Are You Home Sick?

(Page 5 of 5)

March/April 1989
By David Schoonmaker  
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Climate control can be a big help in reducing a number of indoor air-quality problems. Humidity above 50% or below 30% encourages numerous undesirable fungi and the dust mites that work in cooperation with them. This may mean using a humidifier in the winter, but the belt-driven and ultrasonic types make great incubators for mold unless used correctly and cleaned frequently. High humidity also increases the release of formaldehyde—as much as 1% increase for each 1% of relative humidity, according to Thad Godish. In addition, temperature affects formaldehyde outgassing; concentrations in the air are twice as high at 80 °F as they are at 70°F. (For these reasons, Godish recommends testing for formaldehyde in the spring or fall, not in the winter.)

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Filtration can be quite effective, but the filters that work are generally not featured in television commercials. Electrostatic filters, which are widely available, help reduce mold populations, which in turn may limit the dust mites that feed on them. Some of these devices, however, produce ozone, so you should have a guarantee from the manufacturer that the device doesn't, and won't in the future, make ozone.

High-efficiency paniculate (HEPA) filters are the most effective. They will remove almost all particles—including dust, smoke, pollen, fumes, molds, viruses and many gases—down to a very small size (about 0.3 microns). Likewise, charcoal filters are effective on some substances, especially particles and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Neither comes cheap, though, and they do require maintenance. (Contact Airguard Industries, Inc., P.O. Box 32578, Louisville, KY 40232, 502/969-2304 or Control Resource Inc., 670 Mariner Dr., Michigan City, IN 46360, 219/872-5591 for information about their filters.) HEPA vacuum cleaners may also help people with mold and dust-mite problems. Most such vacuums are industrial in size and cost, but Nilfisk of America, Inc. (300 Technology Drive, Malvern, PA 19355, 215/647-6420) does offer one small model for around $300. Other types of vacuum cleaners, such as the new water vacuums, are not considered effective on most toxins and may, in fact, make matters worse by forcing them into the air.

The topics we've covered here really provide little more than an overview of a very complicated subject. It's taken us centuries of neglect to foul our nests so thoroughly, and we'll not set things right overnight. Nonetheless, correcting our complacent attitudes about the home environment—setting aside some of those cherished homilies—may be the best start we can make at the even more daunting task of healing our whole planet's environment.

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