Spring has arrived!! It's time for spring cleaning. How to best vacuum your home, using the attachments properly.

So it has been a long cold winter here in Montreal, and I am confident to say that spring has finally sprung. I have been holding off posting this series of articles to the blog as every time I have thought about posting it's either below zero or I can see snow flakes from my office desk. But now that winter finally looks over, I will share my spring cleaning tips on how to best use your vacuum cleaner. Here in Montreal we have quite the winter, and lots of salt is poured onto our streets causing some very dirty carpets and homes. I can not tell you how many times I see a 15 to 20 year old vacuum and the attachments are brand new because they are not being used! Often times it's because people have not been properly explained how to use each piece. So here is a rundown on how to use each piece for your vacuum cleaner.

Before I begin, I would suggest you take a look at Martha Stewart's printable checklist for a comprehensive list of spring cleaning tips.

Power Nozzle:  The carpets especially at your entrance are one of the first things you want to give a deep cleaning. May I suggest passing the power nozzle more thoroughly on the carpets (usually brushing backwards is best for deep cleaning). Make sure the brush roll in your vacuum is made of wood and not plastic or metal as these materials tend to create static when agitating carpet materials. Crevice Tool: Another tip I can offer is to make sure you use the crevice tool. This is the piece that is long and narrow. Use this attachment to clean all the crevices in your home. With all the rocks and sand that come into our homes dust buildup in the corners in inevitable and undesirable. Round-brush: One of the most important pieces on the vacuum cleaner to use. This round-brush can do 2 jobs. On the side with the bristles you can do all your dusting, and you no longer need to use aerosols like Pledge in your home (very important for people with breathing difficulties). Flip it over and now you can vacuum your drapes and other linen materials, as well as sofas and chairs. Floor-brush: With more and more homes choosing hard floor surfaces over carpets these days, this is a very important piece. This will clean all hard floor surfaces (do not use this piece on carpets!!). Make sure you choose a brush that has teeth in the front, the spacing allows dust to be suctioned off into the bag. Also look for a brush that has a bumper so you do not scratch furniture, walls or other items in your home. A good piece of advice is to invest in a high quality floor-brush as this is the piece most often used. Sidekick (Optional): This is not a attachment that comes with most vacuum cleaners. This little mini motorized power nozzle is best used to clean furniture. Use this piece to rid your home of the second leading cause of allergies (Dust mite Feces). Also will remove dead skin and bed bugs. This is the perfect piece to use for your spring cleaning as mattresses should be vacuumed ever 3-6 months.

If you thoroughly vacuum your home using all of these pieces properly I am certain your home will be on the right path to being as clean and healthy as possible. For people with allergies and asthma I would certainly suggest purchasing a vacuum with True Hepa filtration. Perhaps, I can recommend the Guardian Platinum from Aerus, or even a Central vacuum as dust is siphoned off to a canister often located in a garage or furnace room.

I'll be back later this week on cleaning tips to clean the air inside of your home. Happy Spring Cleaning. 

Truth About Bottled Water

Product Review Guardian Angel:

Do you wake up each morning with a stuffy nose? Or perhaps you've noticed that your office seems to collect dust along with paperwork? Indoor environments are often more polluted than outdoor ones, and the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that the air indoors can be five times more polluted than the air outdoors. With so many people suffering from allergies and asthma today, the Guardian Angel is a simple solution to living better in your home.

This is the patented 5 stage filtration process

• 1: Washable Prefilter - Prolongs the life of the HEPA filter by removing large particulates. 

  2: Sealed HEPA Filter HEPA - Is 99.97% efficient at removing particles as small as 0.3 microns in size from the air.

  3: Carbon Layer - Removes household chemicals that may off-gas from household cleaners, paints, solvents, carpets, furniture and other materials containing chemical substances.

  4: UV LED Light plus TiO2 Coating - A photocatalytic oxidation reaction occurs when the UV light strikes the titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating on the inside of the filter cartridge to remove harmful contaminants in the environment.

  5: Negative Ionization - Negative ionization occurs which charges particles so they will cluster together, making them easier to remove from the air.

Who is this product for?

If you have a small living space, or want to concentrate on a small area such as a office or bedroom the Guardian Angel is an ideal solution. If you suffer from asthma or allergies get some relief today and introduce the Guardian Angel into your home.

If you are interested, remeber the healthy home experts at www.montrealaerus.com are able to offer you a free air quality test to offer you custom built air filtration solutions for your home.

We would love to hear what you think of the Guardian Angel, please leave a comment.

Product Overview: Condolux by Aerus Electrolux.

As condos are becoming a more prevalent living space of the 21^st century city, I am continuously asked by a new generation of customers if they should invest in a CentralVac (for home) or reap the savings and invest in a Condolux (Central vacuum for a condo). Often times these customers have had a central vacuum in their parents’ home, or in the case of the traditional downsize, in their own home. I always like to weigh the pros and cons of the 2 vacuum cleaners.  

First off there is always a loyalty when it comes to a well made system such as the CentralLux System 1590 by Aerus Electrolux. When a customer has had the central vacuum in their home for over 20 + years without any problem it can be difficult to convince them to go with a system that looks much smaller in comparison. Sure the Condolux is made of plastic, but as I tell all my customers it is rarely the unit of a central vacuum that breaks but rather the equipment. With a 494 air watt motor built for up to 3,000 square feet the Condolux surpasses the competition in terms of power, and is extremely quiet with a built in muffler. Not only that but is smaller stature makes it easier to store in a condo where space is at a premium.

As for the attachments, this will have nothing to do with the actual power unit. Customers with lots of carpets can choose to go with an electric power kit. If you have no carpets or very few, I can recommend you a standard hose with an air driven carpet nozzle. Whichever way you choose to go in terms of attachments and accessories this will have nothing to do with the actual power unit.

Can the Condolux Perform in a Townhouse?

The simple answer is yes. In the case of a townhouse where you may have multiple levels and 2-3 outlets the Condolux is a fantastic vacuum cleaner. With the ability to clean up to 2500-3000 square feet the Condolux will use its 494 air watt motor to whisk all the dust into the bin. Don’t forget about installing a Vacpan or Wally attachment kit for quick clean ups.

Anyway you look at it the Condolux is a great choice for a smaller to medium sized living space. If you are interested in a free estimation for a custom vacuum cleaner solution in your home or condo let us know and we will be happy to assist.  

New study suggests strong link between air pollution and asthma.

According to data released by the Epidemiology And Allergic and Respiratory Diseases (EPAR) Department from Sorbonne University and the Institut National de le Santé et de la Recherche-Médicale (INSERM), indicate that air pollution may cause new cases of asthma.

This does not surprise me, but what does surprise me are the numbers. Where 1 in 7 children living close to heavily congested streets could develop asthma or 1 in 4 children who live in an area with heavy pollution can develop asthma. As someone who has had breathing difficulties (light asthma and heavy allergies) these numbers seem quite high. I guess I can be thankful for growing up in Suburbia and not exposing myself to “heavy pollution”. I do feel however, that as we are becoming more and more aware of the health effects of air pollution emissions by industrial sectors in the West it has significantly decreased in heavily populated areas. I also wonder, how in the world am I supposed to not breathe in the “dirty” air that’s outside? I suppose, all I can do is wait for better regulations from the government on emissions from cars and industries?

But what about in my home or office?

What’s really concerning is that we are spending 90% of our time indoors where the pollution is often times worse than outdoors. Issues such as unvented gas or kerosene heaters, tobacco use, solvents, painting adhesives and other similar materials can all cause people to suffer greatly (runny nose, watery eyes, dry throat to name a few conditions).  So what can we do if the air inside our homes is polluted? For this problem there certainly is a solution, may I start by suggesting a free air quality test.

Once an air quality test is completed and you are made aware of the air inside your home and whether or not you have a problem there are many solutions. Perhaps you can vacuum more often, invest in some air purification equipment, or even open your windows or doors more often for longer periods of time.  Whatever you decide, at least you can say you are taking action to fight indoor air pollution and keep allergens and irritants in your home at a minimum.

5 Reasons to invest a central vacuum.

So you’re moving into a new home or condo and have all of the tubing set up for a central vacuum system and are wondering if it’s worth the investment? Here are my top 5 reasons you should make the investment and get rid of the cumbersome upright vacuum or old canister you currently are using.

5 – Allergy Friendly: A central vacuum will greatly help reduce the allergens in the home. Dirt and debris are carried out of the home to the main unit, often located in a garage or closet leaving the particulates unable to reenter your home's air. Compared to an older upright or canister vacuum without a HEPA filter a central vacuum will greatly improve the living conditions of anyone living with allergies and asthma.

4 – Increase the Value of your home: By installing a central vacuum you will be increasing the value of your home as many new home-owners love the convenience associated with already having a central vacuum installed. You can often add a central vacuum to your home for the equivalent price of a leading canister or upright vacuum.

3 – Quiet Operation: By installing a central vacuum in your home the noise level of your cleaning equipment is reduced drastically. Placing the power unit in a garage which consists of concrete will ensure silent operation while you are doing your household cleaning.

2 – Optional Accessories like a Vacpan or Wally:  These two tools make cleaning a breeze. With the Vacpan you can simply sweep the dirt, crumbs or hair in the kitchen or bathroom right into a Vacpan outlet. With the Wally you can pull the hose out of the wall and give the area a quick cleaning.

1 – Ease of use:  Without a doubt a central vacuum is the easiest way to clean your home. All you need to do is grab the hose plug it into the outlet and you’re ready to clean.

If you’re doing renovations, building a new home or want to add a central vacuum to a finished home call the experts at montrealaerus.com. With over 30 years experience in the central vacuum business the seasoned veterans at montrealaerus will be able to undertake any of your central vacuum needs. 

Bottled Water Safety Concerns.

Check out this article posted on the front page of today's Toronto Star 

Here is my recap on the article.

- Wednesday October 2nd: Ontarios Health Minister sends out warning not to drink bottled water from Blue Grass Water Company

- Water is heavily contaminated with bacteria and could cause illness.

- Company is linked to a man who has already had legal troubles in Ontario for unfit business deals.

- The log cabin in which the water is bottled lacks sufficient equipment, such as lack of stainless steel walls and no toilet in the building.

Essentially the article illustrates how little infrastructure there is to deal with bottled water companies, and how the consumer for the most part will be better protected by drinking tap water.