| Allergy Consumer Review Issue #70
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. |
Dear Everyone
Happy New Year! I am back at the computer
again and satisfied to know that so many of
you missed reading a December issue of this
newsletter. By the way have you seen our new print
catalog yet?
We went to Florida at Christmas and one of the downsides of going on a trip
away from home is my husband and I always squabble about my sleeping, or lack
thereof. He always accuses me of having a sleep problem and I get desperate
about my increasing lack of sleep as the vacation progresses.
On top of that, I always feel I have aged
at least a decade when we go away, as I start
moaning about backaches. All this does not
paint a pretty picture of the happy couple
on vacation together! The good news is as soon
as we return home the problem disappears immediately
and I start to feel human again.
The source of the problem is various, but with painful experimentation I am
now clear. First of all, my husband snores and firmly denies that he does so,
and any light sleeper can tell you that there are times they would like to
send their snoring spouse to an early grave for keeping them up all night!
At home, we control the humidity in our bedroom with a room humidifier and
that really helps diminish my husband's snoring. For other tips on how to help
with snoring see a previous
article in our archives by Dr Murray Grossan. Since I slept like a log
on my first night back home, I am totally convinced that my Royal
Pedic Latex bed truly helps the quality of my sleep. I wish I had my husband's
ability to sleep anywhere and at anytime, but even he admits that his back
gets a bit achy from hotel room beds.
Now I am back in Boston and sleeping well again, I am up to my eyeballs in
building my new summer home, which will be ready in a couple of months. I am
doing quite a few things to make this house allergy-friendly from the get-go
and will write about what I have been doing in a future issue. In the meantime,
I have survived the big kitchen renovation project, which had been going on
for six months. The dust that was kicked up by the contractor was an allergy  sufferer's
nightmare. I would have never made it through without my army of air
purifiers (yes I have one in every room) and diligent frequent hepa
vacuuming. However as they say "never again".
For those of you in California battling the mud slides; we are thinking of
you.
Survive the Winter.
Mercia |
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In This Issue
Shop Talk
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A
Consumers Guide to Humidifiers
By Mercia Tapping
and Bob Cobe
- How Humidifiers
Work
- Different Kinds
of Humidifiers
- Humidifier Maintenance
How Humidifiers Work:
Humidifiers are
used both in homes and offices to increase
the moisture level (i.e. the humidity
level). The rule of thumb is to keep
humidity levels at or below 50% to discourage
the growth of dust mites and mold, which
is especially important in the summer
time. However, conversely there can be
a number of problems, which occur in
winter if the humidity falls too low.
These problems include:
* Sinus headaches and other sinus related problems
* Warping of wood floors and cracking of furniture
* Wooden instruments such as pianos and guitars being ruined
* Nose bleeds
* Dry, itchy skin
* Bacterial and Viral infections that thrive in extra dry air
Different Kinds Of Humidifiers
There are different types
of humidifiers including:
* Central humidifiers: These are built into the home
heating and air-conditioning systems. They are the most effective since
they humidify the entire house and are less likely to be the source of
humidifier-associated problems if they are properly maintained. We have
been trying out a new central
humidifier this season and reports so far have been positive.
* Portable Humidifiers:
There are two kinds of these. One kind
is a console humidifier that is encased
in a cabinet with wheels and is capable
of doing more than one room up to about
1200 square feet. The second is a smaller
unit that holds between 2 to 4 gallons
and is designed to be used in a single
room up to 600 square feet.
* Ultrasonic: These create a cool mist by means
of ultrasonic sound vibrations. These use little electricity and
are very quiet. The AIR-O-SWISS
humidifier (priced at $135) is an interesting example of ultrasonic
technology at its best because it both produces cool or warm mist-
your choice. It also has conquered the drawbacks of other ultrasonic
machines through an ionic stick which prevents the dispersion of
fine mineral dust into the air. The AIR-O-SWISS also
produces the most visible amount of mist.
* Air washers:
These produce a cool mist by
means of a high speed rotating
disc. These are usually the ones
that disperse the most microorganisms
and minerals, and most often
cannot control level of humidity
achieved. |
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* Evaporative:
These units blow air through moistened
materials such as a filter or a wick
to put moisture into the air. Preferably
choose one with a tank housing and wick
that is antibacterial. The Hamilton
Beach humidifier (priced at $69.95)
is an example of a cool mist humidifier
using evaporative technology. The Hunter
humidifier (starting at $74.95) )has
a patented anti bacterial wick which
reduces the amount and frequency of cleaning
which is required.
Slant
Fin 2 gal Warm Mist Humidifier
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* Vaporizer:
These create steam by boiling
water, which kills most microorganisms,
but they can also be a hazard
if put in a place where children
or pets may knock them over and
possibly burn themselves or others.
For that reason, we do not sell
them.
* Warm
mist: This is a steam
vaporizer that produces a warm
mist for safety and feels the
most comfortable, but they
can use the most electricity.
The SlantFin
humidifiers (starting at
$99.99) are the best of breed
in the warm mist category.
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Humidifier Maintenance
Clean your humidifier according
to the manufacturer's instructions to
prevent the growth of bacteria, mold,
and scale. We suggest that you unplug
any humidifier from the electrical socket
before cleaning or emptying and refilling
it.
The best water to use is
distilled because it has had the minerals
removed, but this could cost a small
fortune. Be prepared if you are in an
area with hard water to replace the mineral
pads on your warm mist humidifier on
a frequent basis. If your water has a
high mineral content and the replacement
of the demineralization pads becomes
prohibitive, then using distilled water
may be your only solution in which case
you might consider producing your own
distilled water. When using regular water
in your humidifier, replace the filters
with the frequency recommended by the
manufacturer. You will need to do this
if you want to prevent the dispersion
of the white mineral dust that could
penetrate your lungs and cause respiratory
problems.
It is imperative that you
clean your portable room humidifier religiously
during the time that you are using it.
Manufacturers differ as to the recommended
frequency of their machines varying from
daily cleaning to once per month. The
most natural way to clean your humidifier
is with a 50/50 solution of white vinegar
and water. If you use household bleach
to kill any mold that might have formed,
you will need to rinse out the machine
several times in order to avoid the toxins
produced by the bleach.
End Of Season:
It is very important to thoroughly clean your humidifier at the end of
the season by draining all of the water and cleaning the body and the
filter with a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution. Put some water
in the water tanks, add a few drops of bleach, swish the solution around,
pour out the water, and rinse thoroughly with clean water. Allow all
parts to dry and leave the caps off the water tanks so that they can
dry inside.
Suggestions:
If you have a central humidifier be sure to follow manufacturer's instructions
for your unit and do not allow water to stand unused for long periods
of time. Also drain and dry the tank at the end of the humidifier season.
Keep all humidifiers out
of the reach of children and pets so
that they can't pull them down on themselves
or possibly burn themselves with the
heated models.
If you place it on a table or bureau, make sure to run the electrical
cord up the backside, so if the cord is pulled, the humidifier will be
pulled into the wall and not off the fixture.
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We
recommend that you use a hygrometer to
measure the humidity in the rooms.
If you see any condensation on
a window or dampness on fabrics
like upholstery or drapes, this
is a sign that you need to reduce
the water vapor output from your
humidifier. As we have mentioned
before, some units do come with
built in hygrometers.
We recommend keeping
the humidity between 30% to 40%.
Remember that the
manufacturers usually overstate
their square foot coverage; so
cut their suggested square footage
in half or you won't be able
to put enough humidity in the
room to be of much benefit. |
Top |
How
to Choose an Air Purifier
Which One is Right
For You?
By Richard Gerardi,
AllergybuyersClub.com Staff
Editor's
note: Richard is one of our
senior product specialists who helps
our customers choose which air purifier
is best for them. He has a way of making
the complex very simple.
| Choosing an air
purifier can be a confusing
task. With hundreds of different
machines on the market, choosing
one that's appropriate for your
specific needs can be daunting
to say the least. The technology
that has developed over the past
decade has produced some impressive
machines and some not so impressive,
and a few are propelled by very
misleading marketing. Let's start
by asking a few simple questions,
and then we'll familiarize you
with the basic terminology.
The first step
is to think about what you would
like to accomplish. Since air
purifiers are designed for different
needs, selecting one should be
specific to you and not because
your uncle Bob uses one and thinks
it's great.
Let's
narrow down our search by breaking
air purifiers down into three
different categories. |
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* Allergens (particulates)
- Mold, pollen, dust, dust mite allergens
and pet dander. Basically the stuff most
of us have reactions to at some level.
* Smoke, Gas & Odor Control - Cigarette smoke, chemicals
from the outside such as air pollution or a nearby pollution source such
as a factory or a gas station. Also chemicals inside,
such as cleaning fluids, formaldehyde from carpets, new furniture, food
odors, and pets.
* Bacteria & Viruses - Some air purifiers will actually
remove bacteria and viruses. These are appropriate for people with compromised
immune systems, serious health issues or conditions such as asthma or
bronchitis.
Where to
put it?
The second step is to determine
how large a space you want to purify.
Something to understand is that most
air purifiers are room specific. While
a manufacturer may say their unit can
clean 1500 square feet, it would have
to be totally open space, because you
can't circulate air around corners, or
up a flight of stairs, or suck air out
of a room down a hallway. The manufacturers
that make machines with fans don't claim
to clean multiple rooms, so how is it
that the ones without fans do! Use your
common sense. Remember the old saying "If
it sounds too good to be true, it probably
is."
Generally speaking, the
most important rooms in your home to
purify are your bedrooms, followed by
your main living space. Square footage
is based on an 8 foot ceiling, so a 12
x 10 foot bedroom with an 8 foot ceiling
would be 120 square feet. The square
footage listed by the machine's manufacturer
is on high speed. You should choose an
air purifier with about double your desired
capacity in square footage, because of
fan noise and increased air circulation.
The best way to run most machines is
on high speed when you're away from the
room and reduce to a comfortable listening
level when you are actually in the room.
CADR Ratings
CADR - the Clean Air Delivery
Rate - is an efficiency standard established
by AHAM in conjunction with the product
manufacturers. This rate determines how
well an air cleaner reduces pollutants
such as tobacco smoke, pollen and dust.
By using CADR, the recommended maximum
room size for each unit can also be determined.
While useful, many of the manufacturers
of the higher end machines on the market
do not belong to AHAM because of the
cost and the limited nature of AHAM testing.
These air purifiers are not available
to purchase in your local outlet store,
so don't eliminate automatically a machine
because it does not have an AHAM rating.
Many of the air purifiers not rated by
AHAM are many more times efficient then
the top rated AHAM machines.
Types of Air Purifiers
HEPA filters are time tested
and we feel are the most effective air
purifiers. HEPA filters are made out
of finely pleated paper and only allow
clean air through the tiny holes in the
paper. They trap the particles that are
drawn into the air purifier. Some air
purifiers like the IQAir machines
which use hepa filtration can actually
filter out bacteria and even viruses
as well. These kinds of air purifiers
are particularly safe and recommended
because they do not produce ozone. Just
like any type of product, some air purifiers
are better than others. A good machine
will filter 90% or more of the air going
through it. A poorly constructed air
purifier will allow air to pass around
the filter because it is not sealed well.
| Electrostatic air
purifiers draw the air into a small
ionizing chamber that puts a very
small charge on the particles only
to make them stick to a positively
charged filter about 12 inches
away. It is similar to trying to
pass iron filings past a huge magnet.
The Blueair air
purifier uses both mechanical and
electrostatic filtration that emits
no ozone externally and can remove
particles as small as .1 microns. |
|
Ultra Violet Light
machines are generally effective when
used in conjunction with a good filtration
system. In a water purifier that utilizes
ultraviolet light, the water is in contact
with the ultraviolet light for a long
enough time for it to be effective. With
an air purifier, the air is moving very
fast through the machine and generally
on its own will not affect a majority
of the particles going through it. If
you are interested in an air purifier
that utilizes hepa filters and ultra
violet light together well, we highly
recommend the NQ
Clarifier Commercial and Medical
units.
Ozone/Ionic air
purifiers produce electrical charges
that can go through walls just like a
portable phone does. They cause the particles
to be sticky and those sticking together
will be pulled downward by gravity. However,
these sticky particles will also stick
to walls, furniture, window blinds, your
lungs, and some will even make it back
to the machine itself. Basically they
turn your house into inside-out Scotch
Tape. When inhaled, ozone can damage
the lungs. Relatively low amounts can
cause chest pain, coughing, shortness
of breath, and, throat irritation. Ozone
may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases
such as asthma and compromise the ability
of the body to fight respiratory infections.
Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices
often use misleading terms to describe
ozone. Terms such as "energized
oxygen" "plasma" or "pure
air" suggest that ozone is a healthy
kind of oxygen. Ozone is a potentially
dangerous gas with a different molecular
structure. AllergyBuyersClub.com does
not recommend machines that emit ozone.
You can read more about
the potential harm that ozone can do
by typing in OZONE in the search field
of these two web sites. The Environmental
Protection Agency www.epa.gov and
the American Lung Association www.lungusa.org
Don't be
misled by false advertising!
* Contrary to what you
may be led to believe, the technologies
used in portable air purifiers are not
used on submarines or in the Pentagon
as some web sites claim. Don't be sold
on claims that cannot be verified.
* Don't be overly impressed
by a seal of approval on an air purifier.
When you see a seal by a national health
agency on a machine, most agencies are
not endorsing that product. They are
saying that the machine does take some
particles out of the air, and are often
paid millions of dollars for that seal
to be used. The electrostatic charge
from your television takes particles
out of the air as can bee seen by the
dust that accumulates to its screen,
but it does not benefit your health.
* Remember when a manufacturer
claims that their air purifier will make
the air in your home smell clean or fresh,
ask yourself this question: What is that
smell? Since air has no smell, the machine
is most likely producing harmful ozone.
As a final note, remember
that you are purchasing an air purifier
that is going to affect your health and
the health of your family. Be careful
where you purchase it. Your first stop
should not be the local mall. Buy from
a company that gives you information
that makes sense. After you read the
information on our web site, you may
want to call one of our well-trained
product specialists so that they can
confirm you are picking the appropriate
unit. We are more than happy to assist
you.
Top |
Pets
as Carriers for Mold Spores
by Thad Godish Ph.D.
Q. What
is your professional opinion on pets being
carriers/ transporters of mold spores to
the inside of the home?
- Patricia, Georgia
A. There
is, of course, no direct scientific
evidence to confirm that pets can
and do bring mold spores into homes.
However, it is quite likely since
pets like humans track dirt into
a house on their paws (our shoes
and feet).
Soil contains large quantities of mold (because the organic matter
present is a good source of food). The more organic matter (leaf/grass
debris, etc.) the more mold will be present (It is mold's job to
decompose dead plant and animal matter).
Outdoor air has
during the summer and especially
the fall very high levels of
mold spores. These spores land
on surfaces including people
and pets who/which can bring
them indoors where they are incorporated
into house dust. They can become
airborne when such house dust
is disturbed. Of course mold
spores come into houses through
open windows affecting dust mold
levels and airborne mold numbers
for months after entry. |
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Indirect evidence for pet transport of mold/mold spores comes from studies
of lead-based paint and childhood lead exposures. Pets and children are
known to carry lead contaminated soil indoors from contaminated soil around
building exteriors and thus cause increased indoor lead levels as well
as exposures to children.
The question that I think you have implied is "Do pets carry
mold into our houses and if so, how significant a problem/concern is it?"
I have answered the first part of your question. Now here is the
second. In the average house it is very doubtful that pets significantly
increase indoor mold levels as a consequence of their going outdoors
and then coming back in (certainly not more so than their masters).
However, it has been my experience that very active pets can cause
mold spores in house dust to become re-suspended and produce significant
short-term increases in airborne mold levels (I saw this once with
two large dogs which in their excitement in a very small space caused
a significant spike in airborne mold levels.
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Previously I made reference to the fact that people can bring mold in from
the outdoors and thus cause increased airborne mold levels. I have seen
significant increases in airborne mold in school classrooms during occupied
hours as compared to those sampled after hours. It is likely that a good
part of the increased levels during occupied hours is due to student activity.
It is also likely that some of it is due to the fact that students are
bringing mold in. In some classrooms I have actually smelled mold on some
students' coats or jackets.
Indoor
Environmental Quality (2004), Thad Godish Ph.D., C.I.H
Top
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Moldy
Mattresses
by Thad Godish Ph.D.
Q.
Can mold grow in mattresses? If so, how can
I get rid of the mold?
- Anon.
A. Indeed
mold can grow in mattresses and box springs
as well. How do I know? Well, it happened in
my own home, in the bed, bedroom of my oldest
daughter. That was about 20 years ago.
It occurred shortly after we moved into what was then our new house.
About the time we noticed our daughter having respiratory problems
at night, we also noticed that her comforter smelled musty. We
responded by washing the comforter and bedding including the
pillow (on which one could see tiny black mold colonies). The
washing took away the mold odor and her symptoms improved. With
time both the mold odor and symptoms returned. We responded in
a similar manner multiple times (this was at a time that my research
on mold in buildings had not yet begun) and each time the odor
and symptoms returned. Finally, I examined the bed and to my
(then) surprise both the mattress and box springs smelled musty.
This was quite surprising since the bed had been purchased but
2 years before and was not in a particularly moist location.
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I was a much younger faculty member at that time and purchasing a new bed
seemed like a costly, drastic move. As a consequence, I started to look
for information on how to remove mold from beds and box springs. It may
not have been an uncommon problem at one time as the USDA extension service
actually had a pamphlet that advised putting mattresses out in the bright
sunshine. I did that a couple of days and it did in fact work to some degree,
but the mold odor always came back. The ultraviolet light in sunshine can
kill mold, but it could not penetrate through the depth of the mattress
and box springs.
We got rid of the "moldy mattresses and box springs" replacing
them with new ones. Her respiratory symptoms disappeared over night and
did not reoccur until she went on to college where unfortunately a carpet
fragment once stored in an unheated space re-exposed her to a mold source.
In recollecting events it is likely that mold made its way into the mattress
and box springs was through her pillow. At that time she wore her hair
long, and I suspect that on showering and going to bed her hair was not
completely dry. A somewhat wet head, became a somewhat wet pillow, that
then began to grow mold which subsequently infested the mattress and box
springs.
If one has a moldy mattress or box springs, what do you do with it? Get
rid of it (put it out as trash) and replace it with a new one (even if
you think you cannot afford to).
August 27, 2004
Indoor
Environmental Quality (2004), Thad Godish Ph.D., C.I.H Reprinted with
permission.
For more information on
mold prevention, see our Mold
Center and our Mold
Solution Buyer's Guide
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