Field Question#1 - What are those 'strings' on your lamps?

A great question came to us from John G. in Clearwater, FL.  We're going to post any questions sent in that pertain to Second Wind Air Purifier or Indoor Air Quality in the next few blogs.  Please click here and send us your questions too!

Q. What are the strings for that run along the length of Second Wind Air Purifier UV lamps?

exposed end of lamp showing
connection of strings to filament

A. The strings are coated pieces of wiring that are connected to the filament ends.  The coated wires travel to the other end of the lamp where they terminate at the four-pin ceramic mounts.  The 4-pin end is where power is supplied via the custom ballast, sending current to both ends of the lamp.

If one or both of these 'strings' is severed, the lamp will not function and will need to be replaced immediately.  

MERS could be SARS v2.0

Back in April 2012, a SARS-like coronavirus was detected.  It has taken some time to develop, and in fact it is spreading slower than the original SARS outbreak of 2003 that devastated tourism in Toronto Ontario, Canada.  It has been designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Novel Coronavirus.  Since that time, an acronym has developed and it will likely be recognized as MERS - Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome.  As of June 3, 2013 there have been 54 confirmed cases of MERS, and among those cases there have been 34 deaths reported.

The MERS coronavirus has yet to surface in the United States, but experts say it's "only a plane ride away." 

"It would be easy for this to be imported to this country," said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "CDC works 24/7 to track infections around the world because we are all connected by the air we breathe."

The history of the virus has already been posted on Wikipedia and can be found here. There are concerns posed about 'superspreaders' accelerators of virus distribution as was found in Typhoid Mary & SARS.  These carriers are ideal hosts that are highly infectious people who seem to be a perfect host and increase the spread of a particular strain.

Thankfully, as an informed global community, there are many helpful links that are providing information to us, as well as international news outlets.  The medical community has also been monitoring the development of this virus, something I believe we can all give thanks for, as 'chance favors the prepared mind'

A great article and video by ABC News - click here 

The CDC article on this topic - click here

It has been expected that many of the lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak will be applied to treating this new virus.  The outbreak peaked in April and May that year, but in early July it was declared that the outbreak had been contained.  An estimated 774 people died of the disease and 7322 infected people eventually recovered, including the Singaporean doctor whose case prompted the worldwide alert on March 15.

When it comes to controlling global outbreaks such as these we must continue to let evidence speak louder than politics.
David L. Heymann, former executive director of communicable diseases at the World Health Organization

We will continue to report on this worldwide concern, especially with helpful information about taking care of your air and preventive measures you can consider for the health of you and your family.  Back in 2003 it was clarified that there has never been a bacteria or virus identified that cannot be killed by UVC light.  Adequate dosage is what is required, so we have confidence that Second Wind Air Purifier products will provide some assistance in addressing this new concern.

Standard & Classes Needed for UV Products

As the supply base of ultraviolet products continues to grow, the buying public is starting to get wary of the manufacturers' claims.  People are trying to gain an understanding of what makes 'Product X' better than 'Product Y'?  There is a ton of glamorous content on the internet and in the literature that many manufacturer's provide, but there is not a grade established to define which one's are the best, the same as others, or the worst.


From some research I have done, we know that a standard was proposed back in 2004-but its adoption proves to be difficult, as testing procedures are a stumbling block.  Click here for the link to the PDF document from 2004.

ASHRAE has had a committee working on a standard as well.  The technical committee is designated as TC2.9 .  Its focus is:
 "TC 2.9 is concerned with all aspects of equipment and systems that utilize ultraviolet radiation to destroy or de-activate chemical and / or biological air and surface contaminants in HVAC systems and indoor spaces, including but not limited to effectiveness, safety, maintenance, and economics."


It is with some hope that the TC2.9 committee will be able to introduce a working standard for ultraviolet devices that will define best applications for different devices, and which may serve in multiple classes - and provide an accepted rating within each volume.  As we've mentioned in previous blogs, there is not a Swiss Army UV device - some are suited for surface cleaning, some are suited for in-duct purification, etc.  The committee actually is showing 11 different classes that a UV device can be listed under.

Residential Products Page Updated

Take a look at our latest webpage update to Residential Air Purification products.  The product guide download sheets have also been modified showing our new look!  Please take one....a look that is *s*, and let us know if there's anything we can do to help you out! http://www.secondwindairpurifier.com/residential.htm

Spring Cleaning: Your Indoor Air Quality Maintenance

Pollen and allergy counts are at severe levels in the US presently as spring approaches.  This means that many allergy sufferers will be stocking up on medications and the all-too-familiar sound of nasal congestion in many of us will be heard across phone calls, during board room meetings and throughout our homes.

Change/Clean Filter regularly

After a Long Cold Winter (first CD I ever bought), we suggest that rejuvenating your household HVAC filtration systems is an essential part of preparing your home for the warm weather. These serve to trap & hold the one pound+ of dead skin each of us lose from our body each year along with the hair from pets- Gross  It is key to keep maintenance/replacement of the filters on a regular schedule for the best removal of particulate from the air in your homes. Most homes have existing systems, but if you don't have a filtration system already, we advise that you consider the investment, as it protects your HVAC system as well as improve the quality of your indoor air.

Germicidal UV light (UVC, not UVA) damages/destroys
bioaerosols at their genetic foundation

Many contaminants in your homes air stream are smaller than a filter system can treat-after all filters are systems with pores of various diameters that are present to allow air to move through them.  This means that organisms unable to be seen by your eyes are passing through into the livable air.  When exposed to UVC grade light, those contaminants can be rendered unable to reproduce or possibly kill them outright depending on their resistance to germicidal ultraviolet light.  Why Germicidal UV light?

Contact us if you have any questions about Indoor Air Quality.  We be pleased to help provide a solution for your home.  Have a great IAQ week, stay healthy!

The Second Wind Air Purifier Difference

The biggest feature that separates Second Wind Air Purifier Residential Products from our competitors is our FDA Class II Medical Device listing.

The key benefit for you, faithful reader is the opportunity that a homeowner can justify the value of installing a Second Wind Air Purifier with their health insurance provider.  If you follow the process that we outline on our website and in cooperation with your doctor, you may apply to your provider for possible compensation for the investment in your Second Wind Air Purifier device.  Please Click here for the application guidelines we provide.

Here's some of the answers to FAQ's we regularly receive regarding the process
Q - Can anyone receive the compensation from their health insurance provider?
A - In order to quality for the benefit of this qualification, an applicant's physician must confirm that the applicant(s) has a condition that would benefit from the presence of the device.  

Q - Does my doctor have anything to worry about if I ask him/her to assist in the application?
A - A doctor can morally and ethically work with you on this application.  If they concur that your condition would benefit from a Second Wind device, they can provide a prescription for the device to you as our guidelines direct

Q - What can be covered under a successful petition to the health insurance provider?
A - Unit original cost, installation costs, and necessary maintenance costs can all be included.  Costs of application, doctor's notes, travel and indirect costs are not part of expenses recognized. 

Q - Is partial or full compensation from my health insurance provider guaranteed?
A - No.  Second Wind is not able to guarantee any reimbursements from the health insurance provider.  It is at the insurer's discretion which applications and how much can be paid out.

Second Wind Air Purifier products are the only residential ultraviolet air purifiers holding this classification in the industry.  We believe that this is extremely beneficial for for homeowners and their families, especially to those who suffer from respiratory problems like asthma and allergies.  Most often, those individuals require considerable costs in medical expenses for drugs, inhalers, etc.  Our company has received testimonials over the last 20+ years that some customers have been able to cut down on the amount of prescription medication they have had to use, and saved $$$.  When you couple that with limiting the amount of drugs ingested or inhaled, their quality of life has been improved.

If there are any new questions to those above, please email us or comment here.  We appreciate the opportunity to speak with you!

New Indoor Air Quality Product: 9200 Series

Filter Box Sizes: 16x25; 20x20; 20x25
UV/PCO Kit 1625K mates to 16x25 filter box
the 2025K mates to 20x20 or 20x25

   The most recent addition to our active models was the 9200 Series, an All-in-One system that combines particulate filtration and purification on a lower price scale than our premium 9000 Series, which was covered in our January 28, 2013 blog post.
   This unit is supplied with a MERV 11 rated filter and an air purification kit, sized to match the filter box desired.
   Replacement parts are available from Second Wind, or installers or homeowners can purchase replacement filters from any vendor they want, as the UV lamp from the kit is designed to face away from the filter pleats, so they cannot be damaged.

  As a refresher, the Center for Disease Control identifies 3 factors that contribute to respiratory problems like asthma, allergies and general respiratory health of this planet's citizens.  The pie chart below shows the percentage of each of the contributing factors.

HEPA filter size limit is shown above as red line

Particulates are addressed by the filtration systems installed in a forced air HVAC system, like a furnace of air handler.  Keeping filters serviced is important to the efficiency and proper operation of the furnace or air handler..  Check out this HVAC contractor's website & blogs that enforce that statement.

Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning
- his blog from 2012 re: how often to change filter

Purification of the BioAerosols & Volatile Organic Compounds is provided by the ultraviolet light and Photo-Catalytic Oxidation technology in our All-in-One 9200 Series.

If you have any questions, please post them here, or privately email us to discuss.