Dennis Reed - Page 47 of 54

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat – Touchscreen and Program

How to Reset Honeywell Thermostat

Most of us know the irritation of coming home to an extra hot or cold house only to find out that somebody has messed with the thermostat again.

Honeywell programmable touch screen thermostats ensure you are never “surprised” by the thermostat being changed again.

They also give you the advantage of being able to schedule when your heat and air comes on or stays off.

A great advantage for saving energy while you are at work or on vacation.

If you ever need a factory reset,
Resetting your Honeywell touch screen is a simple process.

But be warned “Factory reset” completely wiped all your previous setting including your WiFi password.

Honeywell Touchscreen Thermostat Reset Instructions

Menu- Preferences -Restore Defaults

Step 1. Press Menu -Located in the right hand top corner. Then use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “preferences”

Step 2. Press “Preferences”. Use the up and down arrows to scroll down to “Restore Factory Defaults”

Step 3. Press ” Restore Factory Defaults”
This will more than likely bring up a dialog box that ask you to confirm that you want to return all your settings to factory default.

Step 4. Press Yes.
You should see a message across the screen saying “Restoring factory default settings”
After about 10 seconds, the screen will go dark and the Honeywell logo will appear.

Step 5. As the thermostat resets a “please wait” message will appear on the screen.

Step 6. When you see a message asking you for your Wi-Fi details, your Honeywell touch screen thermostat has reset to factory and is ready to be freshly programmed.

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Reset (non-touchscreen)

Step 1. Turn the thermostat off

Step 2. Look at your breaker box and flip the breaker that controls the thermostat to the off position.

Step 3. Remove the batteries

If you have the type of thermostat that has to be removed from the wall first to get the batteries out, remove the thermostat first

The easiest way to get it off the wall is to remove the batteries and hold the back plate against the wall through the battery compartment while you pull the front cover off with the other hand.

Step 4. Reinsert the batteries backwards so that the positive terminal on the battery is lined up with the negative terminal on the thermostat. Leave the batteries in for a few seconds, up to 7.

Step 5
Take the batteries back out and put them in the right way this time.
The display should come back on at this point.

The Honeywell thermostat is now freshly reset to factory.

How to Lower Humidity in a House?

What humidity level is uncomfortable?

As the old saying goes ” it’s not the heat, it’s the Humidity”

Most people have a hard time dealing with high humidity. The temperature can be somewhat mild but then humidity outside can make it feel extra hot. Andt at a certain time of the year, namely the late summer heading into fall, there are days when you can turn the air conditioner on and not even feel it because of the humidity in the air.

According to shorstmeyer.com, the humidity that most people start to feel uncomfortable is about 65% with the temperature at 90° outside.

Is 65 humidity high?

65% humidity is about the top of the scale before it becomes too miserable for most people. At 65%, according to the heat index, the temperature at 88 degrees feels more like 98°.

Is 70 percent humidity high?

70% humidity can make a 96° day feel like 126° outside. And at 70% humidity, dust mites and mold begin to be a real problem. For persons allergic to dust mites and mold spores 70% humidity can be more than hot, it can be a nightmare.

What causes high humidity in a house?

High humidity can begin in the house with the simplest everyday activities that you wouldn’t give too much of a thought to otherwise.

High humidity in the house can start from activities like:

1. Cooking – boiling water
2. Bathing – showering
3. Drying your clothes
4. Washing the dishes
5. Dirty AC filters
6. Setting the thermostat to “on” rather than Auto
7. Location-climate

Other reasons can include actual structure problems like:

1. Poor ventilation
2. Improper insulation
3. Weather stripping need replaced

How to lower humidity in house

1. Dehumidifier
2. Air Conditioning
3. Ventilation and exhaust fans
4. Heater
5. Dehumidifying plants
6. Fans
7. Shorter & Cooler showers
8. Change thermostat to “auto”
9. Crack the window
10. Charcoal dehumidifier
11. Rock Salt dehumidifier
12. Rice dehumidifier
13. Cat litter

1. Dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers are mobile devices that work almost entirely the same way that a air conditioner does to remove humidity except that it expels heat into the room rather than cool air.

Dehumidifiers are great for areas like a damp basement or an areas where there has been leaking pipes and or water damage.

Dehumidifiers reduce the moisture by pulling air over refrigerated coils that cause the moisture in the air to condense.

The moisture is then captured into a tank or ran outside with a garden hose.

2. Air conditioning

Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are essentially the same machine only the air conditioners are used to cool the air and dehumidify the air as a byproduct.

Air conditioning is one of the easiest and most effective ways of reducing the humidity inside of the home provided it’s a refrigerated unit that condenses the humidity into the air and moves it outside.
Other types of air conditioners called “swamp coolers” or “evaporative air coolers” will increase the humidity because they are basically fans blowing over water.

3. Ventilation and exhaust

The main rooms in the house that have exhaust fans are the rooms the create the most humidity. The bathroom and the kitchen.
Showers and baths will steam up the house quicker than anything. It’s important to keep the exhaust fan running while you are taking a shower or bath to reduce humidity damage to your structure as well as mildew and mold production.

The kitchen is also a room that creates a lot of humidity from cooking and boiling water. It’s important to keep a lid on your pots and have the exhaust fan running to reduce the humidity produced by simply cooking.

4. Heater

Though most of the time people notice the level of humidity in the air is during the summer, winter also has its fair share of humidity buildup inside of the home.

You probably noticed water droplets and condensation building up on the Windows during the winter.

One of the easiest things to do during the winter to reduce the humidity is simply running the heater. Hot dry air coming from the heater will naturally dry out the moisture in the air.

5. Dehumidifying plants

Plants are natural dehumidifiers. And some prefer more humidity than others.
Some house plants that you can put in your home to help reduce the humidity in the house are:
a. English ivy
b. Boston fern
c. Peace lily
d. Reed palm

6. Fans

Using fans positioned around the house is also a natural way to reduce the humidity. Having fans operating is a simple way to dry the air out.

7. Shorter and cooler showers

A simple way to keep your bathroom from becoming a steamy Haze is to turn the temperature down on the water and not run it as long.
Another word if you don’t like the steamy feeling in the room don’t produce the steam in the first place.

8. Change AC thermostat to auto

There are many proponents for keeping your air conditioning thermostat on the on position because helps keep the air more evenly cooled when the AC cycles off.
But the other side of that argument is that the condensation never gets a chance to drip out before it evaporates and gets blown back into the house as humidity.
Keeping your thermostat on “auto” will help the dehumidifying function of the AC work much better and save you money in the long run.

9. Crack the windows

Sometimes the easiest way to reduce the humidity inside is to crack the window and open the door.
Of course if the humidity outside is 90%, this is not going to work.
But if the inside of the house feels extra muggy, opening the windows and letting the air exchange will help freshen up the room and keep the humidity down.

The next four suggestions falls under the “home remedies for absorbing moisture” heading. These are products that you probably have around the house already that you may not have known were excellent for absorbing moisture and reducing the humidity in the air.

10. Charcoal dehumidifier

Charcoal is a natural dehumidifier that can be a super easy DIY project.
According to Readers digest, charcoal briquettes can be placed in a coffee can with hose punched into the lid and placed in humid areas to absorb moisture.

Placing charcoal briquettes in bookshelves that have glass doors is a librarians trick for keeping musty odors and mowed from getting inside of old books

11. Rock salt dehumidifier

If you have ever owned a pink Himalayan salt lamp, you have noticed that it appears to leak water.
But in actuality it is not leaking water but pulling moisture out of the air onto itself and dripping off.
The same concept can be used with rock salt.
The rock salt humidifier can be easily built by taking an everyday planting pot and filling it with rock salt. The planter works good because as the salt draws moisture to itself and leaks it has a place to leak into instead of the floor.

12. Rice dehumidifier

You’ve probably heard that if you drop your phone into the toilet you can throw it in some rice afterwards. I’m not sure I’ve ever known anyone that that is work for. But rice can definitely soak up moisture from the air over a period of time.
After all, you can put a cup of rice in a pan and fill it with water and the rice will practically absorb every bit of the water.
This is the same concept as placing small containers of rice around a room to help with humidity.

13. Cat litter dehumidifier

Kitty litter is excellent at absorbing moisture. Not only can it be used for your cats, it will also draw a moisture from the air.
An easy DIY cat litter dehumidifier is to fill a tube sock with kitty litter and hang it in the closet or wherever you’re having an issue with moisture.

One application is to hang it from the rear view mirror in your car, which can help keep your windshield from condensation building up on the inside.

Recap

Humidity is the difference the temperature being mild outside and insufferably hot.
At 65 and 70% humidity, the temperature can feel 20° hotter.
And when the humidity is at those levels, household allergens like dust mites rise in population considerably.

But when you have high humidity in your house, there are many things you can do to reduce the humidity including some easy do-it-yourself dehumidifiers that can be made with products you already have around the house.

Does Lysol Kill Mold Spores?

Does Lysol Kill Mold Spores? Mold is a variety of fungus that can decompose all sorts of carbon-based compounds. Anywhere there is low light and humidity, you’re bound to find mold growing somewhere in the vicinity.

And where you have mold, you also have mold spores floating around and looking for the next available food source.

Mold is everywhere and that’s not an exaggeration. But it only becomes a problem when it takes root in your home somewhere.

If you don’t catch it early, it can decompose your walls, floors, ceilings, etc. Anywhere in your home that predisposed to moisture.

Does Lysol kills mold?

Lysol is a brand of aerosol disinfectant that is extremely effective for killing mold and mold spores. And since it is one of the most widely used household cleaners, you may even have a can of it under your sink right now.

Why is Lysol so good at killing mold?

Bleach. That’s right, the secret ingredient is bleach. The cat is out of the bag.

To use Lysol to kill mold spores in your home, you should follow a few simple procedures to make sure that it is done right.

Step 1. Scrub the mold infected area with warm water and detergent using a heavy brush.

Step 2. Spray the Lysol directly upon the molded area till it is thoroughly soaked.

Step 3. Let it sit for 2 minutes. If you have a particularly severe case, leave the Lysol soaked into the area for at least 10 minutes.

Step 4. Scrub the area again to to break the mold loose from the surface.

Step 5. Wipe the area down with a clean washcloth.

Step 6. Thoroughly rinse the area with clean water.

Lysol Safety

Remember we are talking about cleaning mold and mold spores with Lysol, which contains bleach.

Not only can you get an adverse reaction to mold spores, you can also get a bad reaction to bleach if you are not careful.

To make sure that you do not come in contact with the mold and the bleach, goggles and rubber gloves should be employed.

Ventilation is also important. If possible, open the window. If you don’t have a exhaust or window to open, it’s a good idea to use a respirator so that you do not inhale mold spores or bleach fumes.

Step 7. Let it completely air dry.
Making sure it dries well is important so that mold isn’t invited to start growing there again.

Bleach vs vinegar for mold

If you don’t have Lysol which contains bleach in the house, there is a good chance you do have vinegar.

Vinegar is actually one of the best things to use to clean up mold. It is not only safer than using bleach, it is more effective at deeply penetrating the mold infected area.

The steps for using vinegar are very similar for using Lysol to clean mold.

Soak the area thoroughly with a vinegar and water mixture, then let it sit.
Then take a stiff brush and scrub the area.
Rinse it thoroughly with water and make sure it dries completely.

Mold prevention

Mold takes root anywhere there is dirt, moisture, and low light.

The key to preventing mold is to prevent moisture from building in the first place.

Things like leaky pipes, or drips should be taken care of immediately.

Bathroom should be outfitted with exhaust fans to pull the moisture out of the room.

Kitchen exhaust should also be employed to pull excess humidity out of the room when there is cooking going on.

And if you live in an area that has general heavier humidity, you may consider purchasing a dehumidifier.

Braeburn Thermostat Programming Instructions

Braeburn systems is a company based in Montgomery Illinois. Their product line includes thermostats, humidistats, and zone dampers.
They have a full line of thermostats that include programmable, non-programmable, and smart Wi-Fi, including wireless and touch screen.

Braeburn programmable thermostats allow you to schedule when your heat and air are running. A feature that will save you money by turning your air off while you’re out of the house or sleeping.

Braeburn Thermostat Instructions

Set Up

1. Date/time

Locate the dates last time button on the keypad. Using the up and down arrows, change the hour, then the minutes, then the day of the week. Save each selection by tapping the day/time button afterwards.

2. Set the Fan

Scroll through the fan settings by pushing the “Fan” button repeatedly till you find the setting you want.

“Auto” runs the fan only when the unit is running.
The ” On” setting keeps the fan on continuously.
The ” Circ” setting runs the fan for 24 minutes and off for 24 minutes continually.
“Prog” is the setting that you program the thermostat to run the fan on.

Confused about which one to pick?
See this resource.

3. Set the differential

This is the setting that allows you to choose how much the temperature in the room changes before the air conditioner or heater comes back on.

To set it, hold the return button for 4 seconds. Pick what you want your differential to be by scrolling up or down. Some models have two and three different stage differentials that can be set using the same procedure as well.

Programming your thermostat

1. Enter the programming mode by pressing the” Prog” button.

2. Choose “Heat” or “Cool”.
Some models have a switch that you simply move into position, others require you to make your choice by pushing the “system” on the touch screen.

3. Day/time

On this step you can either choose to program one day at a time or a full week. Simply press the day/time button to choose one or the other.

4. Hours/ minutes

This is the hours and minutes of the day that you want the heat and air to run.
Hit the up and down arrows to scroll up or down to find your desired times.

5. Unoccupied

The “Unocc” mode is the program your thermostat for when the house will be unoccupied. To find this mode, simply press the “Prog” button.

6. Unoccupied mode is programmed the same way as the other settings. Use the up and down arrows till you find your desired days and times.

7. When you’re finished, press return to complete.

Congratulations you have finished programming your Braeburn thermostat!

Dehumidifier vs AC – Do Dehumidifiers Cool the Air?

A dehumidifier will help cool a room because it’s function is to lower the humidity in the room and excessive humidity can make it feel hotter than it actually is. But you should not expect the room to cool off while the unit is running because it expels heat into the room at the same time.

Dehumidifier vs AC

Dehumidifier

Primarily use for damp spaces like basements and flooding restoration

Mobile
Catches moisture in a container or is ran outside with a garden hose.
Expels heat in the same room it’s used in.

Heats the room.

Primarily used to cool the air down

Stationary
Moisture is piped outside.
Expels heat in the same room it’s used in.

Expels heat outside

Dehumidifiers and air conditioners both reduce the moisture in the air, and they both do so in exactly the same manner.Warm air is passed over the condenser coils which causes the water in the air to condense. Which then goes into a attached container or ran outside with a hose or pipe.

But there are some differences between the two.

Namely what they are used for.

Dehumidifiers are used for remediation in areas like a damp basement that does not have any windows or AC vents piped into it.

Because of the basements proximity to the ground, it is usually a moist place where mold growth takes root fairly easy.

Operating a dehumidifier in the basement will rob mold of the moisture it needs to feed and live.

Dehumidifiers, being mobile are also used to help with flood damage and restoration.

How the moisture is captured.

Dehumidifiers have a tank that the condensed moisture drains into. Most have a connector that you can run a garden hose too so that the water runs outside.

Air conditioners are all in one, and in the case of a central AC, the condensed moisture is piped outside. Window air conditioners typically have a hole in the bottom of the casing that drips the condensation outside behind the unit to.

Another difference is the way that heat is expelled from Humidifier.

Since dehumidifiers are mobile and are ran primarily in a single room at a time, the heat that is exhausted from it is released in the same room. Which is good to keep removing moisture but will also heat the room up.

Most people have walked behind a the back of an air conditioner and felt the heat coming off of it. That’s exactly the type of heat you get with a dehumidifier, only the heat is not being expelled outside.

So even though a dehumidifier will reduce the humidity, which in turn will cause the air to be drier and more comfortable after it is used,
So you shouldn’t expect the room to be cooler while the dehumidifier is running.

Air conditioning is stationary and located so that the heat generated is always exhausted outside.

should you run a dehumidifier and an air conditioner at the same time?

Using a dehumidifier at the same time as the air conditioner can be redundant since both reduce the moisture in the air.
But there are times when running both machines can be an advantage.

When the humidity is excessive, you can put extra strain on the air conditioning, which can lead to extra high energy bill, more repairs, and lower the lifespan of the AC.

Running a separate dehumidifier can take the extra work off of the AC in this type of situation.

Also there are rooms in the house where the AC does not reach as well.

Trying to dry the basement with the air conditioner is not likely to do a very good job. It takes a separate device like a dehumidifier to dry the room out satisfactory.

But there are also times when running a dehumidifier with the air conditioning on will do more to make the room hot and muggy than it will to cool off the room and aid the air conditioner.

If you were to put a dehumidifier in the living room , it would basically be like taking a window air conditioner and sitting it on the table. Though it may be reducing the humidity, it is also pouring hot air out of the back.

So in that case, it would be counteractive to run the air conditioning and a humidifier at the same time.

Is it cheaper to run AC or dehumidifier?

It is cheaper to run a dehumidifier than to run the AC because an air conditioner cycles all the way on and all the way off repeatedly. (Unless it is an inverter AC) Dehumidifiers do not have the same type of cycling schedule nor do they turn completely off over and over.
Powering an AC completely on and off takes more energy than a dehumidifier.

Recap

Will a dehumidifier cool off a room?

A dehumidifier expels heat from the rear of the machine. Though it will reduce the humidity that can cause the temperature to seem hotter than what it is, the heat coming off of the dehumidifier will reheat the room.

If you run a dehumidifier for a while, then let the room air out, you will likely find that that room is more comfortable than it was before you ran the dehumidifier.

But as an air cooler, it is definitely better to use an air conditioner. Not only will the air conditioner cool the room, it will also dehumidify as it’s cooling.

Dehumidifiers are made more as a mobile unit to place in a room that doesn’t have access to air conditioning such as a basement. They are also intended to be used as remedial aids for situations like water damage and flood Restoration.

Also being mobile means that the condensation captured by the dehumidifier must either be caught in a tank or ran with a garden hose outside.

Air conditioners on the other hand, can do little in the area of remediation because they are stationary and not meant to move around.

AC Coil Cleaner

Is it Bad to Sleep with a Fan Blowing on You?-Pros and Cons

Is it bad to sleep with a fan blowing on you? That can be a contentious question, depending on who you ask. There are quite a few proponents for the good , and the bad issues of sleeping with the fan on you. But you might find that the answer is not that clear cut.

Some people say it is unhealthy, other people don’t have a problem with it.

And the truth is, both are right. There are times when sleeping at the fan on you is exactly what you need to cool off and get some sleep,

But there is also times when having air blowing directly on you can cause you to have some issues in other areas.

So let’s do our best to break it down and see how if we can come to some agreement on the subject.

Benefits of sleeping with a fan

1. Cools you down
2. White noise
3. Circulate the air
4. Reduce hot and cold spots in your home.
5. Reduces odors

1. Cool you down.

When it is hot, especially hot and sticky like it gets in the south at night where I live, putting a fan on you is the difference between going to sleep or not.
There’s not too many things more miserable than trying to get to sleep in a hot room with no airflow.

Taking a shower helps but that’s not always an option especially when you’re not in your own house, not to mention those nights when you can wash the sweat off and be sweaty again in 20 minutes.

2. Sleeping with a fan for noise

The sound of a fan humming can be a good thing to help drown out other loud sounds that can keep you from getting to sleep good.
Whether it’s the person in the room with you snoring, or the TV on and the other room, for the traffic outside,
Erratic sounds while you are sleeping can jar you awake and make it harder to get back to sleep after you’ve been startled.

A fan can make an excellent white noise machine when you don’t have any other source of white noise around.

Of course there is a million videos of rain sounds, ocean sounds, or whatever sounds you need to help you sleep available on YouTube if you have your phone.

3. Circulates the air

If you’re having a hard time getting to sleep, laying in a dry stale room with no air flowing doesn’t help.
Opening the window is a good choice to get some air flowing in the room when you have a window to open.
But opening a window is not always an option because of security risk or the exasperation of noise outside that we already mentioned.
Running a fan while you’re asleep is a good way to create some airflow in a less than fresh environment.

4. Supplement the air conditioning

a. Uneven air – hot and cold spots

Even when you have central heat and air that distributes air conditioning into every single room, you can have hotspots where the vented incoming air does not get to as well.

One option is to keep the “on” setting on your AC thermostat left in the ” on ” position so that the AC fan continues to run after the AC has powered down.

But this will still leave some spots where the air does not get to as well and cost more money to operate.

And keeping the fan running continuously evaporates the condensation and blows it back into the house in the form of humidity. Which only makes the air feel hotter and stickier.

Using a fan as a supplement to your air conditioning can help move the cool air from your AC vents through your room and onto yourself better.

b. Air conditioning is also expensive to keep running at cool setting all night. Most experts agree that you should turn your thermostat up as hot as you can actually take the heat, to avoid an outlandish Energy bill during the summer months.

5. Reduces odors

The bedroom can be a, let’s say “unfresh” room to sleep in.
Body odors, especially collective body odors when you sleep in the same room with someone else can build up and make a room unfresh and hard to get to sleep in.

Many people sleep in the same room with their baby to be able to conveniently change and nurse them through the night.

Though necessary, the smell of a dirty diaper can be enough to wake you up.
Having a fan in the bedroom can keep the air flowing and reduce smells.

Though you probably don’t want to keep the fan right on the baby. Babies tend to have a much more sensitive respiratory system that can be a lot more susceptible to airborne bacteria.

Side effects of sleeping with a fan on you

1. Noisy
2. Body aches
3 Can cause congestion
4. Sore throat
5. Dry eyes
6. Dehydration
7. Ear pain
8. Allergies and asthma

There are a lot of good points to not sleeping with a fan on you. Do they outweigh the positive, you’ll have to decide.

1. Noisy

Some people need absolute quiet to sleep. And though fan noise can be considered a source of white noise to help you sleep by some, for others, a fan is just too loud.

If you’re a person that thinks you would enjoy the benefits of sleeping with a fan but they are too loud, you should know that there are many fans available that are very very quiet these days.

2. Can sleeping under a fan cause body aches?

As strange as it may seem, sleeping with a fan with the air directed right on you can cause you to tense up and wake up with body aches. The flow of concentrated cool air on you can cause your muscles to constrict and leave you feeling stiff when you wake up.

Another issue is that it can become too cool while you’re asleep, and you will naturally turn away which may leave you in an uncomfortable position that will also leave you sore in the morning.

There’s also that period of time where the seasons are transitioning and one night you may need a fan on you where is the next night, it’s too much. There’s no benefit to keeping a fan on you when the temperature does not warrant it.

3. Does sleeping under a fan cause congestion?

Generally sleeping under a fan helps keep the air moving enough that you get a good night’s sleep.

But if you’re feeling sinusy or you can tell that you’ve got a cold coming on, sleeping directly in front of a fan will more than likely exasperate the problem.

And believe me, having a summer cold with a congested head and chest is even more miserable when you are burning up but sitting in front of the fan is only making you feel worse.

The fan may not be the reason you are congested but may not exactly make you feel better either.

Although the feeling of a light breeze coming off a cool mist humidifier fan can be refreshing and help you open up and breathe easier when you’re feeling congested.

4. Sleeping with fan on sore throat

Having a sore throat is related to dry mouth. If you already sleep with your mouth open, having a fan directly on you is going to dry out your throat which may leave it feeling sore.

Positioning the fan away from your face may help you to not get a dry sore throat but still be able to enjoy the benefits of a fan on you while you sleep.

Also, if you are already feeling like you might have a cold coming on, sleeping under a fan may give you the chills and make you feel worse rather than better.

A cool mist humidifier maybe a better option for giving you a slight breeze and adding moisture to the air to help loosen up mucus and moisten your throat so you can swallow easier.

5. can sleeping with a fan on cause dry eyes?

Dry eyes, itchy eyes, and watery eyes
can all get aggravated when you have a fan blowing on you.
Dry and itchy eyes are usually symptoms that are related to allergies.
And having a fan blow around airborne allergens, especially directly on you, could be the reason that you get dry eyes with the fan on.
This is an issue that I am close to.
My own mother carries around a box of tissues because her eyes are so sensitive to allergens that she never knows when just having a fan on is going to make her eyes water so bad she can’t take it.

6. The sleeping with the fan on dehydrate you?

Sweating dehydrates you. Humidity dehydrate you. Heat dehydrates you.

All the reasons why you put a fan on yourself in the first place.

Sleeping with the fan will not dehydrate you but it is not the solution for dehydration either.

If you have a fan on you because you were excessively hot, that should be an indication to you that you need to drink more water.

Staying hydrated will help you cool down more than sleeping with a fan.
But a cool drink and a fan are certainly bosom buddies in the summer.

7. Sleeping with a fan on bad for your ears?

There is an old wives tale or at least a rumor that sleeping under a fan will give you tinnitus.

But the truth is tinnitus is related to being exposed to loud noises or infections and there is really no evidence that having air blowing on you can give you tinnitus.

Though there are certain sleeping positions like your neck being kinked that can exasperate ear problems.

8. Asthma and allergies

Sleeping with a fan on can exasperate allergies and asthma because it keeps airborne triggers moving around through the air while you are sleeping.

Allergens like dust mites go hand in hand with heat and humidity.

When the weather is hot and sticky you can count on having a large population of dust mites in your room.

Unfortunately that is the time when you need to fill the comfort of a fan on you the most.

This is where running a dehumidifier will not only help reduce the allergen population, will reduce the humidity that is amplifying the heat and take the pressure off of your air conditioner all in one shot.

An air purifier in your bedroom is also an excellent device to keep as a companion to your fan so that you can enjoy the benefits of having the fan on without circulating allergens and asthma triggers it can cause you to have a reaction while you are sleeping.

Is it bad to sleep with the fan blowing on you?

Are you a proponent of sleeping with a fan on or do they have too many issues for you to be comfortable with.

It is certainly a subject that can be debatable but it is really up to you and there is no harm in trying it. And it can keep you from running to the thermostat.

Does a Humidifier Help With Snoring?

Does a humidifier help with snoring? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could find a miracle cure for the snorer next to you as you’re trying to get your own sleep at night.

Snoring not only interrupts the person sleeping near the snorer, you can also disrupt their sleep too.
It can put them in a state of waking up all night with a dry mouth, needing a drink of water, and never really ever getting into a deep sleep.

There are certain times when the air is hot and extra dry that a humidifier can help with snoring. But snoring is not dependent on the moistness of the air alone. And there or many other reasons why a person snores that a humidifier will do nothing for.

Sleeping with humidifier

When I was younger, I traveled with the music group, going up and down the highway, staying in a lot of different hotels.

My roommate most of the time was a guy that snored very loudly. He not only snored but he had severe sleep apnea which would be so violent that I thought he was choking to death many times.

He was and is overweight, not extremely, but a good 50 lbs. But the thing that made the whole thing so hard to handle was he would turn the heater up in the room and sleep in a pair of shorts in the winter.

( I’m the opposite. I’d rather put on some pajamas and turn the heater down. )

And as soon as he hit his pillow he was asleep which meant that I always was stuck trying to sleep with him snoring like a train.

As a result of our mismatched sleeping arrangement, I bought a humidifier and carried it around with my luggage.

At the time, it was really more about having some sort of white noise to drown out his snoring plus there was a cool breeze coming off of the Humidifier that would help combat the heater being turned up.

But an amazing thing happened, the humidifier I bought for my own peace of mind ended up having a huge impact on the amount and overall excessive volume of this guys snoring.

And I realized that if I would wait till he got to sleep and turn down the heater, the humidifier coupled with the cooler air would calm his eradicate sleeping down extremely.

Looking back at the situation these years later, I would have to say that him turning the heater up was drying the air out which was making it hard for him to breathe while he was sleeping.

By adding the humidifier, it was moistening his airways, helping him to breathe better.

Sleeping with the humidifier and turning the heat down made a huge difference.

Can you put a humidifier next to your bed?

Putting the humidifier next to your bed is the best place to get the maximum amount of benefit from it. Regardless of whether it’s a cool mist humidifier that emits a slight breeze or a warm mist humidifier with eucalyptus or Vicks in it, keeping the humidifier close to you while you’re sleeping is the ideal.

Do humidifiers help with sleep?

When the air is excessively dry which is usually the case when house is closed up and the heater is on, a cool mist humidifier will loosen the mucus up and help you sleep. And help keep you from waking up with a bloody or sore nose or chapped lips.

Should humidifier run all night?

There is no issue with the humidifier running all night as long as the indoor climate calls for it. If you are in the middle of a dry wintery season, you’ll probably want your humidifier running constantly.

Sleeping with humidifier risks.

The only risk of keeping your humidifier running all the time is it needs to be thoroughly washed every couple of days to make sure that mold and bacteria do not have a chance to take root inside of the machine.

And if the humidity is already at a good level in your room or house, adding more humidity could be excessive and eventually cause mildew or mold to begin to grow on your walls.

Is it safe to leave a humidifier on all night?

Sleeping with humidifier risks.

The main risk of using a humidifier regardless of whether you are sleeping or awake is that humidifiers must be kept clean.

A humidifier that continues to be ran without being cleaned and sterilized often can turn into a mold spore and bacteria distribution machine.

As where a humidifier maybe exactly what is needed to help you get a good night’s sleep and a rest from the exasperation of snoring,

Sleeping with a dirty humidifier may make it harder to sleep and snore and choke more as the bacteria and mold spores enter into your airway system.

Is it good to sleep with a humidifier?

If the climate inside your home warrants the humidifier being ran 24/7, then it is a good idea to keep it running even when you’re asleep.

Recap

Will a humidifier help with snoring?

Though there is not one single remedy to help keep someone from snoring, there are certain circumstances that a humidifier can help reduce snoring and help you get a better night’s sleep.

When the winter months have rolled in, and the temperature outside has dropped, the heater usually comes on and practically stays on for the whole season.

And with the heater comes hot dry air.

Dry hot air is hard on your respiratory system and dries out your nasal cavities as well as your throat and your lips.

All of these things combined can make getting a good night’s sleep without snoring hard to do.

During these times, adding moisture back to the air with a humidifier can be a great help to getting a good night’s sleep and even help reduce snoring.

Which can be good for you and the snorer. Because the truth is, you’re both probably having a hard time sleeping.
Also: How to Humidify Your House

Activated Carbon Filter-Do Charcoal Air Purifiers Work?

Regular charcoal vs activated charcoal

The difference between regular charcoal and activated charcoal is about 600°. Activated charcoal is regular charcoal that has been heated to a very high temperature and treated with steam or an acidic chemical to increase to increase surface area and porousness.

The way activated charcoal is used varies greatly from the way regular charcoal is used.
Regular charcoal is typically used for fuel or cooking. It also has excellent uses in drawing and artwork.
Activated charcoal is used for medicinal purposes to absorb toxins in the body. It is also a very effective filter for both water and Air.

Do Charcoal Air Purifiers work?

Charcoal air purifiers work by using activated carbon to adsorb gases like toluene and benzene from the air.
Because of activated charcoals ability to absorb VOC’s, (volatile organic compounds) charcoal air purifiers are exceptional at removing odors.

Activated carbon vs charcoal

Activated Carbon is a broad term that encompasses all types of materials such as coconut shell and charcoal.
Activated carbon is the equivalent of activated charcoal or activated coconut shell for that matter. The terms are used interchangeably and mean exactly the same thing.

What does a carbon filter do?

Carbon filtration is a process of using a large surface of activated charcoal to adsorb and remove contaminants either as a system for air purification or water purification.

How does a carbon filter work?

Activated Carbon has an unbelievably huge surface area filled with literally millions of pores and microscopic caves.

Airborne toxins or drinking water contaminants depending on the application are forced into the porous area intermolecularity.

When the pollutants enter the filter, they stick to the sides and get trapped in the vast cavernous filter.

What does activated carbon remove?

Activated carbon has a far reaching list of conditions and environments it is able to treat.

As an air filter it is responsible for removing VOCs, gases, odors, and dust mites.

As a water filter, it used to adsorb a host of impurities including chlorine and fluoride.

How long does activated carbon filter last?

An activated carbon filter should last anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending on what it is that is being filtered and the weight and density of the carbon that you are using.

Uses of activated charcoal

Activated charcoal has a whole range of uses other than filtering air.

Overdose
Activated charcoal as traditionally been used in cases of drug overdose or poisoning. When is this taking internally, poisons and toxins can bind to it to help get rid of the dangerous content.

Flatulence
Activated charcoal is used to help people with excessive gas and reduce abdominal pain related to gas.

Diarrhea

Recent studies have shown that activated charcoal can help prevent diarrhea by adsorbing the bacteria responsible for the diarrhea into the permeable surface of the charcoal.

Healthy gums

Activated charcoal has made its way into a whole slew of toothpaste and oral health products.
Many people claim that it helps with gingivitis because of its antiviral and any antifungal properties.

Facial cleanse

There are many facial cleansers that use activated carbon to help pull toxins and bacteria up out of the pores of the face so that is easier to clean your skin deeper.

Deodorant

Activated carbons ability to reduce odors makes it a great deodorant not only for your underarms but also in the refrigerator and your smelly shoes.

Drinking water

Using activated charcoal and your drinking water can help clean your water and reduce the many chemicals
and poisons like fluoride found in tap water.

Anti-aging

Eliminating toxins that are aging you from the inside out is the ideal.
Using activated carbon regularly can help you detox and feel younger.

Respiratory masks

Activated charcoal attracts and binds airborne contaminants and protects you from breathing in harmful airborne poisons.

Air purification

Most air purifiers come with a activated carbon filter that is coupled with a HEPA filter.

The HEPA filter is designed to capture airborne pollutants .03 microns and larger. But even though 03 microns maybe insanely small, there are other airborne pollutants like vocs and gases that are even smaller.

For these tiniest of contaminants, activated carbon filtration is used to absorb the gases into the large surface area of the filter.

Odors are one of the primary reasons people search for an air purifier.

But odors are one of the hardest things for air purifiers to remove. In order to remove odors, an air purifier must be equipped with an activated charcoal filter.

One of the benefits of having a carbon filter in your air purifier, if you want to look at it that way, is the fact that carbon has a sweet smell to it.
Some people even go as far as to say it smells like cookies or cake.
But regardless if that is something that you like or not, it is a good way of being able to identify when your carbon filter is ready to be exchanged.
Once that sweet smell is gone, your filter is pretty much at the end of its life.

How to clean A activated carbon filter.

Though you can clean it a little bit by soaking it, the density and the amount of pores that activated carbon has, makes it impossible to get very clean.

The truth is, you should factor in the cost of replacing the filters as part of the overall investment in purchasing an activated charcoal air purifier.

What Does a Diffuser Do in a Room?

what does a diffuser do?

The diffuser is a device that breaks down and disperses essential oils into a room so that the user may enjoy the calming and medicinal effects of aromatherapy. Which include improving sleep, controlling pain, and reducing stress. Proponents for Aromatherapy diffusion claim an over better quality of life through the use of the diffuser.

Diffusers come in 3 different types:

1. Evaporative Diffuser

A Evaporative diffuser consists of a small fan and a pad that you drop essential oils on. The fan gently blows across the essential oils so that they evaporate into the atmosphere.

2. Ultrasonic diffuser

Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier?

In the case of an ultrasonic diffuser the answer is yes. Ultrasonic diffusers operate by the vibration of water and essential oils combined.
Can you use diffuser without oil?
An ultrasonic diffuser without the essential oils is simply an excellent ultrasonic humidifier.

3. Nebulizer diffuser

The nebulizer diffuser is the most sophisticated type of diffuser. It is also simultaneously the most effective and expensive to use. The reason is that uses the most oil of all three types.

What does a diffuser do in a room?

A diffuser is simply a tool to be able to enjoy the benefits of different essential and aromatherapy oils. Which are many.

Some benefits of diffusing essential oils in a room include:

1 Reduce stress and Anxiety
2. Better sleep
3. Appetite suppressant
4. Air purification
5. Decongestant and cold relief
6. Insect and mosquito repellent
7. Improve memory and Mental Clarity
8. Relieve Headaches
9. Hair growth
10. Humidifier

1. Reduce Stress and anxiety

Stress is a health symptom we can all relate to in this modern world of abrupt changes.
Stress and anxiety can result in having issues both mental and physical.
Aromatherapy can be used as a relaxation tool to help boost a feeling of calmness and ease.

A. Lavender essential oil is proven to lower your blood pressure and your heart rate. One of the most common and popular essential oils for stress, lavender can ease your nerves and promote a more restful night sleep.

B. Ylang ylang is a essential oil that is extracted from the Cananga tree rooted in Indonesia.
This essential oil is known to help improve your mood and help relieve depression.
And like lavender, it can help lower your heart rate and ease tensions related to stress and anxiety.

2. Better sleep

No doubt getting a good night’s rest is essential to your health and feeling positive and alive.
Aromatherapy has been used for centuries to promote a better night’s sleep. According to the US National Library of Science, aromatherapy is more effective at improving sleep quality than acupuncture.

A. Lavender tops the list I’ll be essential oils that can help promote sleep.
Lavender is not only help calm your nerves, it also has a sedative effect.
It has been shown to not only help you fall asleep faster but stay asleep longer.

B. Vanilla essential oil is a sweet scent they can also have a sedative effect on your nerves and can help relieve restlessness.

3. Appetite suppressant.

Aromatherapy essential oils can also be used to help suppress your appetite and give you energy.

A. Grapefruit essential oil works as a help for weight loss because of its ability to help activate enzymes that work to reduce body fat.

B. Ginger
Ginger essential oil can help with digestion support and help you absorb nutrients easier. Dropping a couple of drops of grapefruit and Ginger in your tea or water is also a great way to get the benefits of these essential oils.

4. Air purification

A diffuser is an excellent way to disperse antibacterial oils through the air that are capable of reducing allergens and mold spores.

When you consider the fact that most spray fragrances actually add dangerous vocs to the air and only mask the air and do nothing to reduce indoor air pollution, essential oils or a landslide.

According to PubMed “essential oils have a great potential in the field of Bio medicine is late effectively destroy several bacterial fungal and viral pathogens”

A. Peppermint essential oil

Peppermint oil is known to have any bacterial properties. It is not only excellent as a means of air purification, it is also good as a cough suppressant.

B. Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil has been researched and shown to be able to destroy flu viruses in the air.

5. Decongestant and cold Relief

Eucalyptus is the number one essential oil to add to diffuser when you have a cough.
Eucalyptus is found in most chest rubs and is universally considered an excellent way to soothe your airways and relax a cough. But it is not the only game in town.

A. Oregano oil
Adding oregano oil to a diffuser is an excellent way to fight off a cold and flu bug. The reason is it contains Carvacrol.
Carvacrol is a natural antibiotic.

B. Rosemary oil
Rosemary oil contains something called Cineole. Research has concluded that Cineole actively reduces a call in as little as four days.

6. Mosquito and insect repellent

Most everyone has heard of citronella candles and sure to keep them around for a summertime BBQ.

A. Citronella essential oil is the same mosquito repellent that you can buy in the candle form. Citronella is known to ward off mosquitoes as well as fleas, lice, and a whole host of other insects.

B. Lemon eucalyptus
The center for disease control has put their stamp on lemon eucalyptus. According to the CDC, lemon eucalyptus can be used as an effective repellent for mosquitoes.

7. Improve Memory and mental clarity

Memory is something we all value and something we usually take for granted till it starts to fade.
Aromatherapy has been shown to help increase mental clarity and focus as well as stimulate the memory.

A. Frankincense oil
Frankincense oil is a ancient remedy for just about every ailment under the sun.
It is also known to be and effective stimulate for the brain.

B. Peppermint is also a strong essential oil that can promote a sense of mental sharpness when inhaled deeply.

8. Headaches

Headaches can fall under the moniker of stress and anxiety. Stress can cause a whole lot of havoc on your health including headaches.

A. Peppermint oil is the number one essential oil for tension headaches. Because peppermint oil contains menthol, it has the potential to relax your muscles and relieve pain including headache and migraine pain.

B. Lavender oil
Lavender essential oil creates a soothing aroma that is known to be calming. It’s relaxing properties can help ease tensions in your neck and shoulders that can lead to headaches.

9. Hair growth

Have you ever been in a situation where you could not wait for your hair to grow. Fortunately there are stimulants that can help your hair grow out faster and certain essential oils fall under that category.

A. Lavender oil has both antimicrobial and anti bacterial characteristics that can strengthen your scalp.
Though usually known as a essential oil to reduce stress and ease headaches, lavender oil has a unusual side effect helping hair grow faster.

B. Rosemary essential oil is similar in that it is usually promoted as a cough suppressant. But according to one study, rosemary oil is actually as effective as a hair growth stimulant is the popular over the counter hair stimulant Minoxidil.

10. Humidifier

You can’t forget about the fact ultrasonic diffuser doubles as a humidifier.
A humidifier is a must especially in the winter months when the climate is dry and the heater is going nonstop.
Not only will a humidifier help moisten your nasal cavities and make it easier to breathe, it will also add moisture to the dust in the air keeping it from floating in the ambient air that you breathe.

And that’s only a small part of the list that aromatherapy and diffusers can do to help improve your health.

A Diffuser combined with aromatherapy essential oils is an excellent way to improve the quality of your life.

Are Himalayan Salt Lamps a Hoax?

Himalayan salt lamps have gathered in popularity over the last few years.

And the truth is they are a pretty sharp-looking novelty item that can add to the ambience of a shaded room nicely.
But having a pinkish, orange and red lamp it’s not really enough to cause the kind of stir they have.
It’s unlikely so many people would be purchasing and hunting these things down if it were just for the look of them.

So why are Himalayan salt lamps so popular?

It’s the health benefits that are associated with using a salt lamp.

There are a number of claims being made about how Himalayan salt lamp can improve your health.

The claims include reducing allergies, lowering asthma triggers, and filtering germs and bacteria out of the air.

The two main health functions that Himalayan salt lamps supposedly perform are:

1.Produce Negative Ions
2.They are Hygroscopic

Himalayan salt lamp hoax?

“Himalayan salt lamps do not create any measurable amount of negative ions but they are conclusively hygroscopic because salt is known to pull moisture out of the air.
Are they a Hoax? 50/50.”

Now I am a skeptic. and certain things like salt lamps just lend themselves to skepticism.

But if you were to show me a study that proves Himalayan salt lamps could actually improve air quality, we can leave it at that.

But unfortunately there is not a single study that can be produced.

But like everything else to do with Himalayan salt lamps, I’ll try to make an educated guess.

One of the biggest claims about Himalayan salt lamps is that they create negative ions.

My first question here is: “Have you ever seen the dust left behind by a negative ion generator?”

Negative ion generators are famous we’re leaving a blanket of dust on the walls and surfaces around around the machine.

It’s so popular they have a phrase that describes it. “Great Wall syndrome” is the effect of negatively charged ions combining with positively charged ions, and either falling to the surface or clinging to the walls.

This is not a effect you get with a Himalayan salt lamp.

Secondly, it’s not just negative ions that affect the mood or atmosphere in an area, it’s the sheer volume of them that makes the difference.

The fresh outdoor feeling you get from a thunderstorm rolling through is caused by an explosion of negative ions created by lightning ,and rain washing contaminants out of the air.

There is also a distinctive smell left behind by a thunderstorm. The smell is ozone.

Negative ionizers also create ozone and it is one of the reasons they come under fire as an air cleaning method.

“But Himalayan salt lamps, if they create negative ions at all, do not manufacture enough ions to leave behind any dust, much less create enough that would be considered the volume to change the atmosphere in a room, and they leave no noticeable smell of ozone behind whatsoever.”

Verdict: Every action has a counter reaction and Himalayan salt lamps don’t have any of the side effects of a negative ionizer simply because they do not ionize air.
( Butt least they don’t generate high levels of ozone as a by-product. That’s healthy!)

They Are Hygroscopic

On this point, I’m not quite as skeptical.

It is known that humidity droplets can actually be microscopic containers that carry air pollutants like bacteria and viruses and help them travel further through a room.

Humidity is also a natural food source for mold spores and dust mites which are known household allergens.

And we all know how miserable humidity can be in certain climates and times of the year.

Consider this:

Himalayan salt lamps are known to attract moisture.

And most concerns about pink Himalayan salt lamps are about the device leaking or melting.

In truth Himalayan salt lamps neither leak or melt.

The water the gatherers on and around a salt lamp is humidity pulled out of the air by the salt.

Seeing is believing.

Unlike the ionic air purifier claims that people make about Himalayan salt lamps which offer no proof either by leaving behind dust or the residual smell of ozone that negative ions create,

A Himalayan salt lamp leaving behind a puddle of water is a very noticeable side effect that can be construed as the salt pulling moisture from the air.

And it is also a fact that sodium chloride(salt) can be used as a dehumidifier and is often stored in the basement to help reduce the natural humidity typically found in the basement.

So on this point, I would have to concede,

“It is possible that a pink Himalayan salt lamp can help purify the air by absorbing potentially harmful humidity droplets from the air.”

Though it is possible, keeping a Himalayan salt lamp will not reduce the humidity in your home nearly as well as turning the air conditioner on or running a dehumidifier.

And as a ionizer, forget it.

Are Himalayan salt lamps safe for cats?

The allure that salt lamps have for cats to lick them, potentially makes them a health hazard for felines and dogs if the lamp is placed where they can get to them.

The potential problem with keeping salt lamps around your animals is that salt can be very addicting for an animal to lick. And they will probably lick the salt till they’re sick or even worst case scenario, to the point of death.

That fact alone is enough to go with the fake version of Himalayan salt lamp in my house.

Why is my salt lamp leaking water?

Another issue that I rarely see people bringing up when it comes to Himalayan salt lamps is the maintenance involved to keep them.

I for one did not realize that you had to keep wiping them off or they would create a puddle underneath them.

It is actually suggested that you place a plastic bag over the salt lamp when it’s not in use so that it will not continue to pull moisture from the air and become sad.

(Yes, the moisture that gathers on the outside of the salt lamp is called crying. And they can get very sad if not attended to. Don’t be so insensitive.)

And the fact that they are so heavy and brittle is not something I anticipated.

Though they are very pretty and obviously add a nice ambience to the room.

I’m still glad I never bought a Himalayan salt lamp as a Christmas gift for someone without knowing how much attention they would need to give it.

On a positive note, if you happen to own a cow, Himalayan salt lamps make an excellent salt lick, chuck full of iron and minerals.
You may be sitting on a delicious glass of milk and didn’t even know it.

Also: Does a Humidifier Help With Dust?