Re: ALA's IAQ Smarts For You And Your Home

[Guest guest]

KC,

There are some big errors in this article. Tell it to the ALA!

Most importantly, dust mites are NOT everywhere. This is an incredibly

destructive misconception because most people's reaction is to not do

anything because the situation is hopeless.

Nothing could be further from the truth. For allergic folks, dust mite

strategies are a must.

I have taken thousands of samples in homes and offices; mites are only

present in problem locations and these are relatively easy to remediate.

Central vacuum systems can be beneficial but they are really over-rated and

not worth the expense in an existing home. A good HEPA vacuum is a much

wiser expenditure. Most central systems leak dust into the basement. Many

are not even vented to the outside, and fill the basement or garage with

allergenic dust during operation.

Any air filter for a central AC or furnace that has to be washed is a waste

of money. The only type of filter that is truly effective is a disposable

media filter with a MERV rating of at least 6. Many of the washable filters

I have tested were either filthy or full of mold (or both). They can NEVER

be cleaned adequately.

Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) can certainly bring in some fresh air but of

the dozens I have taken apart, only two or three were not filled with mold.

None have adequate filtration and many have exposed fibrous insulation at

the interior. Some allow water to puddle at the bottom, creating mold-filled

moats. No one tells you that the core must be cleaned several times a year.

So buyer beware. (In one home, where the HRV had operated continuously for

nine years without ever having been cleaned, I shut the system down on a

Friday, and by Monday, everyone's allergy symptoms diminished drastically.)

C. May

May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

1522 Cambridge Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

617-354-1055

www.mayindoorair.com

www.myhouseiskillingme.com

>

> Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2006 23:00:15 -0000

> From: " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

> Subject: Indoor Air Quality Smarts For You And Your Home

>

> Indoor Air Quality Smarts For You And Your Home

> by Broderick Perkins

> http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20051005_indoorair.htm

>

> By now you know smoking ruins the air in your home and can render it

> fatal to some. And even though you probably don't always follow the

> advice you know you are supposed to wash all your bedding and

> blankets at least once a week in hot water to kill dust mites.

>

> But do you know many of those popular air " fresheners " are actually

> air polluters, that you should let dry-cleaned items air out for a

> few days before bringing them inside your home and that some

> air " cleaners " actually emit ozone, a potent lung irritant?

>

> Bad indoor air quality at home can ruin your day, not to mention

> your quality of life -- especially if you have asthma or allergies --

> but you can easily clean it up with a few lifestyle changes.

>

> There is help.

>

> A new Internet-powered assessment can give your home's air quality

> the once over and let you take a test to determine if you are taking

> the necessary steps to improve the air you breathe most.

>

> The American Lung Association's new online Indoor Air Quality

> Assessment and its partner Test Your IAQ Knowledge exam are two of

> the latest examples of how the Internet's information technology can

> ferret out specific information tailored to meet household needs.

>

> Indoor Air Quality Assessment

>

> >

>

> You may need to change the way you clean. Dust mites are everywhere

> and they trigger allergic reactions from sneezing to asthma attacks.

A central vacuum cleaner vented to the outdoors is best, but a

> vacuum cleaner with a microfilter bag or High Efficiency Particulate

> Air (HEPA) filter helps remove allergens too.

When possible, swap

> out washable reusable heating and air conditioning filters for

> washable electrostatic filters that are more effective at capturing

> small particles that can get trapped in your lungs. Wash the filter

> at least monthly, more frequently for high pollution conditions,

> say, during building construction or renovation.

>

> Wool or feather stuffed bedding attracts more dust mites than

> synthetics. Damp mopping or using a damp cloth to clean hard

> surfaces at least once a week is a better approach than " dusting "

> which just stirs up the mites and other particles.

>

> Adding a whole-house air filtration and ventilation system (like the

> so-called Energy Recovery Ventilator) is like giving your home a set

> of lungs. The system provides your home -- the hearth -- with a

> continuous supply of fresh, filtered air.

> Published: October 5, 2005

>

[Guest guest]

This is a very informative discussion for me, and synchs with some of my

experiences.

Those central vac systems are VERY bad for me. They just stir up so much junk,

and

spread basement dust and mold everywhere, even when vented to the outside.

And while dust mites only live in beds, pillows, clothing, and the like, when

their dust

dries out, it goes everywhere the air does, and the dust does get into my

bookshelves, by

my reaction. Also my experience with furnace filters is in line with yours. The

Honeywell

electrostatic filter was not doing much, and the furnace fan had to be

disassembled and

cleaned, after which we replaced the filter with a Merv 12 or so.

Still the ALA article is a start for people new to this, esp if you don't take

their word for it.

>

> KC,

>

> There are some big errors in this article. Tell it to the ALA!

>

> Most importantly, dust mites are NOT everywhere. This is an incredibly

> destructive misconception because most people's reaction is to not do

> anything because the situation is hopeless.

>

> Nothing could be further from the truth. For allergic folks, dust mite

> strategies are a must.

>

> I have taken thousands of samples in homes and offices; mites are only

> present in problem locations and these are relatively easy to remediate.

>

> Central vacuum systems can be beneficial but they are really over-rated and

> not worth the expense in an existing home. A good HEPA vacuum is a much

> wiser expenditure. Most central systems leak dust into the basement. Many

> are not even vented to the outside, and fill the basement or garage with

> allergenic dust during operation.

>

> Any air filter for a central AC or furnace that has to be washed is a waste

> of money. The only type of filter that is truly effective is a disposable

> media filter with a MERV rating of at least 6. Many of the washable filters

> I have tested were either filthy or full of mold (or both). They can NEVER

> be cleaned adequately.

>

> Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) can certainly bring in some fresh air but of

> the dozens I have taken apart, only two or three were not filled with mold.

> None have adequate filtration and many have exposed fibrous insulation at

> the interior. Some allow water to puddle at the bottom, creating mold-filled

> moats. No one tells you that the core must be cleaned several times a year.

> So buyer beware. (In one home, where the HRV had operated continuously for

> nine years without ever having been cleaned, I shut the system down on a

> Friday, and by Monday, everyone's allergy symptoms diminished drastically.)

>

> C. May

> May Indoor Air Investigations LLC

> 1522 Cambridge Street

> Cambridge, MA 02139

> 617-354-1055

> www.mayindoorair.com

> www.myhouseiskillingme.com

>

>

>

> >

> > Date: Sun, 05 Feb 2006 23:00:15 -0000

> > From: " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

> > Subject: Indoor Air Quality Smarts For You And Your Home

> >

> > Indoor Air Quality Smarts For You And Your Home

> > by Broderick Perkins

> > http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20051005_indoorair.htm

> >

> > By now you know smoking ruins the air in your home and can render it

> > fatal to some. And even though you probably don't always follow the

> > advice you know you are supposed to wash all your bedding and

> > blankets at least once a week in hot water to kill dust mites.

> >

> > But do you know many of those popular air " fresheners " are actually

> > air polluters, that you should let dry-cleaned items air out for a

> > few days before bringing them inside your home and that some

> > air " cleaners " actually emit ozone, a potent lung irritant?

> >

> > Bad indoor air quality at home can ruin your day, not to mention

> > your quality of life -- especially if you have asthma or allergies --

> > but you can easily clean it up with a few lifestyle changes.

> >

> > There is help.

> >

> > A new Internet-powered assessment can give your home's air quality

> > the once over and let you take a test to determine if you are taking

> > the necessary steps to improve the air you breathe most.

> >

> > The American Lung Association's new online Indoor Air Quality

> > Assessment and its partner Test Your IAQ Knowledge exam are two of

> > the latest examples of how the Internet's information technology can

> > ferret out specific information tailored to meet household needs.

> >

> > Indoor Air Quality Assessment

> >

> > >

> >

> > You may need to change the way you clean. Dust mites are everywhere

> > and they trigger allergic reactions from sneezing to asthma attacks.

>

>

> A central vacuum cleaner vented to the outdoors is best, but a

> > vacuum cleaner with a microfilter bag or High Efficiency Particulate

> > Air (HEPA) filter helps remove allergens too.

>

> When possible, swap

> > out washable reusable heating and air conditioning filters for

> > washable electrostatic filters that are more effective at capturing

> > small particles that can get trapped in your lungs. Wash the filter

> > at least monthly, more frequently for high pollution conditions,

> > say, during building construction or renovation.

> >

>

>

> > Wool or feather stuffed bedding attracts more dust mites than

> > synthetics. Damp mopping or using a damp cloth to clean hard

> > surfaces at least once a week is a better approach than " dusting "

> > which just stirs up the mites and other particles.

> >

>

>

> > Adding a whole-house air filtration and ventilation system (like the

> > so-called Energy Recovery Ventilator) is like giving your home a set

> > of lungs. The system provides your home -- the hearth -- with a

> > continuous supply of fresh, filtered air.

> > Published: October 5, 2005

> >

>