Philips

Keeping Healthy with Clean Air this season

Monkey boy doing his homework

Monkey boy doing his homework for the day

Being a student is hard these days. There are so many things that are taught for each subject that has to be learned. Every day the boys come back with homework that has to be completed and handed up the next day. The workload can be quite overwhelming especially if the exams are around the corner.

The pressure is on the kids to understand what is being taught before the teacher moves on to the next topic.  It can be daunting for  both my eight year old and  eleven year old at times when they are preparing for upcoming tests.

Side view of Monkey boy doing his homework

Side view of Monkey boy doing his homework

Being a concerned parent, I  try to ensure that the kids remain  well hydrated in the best of health.  I give  them the best nutrients with the freshest foods available  while keeping our  home as sterile as possible.

I don’t want them to fall sick and  miss many days of school. This would make it difficult for them to catch up with their peers at the breakneck speed that the teachers go at in school.

Combating the Haze

 

Traditional Methods of combating haze

Traditional Methods of combating haze

I have tried a couple different ways  to keep the kids healthy when the haze struck  Singapore 2 years back. If you remember back then the PSI level went as high as 400.   Everyone was scrambling for N95 masks and air purifiers  and they were out of stock.

We did not have the Philips Air Purifier at home  back then and I tried combating the haze with traditional methods that were shared with me.   I boiled green bean soup and Chrysanthemum tea for the kids to drink as these foods are  suppose to keep the “heatiness” away  and clear their respiratory system.

It was really tiring for me to constantly boil soups and drinks for the kids.  I had  to keep a constant eye on the fire and stock up on the ingredients needed to make the soups/drinks.  The kids didn’t really like the soups and drinks and it was really exhausting coaxing them to drink what I brewed as they didn’t fancy the taste.

I tried using essential oils in a diffuser but the area that the diffuser  was  placed was quite limited and it couldn’t cover the whole living area.  The air smelt good but then there was no indication that the air was much cleaner because of the dispersion of essential oils. The effect was also temporarily as it is not advisable to keep the diffuser on for extended periods of time.

We also kept the air conditioner switched on  all the time in the house as we had to keep the windows closed. As a result the electricity bill sky rocketed to nearly $500 a month!!

Even with all these measures in place I worry that my kids could be breathing in dangerous particles and harm their health  If only we had an air purifier I could be certain that the air we were breathing in was safe and clean.

Our trusty Philip Air Purifier

Our trusty Philips Air Purifier

Fast forward to 2015  the  haze situation in Singapore hasn’t really improved that much. The air quality in Singapore hasn’t been that good lately.   The PSI has been  between 50-100 + and  it is hovering between  Moderate and Unhealthy  range.

The unpredictable  hot weather in Singapore   has caused many people to be down with cough and cold and has taking a toll on many Singaporeans.

This time around we are equipped with  the Philips AC 4014 Air purifier  to combat the Haze at home and I have peace of mind.

We have been using this machine  for  more then a year in the home and I’ve noticed a great improvement in the health of the kids.

The kids do not fall sick that often . In fact I do not recall having to bring them to see the doctor at all  last year and this year due to minor ailments. They are able to recover by themselves after taking more fluids and getting more rest.  They even got 100% for attendance in school!!

The improved air quality at home has certainly benefited the kids.

Monkey boy suffers from sinus at time and since we started using the Air purifier I have seen a drastic decrease in nose sensitivity in the morning. He seldom wakes up  in a sneezing fit and has a runny nose these few days. This is certainly a plus for him as he is able to start of his day feeling fresh.

The Philips AC 4014 Air purifier  3 Step natural advance filtration system and high-grade HEPA filters have helped to remove up to 99.97% of airbone particles (as tiny as PM0:3-sized)  with zero ozone emission.

The Antibacterial pre-filter catches big particles like regular house dust while the Activated carbon filter removes odors and harmful gases.

I am assured that the air purifier is  working optimally to give me clean air with the  unique Air Quality Light indicator and Healthy Air Protect & Lock feature that would  prompt me when it is time to change the filter.

 

The three kids

The three kids

The Philips AC 4014 Air purifier is left switched on in the living room 24/7 and I haven’t seen an increase in our monthly electrical bill since I’ve started using it as it uses only minimal amount of electricity is needed for it to function.

It certainly is economical and definitely a must have gadget in our household. It would certainly have caused me less anxiety back then if I had it when the PSI levels were 400.

The Philips Air Combo (2 in 1) Photo Source: Philips

The Philips Air Combo (2 in 1) Photo Source: Philips

 

If you are looking for a dual purpose humidifier and purifier do check out the Philips Air Combo (2 in 1)  which can help to keep the humidity levels in your house an optimal level of  40-60% while at the same time ensuring that the air that you breathe in is clean.

If you would like to know more about the  air purifiers do visit the Philips Website for more information.

You can also check out the Philips Home Living Facebook page for the latest promotions.

Disclaimer: This is an Advertorial by Philips.  The opinions expressed herein are those of Dominique’s and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips .  

Breathing Easy with Philips Air Purifier (AC4014)

Tiger girl listening to Monkey boy on the piano

Tiger girl listening to Monkey boy on the piano

Keeping my children healthy is one of the challenges that I face. Giving the kids  a safe and healthy environment to grow up is something which I strive to create to ensure that they remain at their optimal health.

Living in metropolitan Singapore we are prone to the pollution caused by iindustrialization and the forest fires from neighbouring Indonesia.

The kids have sensitive airways and develop coughs and colds easily.  Monkey boy often wakes up with a cold and starts sneezing when his nose registers a change in temperature.

Doggie boy gets a phelgmy cough and irritated throat easily while  Tiger girl is prone to sneezing and  runny nose if her airways are irritated.

It is  extremely important to me  that I maintain good quality air at home  for the well-being of  my family members.

With the start of the new school year the kids are being exposed to  many different germs and viruses while they are in school.

Although I cannot do anything to curb their exposure to nasty bugs in school there is something which I can do on my part at home.

I can help strengthen their immunity to attacks from viruses and infections by keeping the air at home clean.

I do not wish for the kids to fall seriously ill or develop serious respiratory problems due to  the hazardous air quality. Having a young  child admitted to hospital for acute bronchitis was an absolute nightmare for me in 2007.

Doggie boy in the infant carrier

Doggie boy in the infant carrier

It was really heartbreaking for me when  Doggie boy was admitted to hospital as a  4 month old baby. It felt like a stake was driven through my heart  seeing him  having to be constantly  put under an oxygen box to breathe  during his one week stay at KKH.   Never again do I want undergo such a traumatic experience with my other kids  if it can be preventable.

Even though the numbers are not as frightening as when the  PSI level reached 400-500  during the haze last year,  I am not taking any chances when it comes to protecting my family members against this invisible ” enemy” when I know that is is possible to reduce the chance of them falling ill with a good air purifier at home.

 

Tiger girl showing the inside of the Philips Air Purifier

Tiger girl showing the inside of the Philips Air Purifier and helping to fix it up in the process.

Being an ardent user of Philips products I was really glad when I received the Philips AC 4014  Air Purifier for review.

Weighing  just 6.1kg,  the Philips AC 4014 is the perfect addition to our house. It has a 3-step  natural advanced filtration system, using high-grade HEPA filters that remove up to 99.97%  of dust particles, thereby improving the quality of indoor air.

The filters for the Air purifier

The filters for the Air purifier

Step 1–  Washable Antibacterial pre-filter that  catches big particles like regular house dust and pet hair.

Step 2– Activated carbon filter that removes odors and harmful gases  like benzene, formaldehyde including cigarette smoke and VOC emitted from household cleaning supplies, and paint fumes.

Step 3– Antibacterial HEPA Filter  which can  remove 90% of ultrafine particles (PM2.5) in the air including airbone viruses carried in droplets, moulds and pollen. Effectively removes 99.9% of bacteria.

The front cover is easily detachable  and it is quite easy to fix up.  After removing the plastic casing from the covers, all you need to do is put it back into the purifier following the number sequence labelled on the filters.

The Philips Air Purifier 4012/14

The Philips Air Purifier 4014 showing a RED indicator noting the bad air quality when the windows were all open.

The Philips Air Purifier has the following  features.

  • You can set the Air Purifier to run for a stretch of  1, 4 or 8 hours
  •  There is a Filter replacement alert which indicates when the filters need to be replaced.
  • Smart air quality sensor measures and controls the indoor air quality
  • 3-step light indicators clearly show air quality level(Blue-Good, Purple – Fair & Red – Bad)
  • 3-step fan speed lets you adjust air flow to your liking
  • Sleep mode cleans silently with dimmed indicators
  • Advanced filtration system

What I would like to see in the air purifier

–  Even though there is a Healthy Air Protect Alert which comes on when filters need to be replace it would be useful that there is a seperate indicators for the AC filter and the HEPA.
This would be easier to monitor the lifespan of the respective filters within the air purifier.

If these features could be addressed it would certainly be perfect!!

The kids in the hall

The kids in the hall

Made for usage in the living room the Philips Air Purifier 4014 gives me a peace of mind  with the current haze situation. The kids are ensured that the air quality at home is good and they are breathing in clean air.

Where to buy it?

Philips Air Purifier 4014  (RP: $519) can be bought from the Philips online website or at all major electronic  and departmental stores.

Disclaimer: This is an Advertorial by Philips.  The opinions expressed herein are those of Dominique’s and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips .