How
We Test Air Cleaners
We
do not sell goods we have not tested and pulled apart
ourselves. We do not throw up a product for sale onto
a web site and hope it sticks. To give you some idea,
this is what we do for air cleaners.
A
team of three people who are very experienced and well
trained, first pull a machine apart. They have a checklist
of about 30 items. At this juncture, they also test
the machine's efficiency, meaning how much dirty air
escapes back out into the room. Many air cleaners get
rejected at this stage. Then we have a tiny testing
room. It is not air tight, but it has no windows and
we lock it during testing. We measure the particulate
level in the room at 24, 48 hours and weekly intervals.
If the machine looks promising, we send it home for
a real life test, with a staff member to the most adverse
conditions we can find (not my house!), and our staff
test particulate levels with a monitor at periodic intervals.
They look to see if the overall particulate level in
a room or the whole house gets reduced and by how much.
For
legal liability reasons, we cannot publish many of our
results. Our web site tries to steer you in the right
direction in the products we sell. We try to be as candid
as we can about what we sell and if we do not sell it,
there is probably a good reason. And yes, we have tested
some of the best selling air cleaners, including household
names, on the market today and some of them we wouldn't
want them on our web site even if they paid us.
See
our selection of air cleaners here:
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/airpurifiers.html
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Definition
Of Hypoallergenic
"Hypoallergenic"
- Definition: non-allergy producing. A term applied
to a preparation in which every possible care has been
taken in formulation and production to ensure minimum
instance of allergic reactions. (Blakiston's Medical
Dictionary)
The
definition of hypoallergenic is "having a decreased
tendency to provoke an allergic reaction". Based
on this definition, our products, including comforters
are definitely hypoallergenic. The definition of non-allergenic
is "having no tendency to provoke an allergic reaction".
Therefore, it cannot be said in truth any product is
really non-allergenic. Somebody somewhere will have
a reaction.
For
many years, companies have been producing products,
which they claim are "hypoallergenic" or "safe
for sensitive skin" or "allergy tested".
These statements imply that the products making the
claims are less likely to cause allergic reactions than
competing products. But there has been no assurance
to consumers that this actually was the case.
For
the past four years, the Food and Drug Administration
has been working to clear up this confusion of claims
by establishing testing requirements that would determine
which products really are "hypoallergenic".
But late last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia ruled that FDA's regulation defining
"hypoallergenic" was invalid. This means there
is now no regulation specifically defining or governing
the use of the term "hypoallergenic" or similar
claims. And because of the lengthy procedural steps
required to establish a new regulation that is likely
to be the situation for some time to come.
Here
is then the truth. Despite all the reassurances and
claims that manufacturers give us about their products
in terms of allergy reactivity, nothing is 100% guaranteed
to be non-reactive. This is particularly true of the
bedding category.
We
put our comforters and pillows to the test with our
most allergy sensitive employees, asking them to sleep
with comforter samples as a pillow. Here is what we
have found so far. Nobody has reacted to cotton
or wool
pillows and even the most sensitive seem to be just
fine with either our Ming
Dynasty or Imperial
Delight silk filled comforters. In all the hundreds
of sales we have had of Hypodown
comforters, we have only had one return related to an
asserted allergic reaction. We did however test Hypodown
with our employee base and found someone with eczema
who felt itchy with a Hypodown
comforter. What we seemed to find, was that our staff
members with eczema reacted to any down product, (including
our new hypoallergenic Siberian
and Eiderdown
comforters), much it had been washed by the manufacturer,
and however excellent its turbidity (cleanliness) rating.
Those staff with respiratory allergies or sinus problems,
including feather allergies, curiously enough seemed
to be fine.
Our
solution? Both Hypodown and Hyperdown manufacturers
give you 30 days to try out their products for an allergic
reaction and if you have one, you can return it. From
what I have seen this is a pretty good bet on their
part.
Our
Siberian
and Eiderdown
products are also hypoallergenic but custom made and
therefore non-returnable. If you have any doubt about
your potential reactivity, we have a sample program
and you can test the samples out for yourself.
See
all our down and silk comforters here:
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/comforters.html
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The
Ultimate In Down Comforters, Siberian And Eiderdown
EIDERDOWN
- ON SALE!
 I
am tempted to wax poetic as I start to write about Eiderdown
comforters, all sorts of eloquent phrases come to mind like
"oh joyous rapture", but I am going to try and restrain
myself.
The true
Eiderdown comforter is a rarity. It is the Faberge egg of
comforters, and if you are concerned about price, this is
clearly not a product for you. Let me tell you a little about
them.
The finest,
warmest and most rare down comforter in the world, Eider down
is harvested from abandoned nests that the mother duck covers
with down she plucks from her own breast to keep her eggs
warm.
The Eider
ducks are protected from the usual commercial type of harvesting,
and as you can imagine, hand harvesting after the nests have
been abandoned, is very labor intensive and expensive. There
is also a very limited world supply of Eider down each year,
in the region of 2,000 kilos and it is diminishing yearly.
An Eiderdown comforter, therefore is considered to be an heirloom.
Eiderdown
is the best insulator for regulating body temperature - no
sweating, no freezing. The wild Eider duck is only found in
the nethermost regions of the North Atlantic, principally
in Iceland. The climatic condition under which these rare
birds have survived, has given rise to a kind of down and
subsequent insulating power which is off the scale in terms
of what we usually think of in terms of "fill power",
the usual measure of thermal insulating quality. Fill power
is usually determined by the size of the down clusters and
the space of the air between them. The eider duck has very
sticky and dense down clusters. Hard to describe because it
is so different, but the result when it is put into a garment
or comforter, is no bulk for incredible warmth.
I have
always been curious about the Eiderdown. Was it as good as
it is cracked up to be? What could possibly be worth that
amount of money?
Mary Jo,
a true thrifty New Englander on our staff has been adamant.
No comforter is worth that kind of money! Mary Jo is a fan
of silk filled comforters and sleeps under our Imperial Delight
Silk filled comforter. For around $300 or so, she is right,
it is a luxury bargain and Mary Jo likes bargains. An eiderdown
is not a bargain, but it is something truly special. It is
after all, considered to be one of the most sought after luxuries
in the world.
The great
day came when our first samples arrived from our new supplier,
including those of the Eiderdown. Unfortunately, not a whole
comforter, just a few squares. But enough to make you fantasize
and say to yourself "One day..." and know in your
soul that you REALLY want one of these things.
To be
honest when I first held Eiderdown in my hand I was astonished.
Could anything actually be that light and actually keep you
warm? I had a hard time when I closed my eyes feeling any
weight at all. When we were comparing the Eiderdown to other
top grade, goose down comforters, it was clear that Eiderdown
was simply in a class of its own. It seemed disconcertingly
light to some of our staff, used to being weighted down at
night.
If I had
a wealthy husband, I would put this on my Christmas list.
As it is, I love my husband dearly but wealthy he is not.
And I cannot quite justify getting a new comforter this year
after splurging on a Hypodown comforter last year. But if
I had not bought a comforter recently, I would be trying to
rationalize to myself that I should buy one. Something along
the lines of "you deserve this".
These
incredible eiderdown comforters are a custom order, and are
covered with a 300 plus thread count silk. This makes them
down proof but with a nice luxury feel. Then we would reluctantly
put the finest of silk duvet covers on the comforter to prolong
the life of the Eiderdown. The manufacturer claims they are
Hypoallergenic, but at this price if you have any doubt, ask
about our sample program. And if you buy one of these comforters
you would be a lunatic to let your pets near them. Even in
my house where I am a certified cat nut case, this is where
I would draw the line.
Hypoallergenic,
but at this price if you have any doubt ask for our sample
program.
SIBERIAN DOWN COMFORTERS
 For
those who, like Mary Jo, cannot bring themselves ever to even
consider an Eiderdown, there is Siberian down and we have
located a superb and true supply of this rare down. It is
the top of the ladder for goose down for lightness/warmth
ratio. If we had not compared them to the Eider duck, we would
have given these comforters the top of the class vote. In
fact, Richard and Laura, in our office fell in love with the
Siberian Opulence comforter and said they preferred it to
the Eiderdown the latter being more understated. They like
big puffy down. These are quite frankly, well named... opulent!
When I
first saw the samples and felt how divinely light, puffy and
luxurious they were, I said to myself, these belong in a starlet's
bedroom! There is something about them, which is just reeking
of luxury! If you want an impressive gift this Christmas this
could be the one for you.
We offer
two new kinds of Siberian down comforters. Venus has a very
fine high thread cotton covering, the Opulence has silk. I
would go for the silk covering myself.
Hypoallergenic
and samples are available for testing purposes.
These
comforters are made to order and take about a month to make.
Please do not come begging for one after Thanksgiving and
ask for Christmas delivery. You need to be ordering it now.
Prices
for Siberian down comforters start at $1299.95
Click here for more details:
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/venus.html
Prices
for Eiderdown comforters start at $7,995.95, but are
ON SALE at introductory prices starting at $5,995.95!.
Click here
for more details:
http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/eider.html
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QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS ALL ABOUT MOLD
contributed by Thad Godish Ph.D, Professor of Natural
Resources and Environmental Management at Ball State
University
Editor's
Note: You can link to FAQs and articles by Thad Godish
and others in our Mold Center.
http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/mold-center.html
Moldy
Smells and Water Damage
Q.
Can you help me? I have had problems in my condominium
unit. I was unable to live in it during the six months
that it was under repair from water damage, the cause
of which was never found and does not appear to come
from the unit. I have once again moved out due to livability
problems. I had water in my dining room, hallway, and
entry in February. There was no apparent reason for
it. I began to notice a moldy smell and have implemented
efforts in an attempt to remediate the problem, including
the use of air cleaners. When I am at home I continue
to become ill - Nola, Washington
A.
The problem you describe is not uncommon, that is, water
coming into a house or housing unit with no discernable
source. I have observed it happen in both new and existing
houses. In the former, it is usually associated with
some kind of construction defect - rainwater coming
through roofing vents or flaws in application of roofing
materials. The rain only comes in during a wind-driven
rain from a particular direction. Once it comes in,
it flows down along wall surfaces in the living spaces
below. In such cases, much of the water damage will
be internal to wall cavities and remain hidden.
Since
I don't know the nature of your condominium (whether
it is a multi-story unit or not), it is difficult to
give specific recommendations. If your condominium has
an attic above it, that is the first place to start.
It is not uncommon to find water stains on the rafters
where water came in. Once you have found those water
stains, you can have a contractor repair the cause of
the problem.
As
the water comes down the rafters, you should be able
to see where it dripped onto attic insulation and the
pathway it took to get into living areas. I suspect
that wetted areas have yet to be remediated.
Finding
the source of water entry is essential for remediating
the water problem and the mold problem associated with
it and, of course, the health problems you have been
experiencing. I believe the problem lies in the roof,
particularly if it has a ridgeline ventilation installation.
The
health problems you have been experiencing are classical
mold-type exposure problems. They will continue if you
attempt to live in the house without remediating all
mold-infested areas associated with the water leaks.
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Prevention
Of Mold In New Construction
Q.
What steps should a
general contractor take during new construction to prevent
the growth of mold during and after construction is
complete? What design issues should the contractor alert
the owner to that may promote microbial growth? - David,
Florida
A.
Many of the most common mold infestation problems
found in residences can be prevented by good construction
practices and subsequent good maintenance by homeowners.
The major construction-related causes of mold infestation
include: wet site/poor drainage, inadequate crawlspace
ventilation, inadequate attic ventilation, poor masonry
construction practices, and inadequate window/door frame
caulking.
Because
of the relative scarcity of good quality land for residential
construction, many houses are built on poorly drained
sites. Such sites must be adequately dried using perimeter
and under slab or crawlspace tile. This is particularly
the case in clay and mucky soils. If the site is not
adequately drained, water will actually enter heating/cooling
ducts in slab houses and sit on top of the ground in
houses built on crawlspaces. In both cases the house
will be subject to higher-than-normal relative humidity,
a major risk factor for mold infestation. Higher moisture
levels in crawlspaces will provide an environment that
promotes mold growth on floor joists. Mold spores from
infestations in the crawlspace are quickly transported
into living spaces through supply and return air ducts.
All
crawlspaces should be provided with adequate ventilation.
Vents should be located on the crawlspace masonry on
at least three of the four walls to promote cross-ventilation.
Landscape shrubbery should not be placed in front of
crawlspace vents.
In
northern climates, the attic needs to have good ridge
and soffitt vents to prevent condensation on roof decking.
Activities in a house are a significant source of moisture
that is carried upward into the attic. Because of warmer
temperatures in Florida and other southern states, such
condensation and subsequent mold infestation are less
likely.
Poor
masonry construction practices result in water penetration
through mortar and cracked brick into wall cavities
during wind-driven rains. It is good practice to remove
excess mortar from brick surfaces facing the interior
walls and have functioning weep holes. Because mortar
is so porous, functioning weep holes are essential.
If rainwater makes its way into the wall cavity, it
may remain there for days. Wood timbers become infested
with mold and experience structural deterioration. When
the wind blows even slightly, both mold spores and odor
will enter the house.
Brick
houses in Florida and other parts of the South experience
some unique problems. The sun shining on wet brick appears
to drive moisture inward, causing condensation on the
first cold surface it encounters. This may be the backside
of gypsum board or vinyl wallpaper over gypsum board.
This often results in Stachybotrys infestations. As
a result, some moisture control engineers recommend
placing a vapor barrier on the exterior surface of the
interior wall.
Most
homeowners and some contractors do not seem to understand
that the reason that one caulks windows and doors is
to keep rainwater out of the walls. Water quickly enters
wall cavities around poorly-caulked windows, resulting
in rotting timbers, mold spore production, and potentially-significant
mold exposures. Homeowners should make sure their windows
and doors are always well-caulked. If window frames
start to physically deteriorate, they should be replaced
in a reasonable period of time.
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Do Houseplants Cause Mold Problems?
Q.
I love houseplants and have many. I have read before that
they can cause a problem for mold-sensitive individuals. The
article suggested changing from clay pots to plastic pots.
Do you recommend this, or suggest getting rid of them entirely?
- Debbie, MA
A.
Houseplants by themselves do not pose any unique risk of excessive
mold exposures.
Many common
mold species are described as being phylloplane species, that
is, they commonly grow on leaves, particularly dead leaves.
On houseplants, it would be dead leaves that would most likely
be a source of mold spores that would become airborne. Mold
also grows on the surface of soil. As such, soil surfaces
in plant pots also have the potential to be a source of airborne
mold.
Mold growth
on soil surfaces and dead leaves is not likely to be significantly
affected by the type of pots that one uses. Switching from
plastic to clay pots does not seem to have any scientific
basis.
There
are very few scientific studies that have attempted to evaluate
the potential effect of houseplants on airborne mold spore
levels. Early studies approximately two decades ago did not
observe any differences in houses with and without houseplants.
Most reports are anecdotal, that is, based on personal observations
that have not been scientifically evaluated.
On an
intuitive basis, one would expect houseplants to be at least
a limited source of mold spores. How much of a source would
depend on how many are being grown and how well they are being
taken care of. Lots of plants with lots of dead leaves would
pose a greater potential for airborne mold than a house in
which plants are fewer or very well taken care of.
Houseplants
can affect airborne mold levels in a house indirectly by causing
high-localized relative humidity and damage to materials as
a result of excessive and careless plant watering. Water-damaged
materials can be a significant source of mold. High relative
humidity can result in condensation on wall surfaces and subsequent
mold growth.
In my
personal and consulting experience, it is these indirect effects
that pose the greatest risk of mold exposure to sensitive
individuals. Growing many houseplants with careful watering
and attention to providing adequate ventilation in high plant
density rooms should pose little or no risk to mold-sensitive
individuals.
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Mold
And A Sick House
Q.
I have what I would
consider a sick house. During the winter months (I live
in ND) we had some condensation problems on our windows.
All of them were covered with a black/green looking
mold. We wiped this clean as often as possible and when
spring arrived, I cleaned all the surfaces with a diluted
bleach. We also had a condensation problem on one of
our exterior walls. This caused mold to grow up about
2 feet on the interior wall. I have since had an Ultra
Violet(UV) Air purifier installed. Prior to installation
we had air sampling done as well as several surface
cultures. The pre-installation sampling included higher
levels of Cladosporium Species indoors than out and
also Malbranchea 1. 0 Colony Forming Units (CFU), Pithomyces
1. 0 CFU, Epicoccum, 1. 0 CFU and Basidiomycete 1. 0
CFU were found indoors and not out. In the post installation
test, the indoor quantity of Cladosporium was significantly
less inside than out (From 400 CFU out to 68 CFU in).
However, we again had species inside that were not detected
outside. - Grant, North Dakota
A.
Condensation on windows and occasionally walls is
not uncommon in very cold winter climates such as those
experienced in North Dakota and many parts of Canada.
Condensation
is particularly a problem in houses that have older
single pane windows or some of the earlier thermopane
ones. It is also a problem in houses that have high
indoor moisture generation rates from showering and
the building site.
One
can mostly avoid such problems by installing triple-pane
windows and insuring that the shower area is well exhausted
during and after showering. Site-generated moisture
is a much more complex issue.
The
fact that mold was found growing in the wall indicates
that the walls don't have a vapor barrier or if it does
it was not properly installed. It is the job of a vapor
barrier to prevent water from passing into walls, hitting
a cold surface and then condensing. In older houses
it is usually cost-prohibitive to install a vapor barrier
unless other renovation work is being done.
If
you have mold growing in your wall, the best approach
is to remove the interior wall covering and enter the
cavity (not literally). If considerable decay is present,
remove and replace affected timbers. If infestation
does not involve decay, vacuum infested surfaces with
a high-powered shop vac (at least 5 HP), brush with
a stiff brush, and vacuum again. Then apply a mold inhibiting
paint. To minimize exposure to you and other members
of your family, take appropriate precautions including
isolating the area, use polyethylene drop cloth, and
respirator. Don't carry infested materials out without
first wrapping them lest you spread mold spores around
your house.
The
ultra-violet air purifier will provide no benefit to
you as it does not reduce one's exposure. It can kill
mold spores. However, it does not matter whether mold
spores are dead or alive when it comes to causing allergic
symptoms or asthma attacks. Using a UV purifiers can
alter air tests results when culturable-viable (culture
media) sampling is conducted. Measured concentrations
should be lower.
Cladosporium
is a black mold and it commonly grows on condensate-affected
window-related surfaces. Higher indoor concentrations
indicate a source of infestation. Lower values of indoor
mold after the installation of the UV purifier do not
indicate that health-affecting mold levels no longer
exist. It matters not whether mold spores are alive
or dead when it comes to most mold-related health problems.
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What
Do Mold Test Results Mean?
Q.
My family and I moved
into a rental home on May 25, 2002. Within a few days
everyone was ill, with symptoms ranging from coughing,
sneezing, burning eyes, even visual blurring than dizziness,
severe headaches, memory problems, diarrhea, fatigue.
I simply thought we all had a very bad case of flu.
My 13-year old son by June 16th was having extreme difficulty
breathing, so I took him to his doctor. He was suffering
from pulmonary edema with bronchial spasms. The doctor
suggested that he may be having an allergic reaction.
He was treated over a three-week span with massive doses
of antibiotics and steroids to clear his lungs. After
the visit I went home and decided to clean the basement
that the landlord had not finished doing, at which time
I found large mold growth on the walls. After calling
the physician, he said that either the mold goes or
we have to. I had Air-O-Cell analysis, swabs and tape
samples done. Air samples came back as Aspergillus/Penicillium
sample concentration of >2571, Cladosporium 29, Chaetomium
109, Hyphae 11, in my son's bedroom. The swabs came
back with Aspergillus/Penicillium sp. =High, Cladosporium
sp. =Medium, Fusarium sp. =Medium, Epicoccum sp. Chaetomiun
sp. , Myxomycete sp. , Ulocladium sp. Cladosporium sp.
Basidiomycete sp. All=Low. Tape samples of basement
floors and walls where Cladosporium sp. 5+Packed, Mycelia
sp. 5+Packed, Microsporium 5+Packed. Could you please
tell me what this all means, what the health effects
are to exposure to these molds and lastly who can I
find that can evaluate my family for possible exposure.
We left our home and all of our belongings, all the
symptoms have gone away except for coughing, abdominal
pain and diarrhea, and I'm having extreme difficulty
with spontaneous memory. - Michellenea, IL
A.
The Aspergillus/Pennicillium concentration was relatively
high and visible mold growth on basement walls indicates
that you had a significant mold infestation and exposure
problem in that house.
The
symptoms, however, were quite extreme and not typically
reported for mold exposures. The coughing, sneezing
and possible headaches would be consistent with mold;
the burning eyes, visual blurring, memory problems,
diarrhea, fatigue are not. The pulmonary edema is also
not consistent with mold exposure.
I
suspect that what caused your main illness symptoms
was not mold. Some other contaminant or contaminants
were likely to be present. The edema suggests nitrogen
dioxide but at very high levels, levels that typically
don't occur in residences unless some unusual things
are stored there. Another possibility on the edema is
lead from an exposure to lead dust from a remediation
or some other source.
I
would recommend that you see a physician with a background
in occupational medicine. The symptoms suggest exposure
to an occupational type of contaminant. Also check out
the potential for exposures to lead. The abdominal pain
and diarrhea continuing are consistent with an exposure
to lead. Have a blood lead level done on at least one
member of your affected family.
I
would remove your belongings to a storage building to
allow them to air out for a couple of weeks and then
have soft materials vacuumed well, hard surfaces wet-wiped
before you use them again. In my opinion, they are salvageable
even if the exposure was to lead dust.
You
will find more information at the Mold
In Our Homes website.
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Mold In A Crawl Space
Q.
We recently purchased a home in central Illinois. Our crawl
space gets a great deal of moisture, and has resulted in mold
growing on the floor joists. Also, our son has an allergy
problem that wasn't a factor until moving into this home.
My question is in three parts. What can I do to get rid of
the mold? Could this be a factor in my son's allergies? Is
this a situation that the previous home owner should be responsible
for? - Jon, Illinois
A.
Wet/moist crawl spaces are common here in the Midwest because
of the high clay content of soils in many building sites.
Such soils are poorly drained and as such water often sits
in crawlspaces for weeks or more during rainy periods of the
year. This is even the case when pea gravel and polyethylene
plastic are put down (though they likely do help). The problem
is further exacerbated if the crawlspace has few or no vents,
the vents are blocked by shrubbery, or vents are closed. When
the house was built, the drainage should have been put in
place around the perimeter of the house as well as under it
to carry the water away.
Because
of the moisture, high relative humidity occurs in the crawlspace
that provides an optimum environment for mold growth. The
problem may be made worse by subsequent condensation on floor
joists and other wood materials.
My experience
with wet crawlspaces is that they are major sources of mold
growth and subsequent human exposures in living spaces. As
such, it is highly probable that the allergy problem that
your son has is associated with your house.
Before
you attempt to remediate the problem, you should have the
crawlspace inspected by a professional to ascertain the true
nature of the problem. I can only provide generic advice.
This includes: vacuuming all infested timbers with heavy-duty
vacuum cleaner (minimum 5 horsepower), brushing with a stiff
brush, re-vacuuming and application of mold-inhibiting paint
to both seal the mold in and prevent it from growing. This
should be done taking appropriate safety measures (approved
respirator, disposable/washable clothing, gloves, etc. ).
Mold infestation
will return if the drainage problem is not resolved. This
will require engaging a professional to install an appropriate
drainage system.
The previous
owner is only legally liable for this problem if he/she knew
about it and failed to disclose it to you. The problem is
a construction defect. As such, primary liability would likely
fall on the house's contractor.
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How
To Track Down Moldy, Musty Smells
Q.
I smell a musty/moldy
smell in my living room. I can narrow down the area
of the smell, but can't seem to find the source. Any
suggestions? - Debbie, Kentucky.
A.
If you can smell it but can't see it, it must be inside
one of the living room walls or under the living room
if you have a crawlspace. If the living room is on the
south or southwest side of your house and you have brick
or stone veneer, it is likely that rain water has gotten
into your wall particularly from wind-driven rains.
If such is the case, the moldy/musty odor will be the
strongest on breezy days.
Locating
mold in a wall is difficult. Most professionals drill
holes in such walls and collect mold samples to determine
whether mold is present, the dominant mold types, and
its relative concentrations.
Typically
I use a non-destructive approach. I typically look for
electrical outlets on the external wall. I take the
plastic plate off and then use my odor detector (my
nose). I often detect the presence of mold odors in
external walls using this technique. It works best on
a slightly breezy day when the wall is under positive
pressure. It also words best if the infestation is near
to the electrical box. If it is distant, you may not
be able to detect it.
Mold
infestation of exterior wall cavities is also common
under windows, particularly windows subject to condensation
and those that have been poorly caulked. Caulking is
intended to prevent water from entering wall cavities.
If it was poorly applied or maintained, water easily
enters the wall around the window where infestation
takes place.
For
Indoor Environmental Notebook click here.
http://www.bsu.edu/web/ien/archives/archive_list.htm
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Do
All Homes Have Mold To Some Degree?
Q.
Do all homes have some mold spores? In other words,
is it possible to culture mold in a Petri dish but not
have a mold problem in your home? We did a test for
mold using Pro Labs home kit. The first time in January,
nothing grew but in September we had growth. Does this
mean we have mold in our house growing somewhere or
could it have come from our dehumidifier, which has
mold growing in it? - Tom, Pennsylvania
A.
All homes will test positive when air samples for mold
are collected. Mold is a common part of the environment
as it and many similar organisms consume dead organic
matter such as leaves, tree limbs, dead grass, etc.
Because
mold is such a part of the environment, spores can be
found in both indoor and outdoor air. Actually in most
cases outdoor concentrations will be higher than those
found indoors. Outdoor mold often dominates indoor sample
concentrations when windows are open during the warmer
months. Many of these spores will remain in the house
and be re-suspended when surface dusts are disturbed.
Typically
when one has an infestation problem in a house, indoor
mold will reflect the mold types present. These are
often distinctively different from those suspended in
the air outdoors.
Mold
concentrations indoors tend to vary with the season
even when there are indoor sources. Mold grows best
under warm, humid conditions, and less well in cooler,
drier wintertime homes of our northern states. As such,
seeing differences in test results in January vs. September
can be expected.
I
am not familiar with the Pro Labs home kit. Since you
used a Petri dish, I assume you used the setting plate
method. If that is the case, it is a relatively crude
way of trying to determine if you have a mold problem
or not. Many mold species associated with indoor air
problems settle slowly and may not appear on settling
plates. As such, this method is of very limited usefulness.
Mold
growing in a dehumidifier or humidifier can be a significant
source of mold exposure on a localized basis. As such
these devices need to be maintained so that they are
relatively clean of mold.
Mold
air concentrations in residences and other buildings
can only be adequately assessed by using dynamic sampling
methods, that is techniques which use samplers with
air pumps and an appropriate collection medium.
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Can
One Smell Mold Problems?
Q.
What about sensory indicators of a mold problem? What is a
person's threshold of detection? Does it vary with type of
mold? Is a persistent rash/skin outbreak a symptom of exposure?
I asked my doctor and she seemed to be clueless on IAQ/mold
problems and effects. - John, New Jersey
A.
For most individuals the only sensory indication that mold
is present is the odor associated with compounds produced
by mold when they are growing. These compounds are usually
referred to as MVOCs or microbial volatile organic compounds.
MVOCs
vary in their composition depending on the mold-type and the
substrate (material) upon which they are growing. Some of
the more commonly reported mold (there are also bacterial
ones) MVOCs are 2-octene-3-ol, 1-octene-2-ol, 2-hexane, heptanone,
and 3 -methyfuran. Most mold- produced MVOCs are alcohols
or ketones. They are present in air in very low concentrations
even in spaces that are heavily mold infested. Concentrations
of individual MVOCs are likely to be in the few parts per
billion (ppbv) range with combined concentrations in the 20-30
ppbv range.
As you
can see, humans must have a very low odor threshold to detect
these substances and, of course, we do. As with all odors
this threshold varies considerably from individual to individual.
One of
the scientific questions associated with MVOCs is whether
exposure to them can cause health effects. Animal studies
indicate that such exposures can cause sensory (mucous membrane)
irritation but at much higher levels that are typical of mold-infested
environments. On a personal level I experience strong sensory
irritation of my nasal passages in heavily mold infested buildings
even when I wear a respirator that filters out mold spores.
That suggests that the sensory irritation is associated with
exposure to gas-phase substances.
Exposure
to mold with some exceptions is unlikely to cause skin rashes.
The exceptions include handling mold-infested materials or
sitting on mold-infested soft furniture or bedding. Mold can
get into bedding such as box springs, mattresses, sheets and
pillows. Such infestations are not uncommon in houses with
very high humidity levels
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Empty
Nose Syndrome Volunteers Wanted
Dr
Steven Houser is doing a paper on Empty Nose Syndrome
and would like to send some questions to persons with
this Syndrome. They can contact him at: shouser144@yahoo.com
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