Just
in case you are in any doubt, remodeling is extra stressful for
allergy, asthma, and sinusitis and MCS sufferers. Not only do we
have to deal with the inconvenience of rooms of furniture under
dustsheets, contractors who are running over time and budget, contractors
ignoring our instructions or the specifications BUT the process
is designed for most of us to make us PHYSICALLY SICK. Children,
the elderly and the rest of us with compromised immune systems are
especially vulnerable. Three years ago ,this author, a remodeling
veteran decided it was easier on her health to move house.
Together
with great deal of patience, fortitude and a number of products
to be found in our online shopping you can save your health. Here
are some survival tips to reduce the stress and preserve your health.
1. Spend
as much time out of the house as possible. This means schedule your
remodeling for the summer months.
2. If
you are a "stay at home Mom"-find activities out of the house. Breathing
in that dust and toxic makes you sick.
3. If
you have an asthmatic or allergic child, schedule them with lots
of after school activities.
4. The
bedrooms are the most important rooms in the house.We spend 8 hours
a day in there. If they are not being remodeled-have your contractors
tape up the doors each day to prevent dust from entering.
5. If
you have forced hot air heating close down the vents in your bedrooms
during the day time.
6. Vacuum
out the entry to the forced air heating system in your bedrooms
on a daily basis.
7. Use
very fine filter material on the entry to your forced air heating
system. This prevents a good deal of the dust from entering the
bedrooms.
8. Use
a high quality , completely sealed hepa vacuum on a daily basis
to vacuum every inch of all bedrooms. Use a vaccum with on board
tools to vacuum walls,crevices furniture,floors.We recommend in
particular the cannister models from Miele
and Eureka.Wear an allergy face mask as an extra precaution
while you do the job.
9. Use
a really good hepa filter in the bedroom and choose one which not
only deals with particulates[the dust] but one which deals with
toxic fumes.Top of the line models by Austin
Air, Allertech and Universal
Air are offered on the Allergy Buyers Club site. Have those
filters going on high all day long.Turn down to low at night.
10. Try
to seal off your closets daily so your clothes remain dust free.
11. Open
your windows for several hours a day but not during 5 to 10am in
Pollen season.
12. Use
a high quality electrostatic filter on your furnace or a pleated
disposable filter and change weekly if needed.
13. Wear
an allergy face mask walking around your house in the day time to
avoid the dust[forget feeling like a hypochondriac].
14. If
your kitchen was remodeled ,wash all your dishes afterwards and
throw out any "open boxed" foods.
15. Talk
to your contractor about using toxic free paints and varnishes.
There are plenty on the market such as by Glidden, even available
in places like Home Depot. MCS sufferers already know you may have
to go to extra steps to find materials to which you do not react.
16. Doing
the remodeling yourself? You are crazy, but wear a mask at all times
and make sure your materials are toxic free. The mask is to help
you not breathe in dust.
17. Make
sure your contractors use your natural cleaning materials. Don't
even think of using the regular supermarket products. Plenty of
good brands available in your local health food store .Our favorite
mail order natural cleaner product is "Lifetime"-a review is the
August 1999 issue of Allergy Consumer
Review.
18. Step
up your vitamin and exercise program. Anything you can do to boost
your immune system.
19. Have
your ducts cleaned after all the remodeling has finished and get
a cleaning company to rid your house of every inch of dust.
20. Read some of the articles in our Library, Paint Product Sheets is a useful one.
And
finally spoken as someone who has been there-good luck!
Mercia
Tapping,
President
AllergyBuyersClub.com |
