Editor: Mercia Tapping, President, Allergy Buyers Club

PLEASE NOTE that references to prices or specials within this archive reflect prices
and market conditions at the time of newsletter publication.
Prices may have changed since publication.

In This Issue

• Use and Care of Humidifiers - EPA
• Revisiting my opinions on Central Vacuuming
• Mold contamination and a Threat to your Health:Part 1

Shop Talk

• Humidifier Update and Humidifier Comparison Chart
• New Vacuum Cleaner Comparison Chart

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HUMIDIFIER UPDATE

You have been telling us how much you love our comparison charts about vapor steam cleaners and air cleaners. So we have now added one on humidifiers at your request to be found at:

ttp://www.allergybuyersclub.com/compare-humid.html

So here is the bottom line on humidifiers. If you want extra quiet choose Slantfin, if you want ease of maintenance choose Hunter.

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I came across an article from the EPA which I thought would interest you on the care and feeding of humidifiers. Here it is below:

US EPA Air and Radiation (ANR-445-W) Research and Development (MD-56)
Indoor Air Facts No. 8 Use and Care of Home Humidifiers

INTRODUCTION

Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose, throat, lips, and skin. The moisture they add to dry air also helps alleviate common nuisances brought on by winter heating, such as static electricity, peeling wallpaper, and cracks in paint and furniture. However, excess moisture can encourage the growth of biological organisms in the home. These organisms include dust mites, which are microscopic animals that produce materials causing allergic reactions to house-hold dust, and molds. Recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have shown that ultrasonic and impeller (or "cool mist") humidifiers can disperse materials, such as microorganisms and minerals, from their water tanks into indoor air.

At present, only limited information is available on the growth of microorganisms and the dispersal of microorganisms and minerals by home humidifiers. Proper care and cleaning of ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers are important for reducing potential exposures to microorganisms, such as bacteria and molds. Microorganisms of ten grow in humidifiers which are equipped with tanks containing standing water. Breathing mist containing these pollutants has been implicated as causing a certain type of inflammation of the lungs.

The Federal government has not concluded that the dispersal of minerals by home humidifiers poses a serious health risk. Nevertheless, using water with lower mineral content will reduce exposures to these materials (see box on the next page ). The young, the elderly, and those people with lung diseases or respiratory allergies may be particularly susceptible to certain types of air- borne pollutants. However, if you follow the recommendations for the use and care of home humidifiers provided in this fact sheet, the potential for dispersal of microorganisms and minerals from your humidifier should be reduced.

TYPES OF HUMIDIFIERS AND ASSOCIATED POLLUTANTS

Console humidifiers are encased in cabinets which are designed for floor use. Portable humidifiers are smaller and more readily moved. Central humidifiers are built into heating and air- conditioning systems, and humidify the whole house. The two types of humidifiers which generally appear to produce the greatest dispersions of both microorganisms and minerals are: Ultrasonic, which create a cool mist be means of ultrasonic sound vibration. Impeller of "cool mist", which produce a cool mist be means of a high speed rotating disk.

Two additional types of humidifiers can allow for growth of microorganisms if they are equipped with a tank that holds standing water, but generally disperse less, if any of these pollutant into the air. These are: Evaporative, which transmit moisture into the air invisibly by using a moistened absorbent material, such as a belt, wick or filter. Steam vaporizer, which can create steam by heating water with an electrical heating element or electrodes. "Warm mist" humidifiers are a type of steam vaporizer humidifier in which the steam is cooled before exiting the machine. Note: Steam vaporizer and evaporative humidifiers are not expected to disperse substantial amounts of minerals. A steam vaporizer test by EPA did not disperse measurable amounts of minerals; evaporative humidifiers have not been tested by EPA for mineral dispersal.

CAN I USE TAP WATER IN MY ULTRASONIC OF IMPELLER HUMIDIFIER?

The Federal government has not concluded that using tap water in ultrasonic or impeller humidifiers poses a serious health risk. However, researchers have documented that these humidifiers are very efficient at dispersing minerals in tap water into the air. In addition, some consumers are bothered by a "white dust" that may appear on surfaces during use of these devices. Most importantly, minerals in tap water may increase the development of crusty deposits, or scale, in humidifiers. Scale can be a breeding ground for microorganisms. Retarding the growth of scale is the most compelling reason to find alternatives to tap water. For this reason, or if white dust is a problem or you with to minimize your exposure to minerals in the tap water as a matter of prudence, you should either: Use bottled water labelled "distilled." While distilled water still contains some mineral content, it will likely contain lower mineral content than most tap water.

Distillation is the most effective method for removing minerals from water. Two additional demineralization processes, deionization and reverse osmosis, remove most of the mineral from water, but are generally less effective than distillation. Water demineralized by these two processes would on the average, be expected to contain a higher mineral content than distilled waters. "Purified" water may be produced by any of these three or other similar processes. Be aware, however, that not all bottled water is produced by using demineralization processes. Bottled waters labelled "spring", "artisan" or "mineral" have not been treated to remove mineral content.

Consider using demineralization cartridges,cassettes, or filters if supplied or recommended for use with your humidifier. Be aware, however, that the ability of these devices to remove minerals may vary widely. Further research is needed to determine how well, and how long, these devices work. Watch for the appearance of "white dust,"which would indicate that minerals are not being removed. Also, in areas of the country where the mineral content in the tap water is high, using distilled water may be less expensive than cartridges, cassettes, or filters.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE AND CARE

It is important to use a humidifier only when conditions require it, to use the correct moisture setting for existing conditions, and to clean it thoroughly. The possible health effects resulting from the dispersal of microorganisms; and minerals by home humidifiers are not fully understood. Meanwhile, it may be prudent to reduce the potential for personal exposures to these materials by taking the following precautions, particularly when using ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers. *Empty the tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and refill the water in portable humidifiers daily to reduce any growth of microorganisms; follow the manufacturer's instructions for changing water in console humidifiers. Be sure you unplug the unit from the electrical socket first.

Use water with low mineral content to prevent the build-up of scale and the dispersal of minerals into the air. See the box on the left for information on using water with low mineral content. *Clean portable humidifiers every third day. Empty the tank and use a brush or other scrubber to clean it. Remove any scale, deposits, or remnant that has formed on the sides of the tank or on interior surfaces, and wipe all surfaces dry. Again, be sure you unplug the unit. Follow the manufacture's suggestion on the use of cleaning products or disinfectants. In the absence of existing conditions, clean all surfaces coming in contact with water with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. If you use any cleaning or disinfecting agent, rinse the tank thoroughly with several changes of tap water to prevent dispersal of chemicals into the air during use. Follow the manufacturer's directions on cleaning and maintaining console and central (furnace- mounted) humidifiers. In particular, if the humidifier contains a tank, do not allow water to stand in the tank or extended periods of time, and keep the water clean. Keep steam vaporizer humidifiers out of the reach of children. Steam and boiling water may cause burns.

*Do not humidify to indoor relative humidity levels exceeding 50 percent. Higher humidity levels may encourage the growth of biological organisms in the home. Hygrometers, available at local hardware stores, may be used to measure humidity levels. Some humidifiers contain a built-in humidistat which may be adjusted to the proper moisture level. If water condenses on windows, walls, or pictures, either relocate the humidifier, lower its humidistat setting, or reduce its use.

*Do not permit the area around the humidifier to become damp or wet.

If dampness occurs, turn the output volume of the humidifier down. If the humidifier output volume cannot be turned down, use the humidifier intermittently. Do not allow absorbent materials, such as carpeting, drapes, or table cloth, to become damp.

*Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding the use, maintenance, and replacement of any materials supplied with the humidifier. Use appropriate materials as recommended by the product manufacturer.

*Clean the humidifier, as directed, at the end of the of the humidifying season or when the product will not be infrequent use. Before storage, make sure all the parts are dry. Dispose of all used demineralization cartridges, cassettes, or filters. Store the unit in a dry location. After storage, clean the unit again and remove any dust on the outside.

*Stop using your humidifier and contact your physician if you have respiratory symptoms which you believe are associated with periods of use of your home humidifier, even if you are following maintenance directions. Additional Sources of Information For additional EPA publications on indoor air quality, contact: Public Information Center US Environmental Protection Agency Mail Code PM- 211B 401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20460 For additional information on home humidifiers and other consumer products, contact: US Consumer Safety Washington, DC 20207

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NEW VACUUM CLEANER COMPARISON CHART

I have been busy on these comparison charts, especially since so many of you ask the question "how does Miele compare to Eureka?" and "which vacuum is best for me? ". This chart tries to give you a summary. Note the new entry from Miele - the "Solaris". More about that machine in our next newsletter.

http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/compare-vac.html

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I have always been ambivalent about central vacuuming. We had a ten year old Nutone at my house and it languished unused until recently. I disliked the yards of vacuum hose which felt like a giant python around my neck. My old Nutone attachments were also completely ineffective ,so this is why I have been using a Miele canister vacuum. When our flood damage made the central vacuum burnt out, I took the opportunity to replace it with the largest model of Eureka central vacuum .I was very pleasantly surprised. First of all my contractor only took an hour or so to install it, even though he had to run to Home Depot to get an extra piece of piping. He did remark that it would take someone about a day's work to install it from scratch - more time than Eureka themselves predict it will take.

Bottom line, is I am delighted with my new machine. The hose is light weight and while it still feels like an incredibly lengthy affair, I found that the length was useful as I was able to get around the whole house without changing the outlet. Additionally, the powerhead is satisfyingly powerful. It did an excellent job on the remaining carpet in the house and the floor brush and attachments sucked up the dust. This was especially important in our post flood clean up as we seemed to be encountering a very high level of dust coming through our forced air heating system.

I had two little grumbles. One is that I had to be extra careful as to how I inserted the direct connect nozzle into my existing sockets. From time to time the power level wavers. Of course, I could replace them with Eureka made connectors with which I am sure there would be no problem…but I am lazy as well as thrifty and did not want to do this. My second grumble was I had to fiddle to get the bag holder back onto the machine correctly. This was definitely annoying and due to poor design. However, thankfully the bags are changed infrequently - at most twice a year. The plus of a central vacuum is they are perfect for allergy sufferers. There is no possibility of allergens escaping into the air out of the vacuum cleaner and any vacuum cleaner noise is usually confined to the basement. What's more the bags last forever- they are HUGE. Of course, the dust could be directly expelled into the outside air but in my case our condominium does not allow this. All in all, I like it and I am thrilled that my old one burnt out!

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/eurekabuiltins.html

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Following our flood I have become mold obsessed, and while we have not conducted formal tests in our offices my health tells me we have mold under control. However, I have heard horror stories from many of you about the mold in your homes and how sick you are as a result. I found the following two articles very informative.

Is Indoor Mold Contamination a Threat to Health? Part 1 of a 2 Part Series

The following article is part one of a two-part series article that was written by Harriet M. Ammann, Ph.D., D.A.B.T. She is a senior toxicologist for Washington State Department of Health, Office of Environmental Health Assessments.

The Fungus Among Us

Molds, a subset of the fungi, are ubiquitous on our planet. Fungi are found in every ecological niche, and are necessary for the recycling of organic building blocks that allow plants and animals to live. Included in the group "fungi" are yeasts, molds and mildews, as well as large mushrooms, puffballs and bracket fungi that grow on dead trees. Fungi need external organic food sources and water to be able to grow.

Molds

Molds can grow on cloth, carpets, leather, wood, sheet rock, insulation (and on human foods) when moist conditions exist (Gravesen et al., 1999). Because molds grow in moist or wet indoor environments, it is possible for people to become exposed to molds and their products, either by direct contact on surfaces, or through the air, if mold spores, fragments, or mold products are aerosolized.

Many molds reproduce by making spores, which, if they land on a moist food source, can germinate and begin producing a branching network of cells called hyphae. Molds have varying requirements for moisture, food, temperature and other environmental conditions for growth. Indoor spaces that are wet, and have organic materials that mold can use as a food source, can and do support mold growth. Mold spores or fragments that become airborne can expose people indoors through inhalation or skin contact.

Molds can have an impact on human health, depending on the nature of the species involved, the metabolic products being produced by these species, the amount and duration of individual's exposure to mold parts or products, and the specific susceptibility of those exposed.

Health effects generally fall into four categories. These four categories are allergy, infection, irritation (mucous membrane and sensory), and toxicity.

Allergy

The most common response to mold exposure may be allergy. People who are atopic, that is, who are genetically capable of producing an allergic response, may develop symptoms of allergy when their respiratory system or skin is exposed to mold or mold products to which they have become sensitized. Sensitization can occur in atopic individuals with sufficient exposure.

Allergic reactions can range from mild, transitory responses, to severe, chronic illnesses. The Institute of Medicine (1993) estimates that one in five Americans suffers from allergic rhinitis, the single most common chronic disease experienced by humans. Additionally, about 14% of the population suffers from allergy-related sinusitis, while 10 to 12% of Americans have allergically-related asthma. About 9% experience allergic dermatitis. A very much smaller number, less than one percent, suffer serious chronic allergic diseases such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (Institute of Medicine, 1993). Allergic fungal sinusitis is a not uncommon illness among atopic individuals residing or working in moldy environments.

There is some question whether this illness is solely allergic or has an infectious component. Molds are just one of several sources of indoor allergens, including house dust mites, cockroaches, effluvia from domestic pets (birds, rodents, dogs, cats) and microorganisms (including molds).

While there are thousands of different molds that can contaminate indoor air, purified allergens have been recovered from only a few of them. This means that atopic individuals may be exposed to molds found indoors and develop sensitization, yet not be identified as having mold allergy. Allergy tests performed by physicians involve challenge of an individual's immune system by specific mold allergens. Since the reaction is highly specific, it is possible that even closely related mold species may cause allergy, yet that allergy may not be detected through challenge with the few purified mold allergens available for allergy tests. Thus a positive mold allergy test indicates sensitization to an antigen contained in the test allergen (and perhaps to other fungal allergens) while a negative test does not rule out mold allergy for atopic individuals.

Infection

Infection from molds that grow in indoor environments is not a common occurrence, except in certain susceptible populations, such as those with immune compromise from disease or drug treatment. A number of Aspergillus species that can grow indoors are known to be pathogens. Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is a weak pathogen that is thought to cause infections (called aspergilloses) only in susceptible individuals. It is known to be a source of nosocomial infections, especially among immune-compromised patients. Such infections can affect the skin, the eyes, the lung, or other organs and systems. A. fumigatus is also fairly commonly implicated in ABPA and allergic fungal sinusitis. Aspergillus flavus has also been found as a source of nosocomial infections (Gravesen et al., 1994).

There are other fungi that cause systemic infections, such as Coccidioides, Histoplasma, and Blastomyces. These fungi grow in soil or may be carried by bats and birds, but do not generally grow in indoor environments. Their occurrence is linked to exposure to wind- borne or animal borne contamination.

Mucous Membrane and Trigeminal Nerve Irritation

A third group of possible health effects from fungal exposure derives from the volatile compounds (VOC) produced through fungal primary or secondary metabolism, and released into indoor air. Some of these volatile compounds are produced continually as the fungus consumes its energy source during primary metabolic processes. (Primary metabolic processes are those necessary to sustain an individual organism's life, including energy extraction from foods, and the syntheses of structural and functional molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids). Depending on available oxygen, fungi may engage in aerobic or anaerobic metabolism. They may produce alcohols or aldehydes and acidic molecules. Such compounds in low but sufficient aggregate concentration can irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory system.

Just as occurs with human food consumption, the nature of the food source on which a fungus grows may result in particularly pungent or unpleasant primary metabolic products. Certain fungi can release highly toxic gases from the substrate on which they grow. For instance, one fungus growing on wallpaper released the highly toxic gas arsine from arsenic containing pigments (Gravesen, et al., 1994).

Fungi can also produce secondary metabolites as needed. These are not produced at all times since they require extra energy from the organism. Such secondary metabolites are the compounds that are frequently identified with typically "moldy" or "musty" smells associated with the presence of growing mold. However, compounds such as pinene and limonene that are used as solvents and cleaning agents can also have a fungal source. Depending on concentration, these compounds are considered to have a pleasant or "clean" odor by some people. Fungal volatile secondary metabolites also impart flavors and odors to food. Some of these, as in certain cheeses, are deemed desirable, while others may be associated with food spoilage. There is little information about the advantage that the production of volatile secondary metabolites imparts to the fungal organism. The production of some compounds is closely related to sporulation of the organism. "Off" tastes may be of selective advantage ! to the survival of the fungus, if not to the consumer.

In addition to mucous membrane irritation, fungal volatile compounds may impact the "common chemical sense" which senses pungency and responds to it. This sense is primarily associated with the trigeminal nerve (and to a lesser extent the vagus nerve). This mixed (sensory and motor) nerve responds to pungency, not odor, by initiating avoidance reactions, including breath holding, discomfort, or paresthesias, or odd sensations, such as itching, burning, and skin crawling. Changes in sensation, swelling of mucous membranes, constriction of respiratory smooth muscle, or dilation of surface blood vessels may be part of fight or flight reactions in response to trigeminal nerve stimulation. Decreased attention, disorientation, diminished reflex time, dizziness and other effects can also result from such exposures (Otto et al., 1989)

It is difficult to determine whether the level of volatile compounds produced by fungi influence the total concentration of common VOCs found indoors to any great extent. A mold-contaminated building may have a significant contribution derived from its fungal contaminants that is added to those VOCs emitted by building materials, paints, plastics and cleaners. Miller and co-workers (1988) measured a total VOC concentration approaching the levels at which Otto et al., (1989) found trigeminal nerve effects.

At higher exposure levels, VOCs from any source are mucous membrane irritants, and can have an effect on the central nervous system, producing such symptoms as headache, attention deficit, inability to concentrate or dizziness.

Adverse Reactions to Odor

Odors produced by molds may also adversely affect some individuals. Ability to perceive odors and respond to them is highly variable among people. Some individuals can detect extremely low concentrations of volatile compounds, while others require high levels for perception. An analogy to music may give perspective to odor response. What is beautiful music to one individual is unbearable noise to another. Some people derive enjoyment from odors of all kinds. Others may respond with headache, nasal stuffiness, nausea or even vomiting to certain odors including various perfumes, cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust or moldy odors. It is not know whether such responses are learned, or are time-dependent sensitization of portions of the brain, perhaps mediated through the olfactory sense (Bell, et al., 1993a; Bell et al., 1993b), or whether they serve a protective function. Asthmatics may respond to odors with symptoms.

Author

Harriet M. Ammann is a senior toxicologist for Washington State Department of Health, Office of Environmental Health Assessments. She provides support to a variety of environmental health programs including ambient and indoor air programs. She has participated in evaluations of schools and public buildings with air quality problems, and has presented on toxic effects from air contaminants, indoors and out, effect on sensitive populations, and other health issues throughout the state. Through her work, she has developed an interest in the toxicology of mold as an indoor air contaminant, and has published and presented on mold toxicity relating to human health.

References for this article are located at:

http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/oehas/mold.html

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