Japanese Sharp Corporation releases a press statement on 27 August 2008 that did not grab any headlines. But one day, it may be on Page One of every newspaper on earth! Incorporated in its air ionizer" href="http://www.ionic-airpurifiers.com">ionic air ionizer, the Plasmacluster Ion Technology (more on this in a later post) has just been scientifically proven to be 99.9% effective in destroying the bird flu virus known as H5N1.

As we have been constantly reminded by the press, bird flu is the prime suspect to cause mankind's next pandemic. Pandemic sounds terrifying. It is. That’s when a highly contagious virus goes global, in a very negative sense. It boggles my mind that the 1918 Spanish Flu may have killed 50 million people on earth! That deadly killer flu was confirmed on 5 October 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be caused by H1N1, a bird flu virus.

If fear is gripping you right now, is it time to PANIC?

Not now. Updated on 10 Sep 2008, WHO statistics shows the death toll at 245 from 1996 when the H5N1 virus was first identified in China. So what’s the fuss? A bird flu virus that attains human-to-human transmission capability is the ultimate horror of the scientific community. Currently, there has been only one probable case of human-to-human transmission recorded in Thailand in September 2004. Don't be surprised by the global pandemonium in the event that the dreaded virus mutation actually occurs.

As the threat grows day by day, countries around the globe are conscientiously preparing for the worse (more on this in a later post). At the individual level, we should start making preparations too.

Ok, so what has the Sharp ionic air ionizer to do with all this. Is it not just another ionic air ionizer? It is ordinary in that it performs the usual functions of the run-of-the-mill air ionizer by getting rid of dust, dirt, smoke, dander, pollen, cuisine and pet odours, pollutants, allergens etc. But if we can get protection from all these and more in one ionic air ionizer, especially one that is a tested defense shield against a potentially deadly virus, why not? That's what Sharp is saying, get the all-in-one air ionizer with their Plasmacluster Ion Air Purifier.

The next obvious question for the value-conscious, would be “yes, that makes a whole lot of sense but at what cost”? At no extra cost, Sharp claims! Sharp contends that it is cheaper than any other competing ionic air ionizer when measured over 5 years. Value for money grabs my attention anytime! But, how is this possible in this nothing-is-for-free world?

It is entirely possible, says Sharp. For example, there is much better value for money in its Plasmacluster Ionic Air Purifier Model FP-N40CX as there is no filter replacement costs for the first 5 years. Upfront costs at US$399 for the Sharp model is higher than the typical competitor's US$160. But the latter requires annual filter replacement costs of US$100, adding to a total cost of US$560 over 5 years.

If you have relevant data, be it on Sharp or the competitors, I would greatly appreciate your input. Please drop me a note if you have actual experience.

My next step will be to learn as much as I can about the Sharp Plasmacluster Ion Technology. Now is the time to research, while bird flu is still not quite at pandemic proportions.

It’ll be way too late when that hits. Fear etches itself deep in my psyche. Imagine thousands of frantic people going from drugstore to drugstore looking for the same face mask. The N95 mask was touted as the only effective weapon as a near-pandemic scare gripped Asia. The year was 2003. SARS was a much dreaded acronym. The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus started spreading in Asia and infected 8,096 people around the world, resulting in 774 fatalities. As always, being prepared is half the battle won.

Watch this space as we track exciting developments in our pursuit of safe, pure and clean air with nothing more than an air ionizer" href="http://www.ionic-airpurifiers.com">ionic air ionizer.

To easily receive updates on new articles, air ionizer" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/theionicairpurifierblog">subscribe to The Ionic Air Purifier Blog today.

For a person who suffers with an allergy, each day can seem like a living hell. The goal, therefore, is to find suitable methods to overcome the symptoms. Your doctor will generally recommend medications which can be effective in helping control the symptoms. However, if the allergy is environmental in nature, including dust in the air and on your furniture, then installing an allergy relief air ionizer makes perfect sense.

An allergy relief air ionizer is an efficient means of removing virtually every allergen present in the air, and this in turn ensures better health as well as allergy-free living.

In a modern home there are dozens of allergy inducing things. Kitty litter dust, tobacco smoke, indoor pesticides and aerosols, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) found in items like paint, varnish, cleaning supplies, disinfectants, glues and adhesives in carpeting and furniture. Ingredients such as benzene, chloride, formaldehyde, and ethylene can all irritate the eyes, nose, throat and airways.

There are facts to consider before buying an air ionizer.

Do not act impulsively and buy the first model you see. Assess the pros and cons of various models and makes. Make sure that you  consider the size of your home or the room in which you want to install this device. It is also necessary to understand the process by which an allergy relief air ionizer works. Other factors worth taking into account include recurring costs as well as total cost and the efficiency of the purifier.

Before buying your allergy relief air ionizer, measure the room you wish to clean. To ensure that the calculations are correct, you should sketch the room out on paper and write the measurements on each part of the sketch. Do not forget the height of the room. By knowing the size of the room, the sales person can determine which capacity of allergy relief air ionizer will suit your needs the best.

There are 3 common methods used.

(1) Carbon Filters - mainly for odours (animal dander as well)

(2) Electrostatic Filters - no replacement filters (just clean it)

(3) HEPA Filters - can remove 99.97% of particles (but filters need replacing)

Thus, the decision is usually between the Electrostatic and the HEPA methods. You should also verify if there are any other maintenance costs.

Before you rush off to the store, there is one more fact you should ask the sales person about. What is the unit's CADR, or Clean Air Delivery Rate? This industry rating has been specially designed by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturer's to help consumers know how well an air ionizer actually works.

With all this info in hand, you are ready to make an informed decision, and start to have more relief from allergy symptoms.