability to pick up dirt or debris.

What motor performance value can be related to a vacuums cleaning ability?

PEAK AIR Watts is an important performance value for vacuum motor.
Air Watts are the actual value of the output air, which is the useful work done by the motor. Air Watts represent power produced by the motor used for cleaning, as opposed to amp or watt rating which only refers to the power consumed from the household electrical output.
Air Watts are derived by multiplying airflow time vacuum.  The fan inlet orifice that produces the highest product of airflow times vacuum is the point where peak air watts occur (often at a ¾ orifice).