Re: *MERV Question Rosie or Others

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

You'll get many opinions on how to control, limit or remove dust..

Here's mine:

I'd not concentrate on the dust in the house as I would on the dust

floating around in the air.. You're not breathing what is on the

floor or table top but what is in the air. The dust on the floor

should be easy to eliminate.

For that reason I maintain ionizers in my house to cause whatever

dust I have to settle out of the air rather quickly so there will be

no " sunbeams " able to be seen from a window.

I also maintain humidity control to keep the humidity below 50%

where mold, mildew and dust mites do not survive. You'd be surprised

what is in those sunbeams you see from your windows during a sunny

morning. It happens mostly to be skin scales from those who live in

the house and the dust mites and their remaims that thrive on that

skin we sluff off each day.

It is said one person can release 100,000 skin scales a day. A

couple spending 14 hours a day in the house will be generating over

114,000 particles of skin to float around and settle into carpets

where if the humidity is over 50% the skin particles will be feeding

great colonies of dust mites and mold colonies. We're not allergic

to our own skin but can be highly allergic to mold particles and the

billions of dust mite particles being cultivated. And remember dust

mites are microscopic animals who do defecate and all that substance

floating around creates allergens when the humidity is above 50%.

The ionizer will cause the airborne particles to lose their ability

to float and settle out by gravity where they can be vacummed or

swept up with a damp mop.

This concept I'm using flies in the face of those that wish to use

filters to remove all that " stuff " that makes us sick. I believe

filtering should be the last resort needed to be healthy. I believe

filtering is like shoveling sand against the surf. I believe a good

vacuum cleaner and a good ionizer is all that is needed to control

dust after the humidity is reduced to less than 50%. I live outside

of Washington, DC known to be a high humidity area.

Oh... with what Carl Grimes has taught me about humidity I now have

digital humidity gages in half the rooms of my house. [Yes, Carl...

you have been good for something.. <I'm smiling>]

Sincerely,

Gibala

============================

>

> Thanks Rosie for the info. I have a question that anyone can help

answer

> for me. I have 2 young children. Who are extremely sensitive. I

practice

> as closely as I can get to a dust mold free home. The HVAC system

has

> always been a concern to me, the duct work and so forth.

> I went online tonight and read up on MERV ratings. Very

interesting, and I

> will also be presenting this to the school on Thursday.

> MERV 11 is suggested for trapping mold spores at 85%, and dust,

allergens.

> I do not see anything about a charcoal filter either.(does this

exist in the

> stores?) They themselves suggest using this size filters in the

air supply

> vents.

> So, here is my thought. Being a mother trying to control dust and

indoor

> allergens, not just mold, is it plausable to buy the filters with

this

> rating at the store. Dis-member them, cut them to size and insert

them? I

> think this is something I will try this week, but some thoughts on

it would

> be great. Any thoughts?

> I love to experiment with new things I learn about. I have always

used

> those stupid little filters that are pre-cut. Well, I should say

I have

> tried them on several occasions. I see nothing. (but dust)

Stupid if you

> ask me.

> If someone has tried this, let us know how it worked. If not

after I get

> some feedback, I will try it and let you know how it works.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your response. And yes I do use all of the things you have

mentioned, except the ionizer, plus many that you did not mention. I do use

a an air filtration system though, that has a 6 chamber filtration system,

along with a ultra violet light. It is the size of a small washing machine.

As for many of us here, if there is just one more thing we can do to protect

ourselves, and we can afford to so, we will.

Your posting was nice though. It's nice to hear what others are doing. We

can get alot of knowledge here on this site.

Look at me, I learned something new last night, and am very happy to learn

it and investigate it.

Thank you,

[] Re: *MERV Question Rosie or Others

> Hi ,

>

> You'll get many opinions on how to control, limit or remove dust..

>

> Here's mine:

>

> I'd not concentrate on the dust in the house as I would on the dust

> floating around in the air.. You're not breathing what is on the

> floor or table top but what is in the air. The dust on the floor

> should be easy to eliminate.

>

> For that reason I maintain ionizers in my house to cause whatever

> dust I have to settle out of the air rather quickly so there will be

> no " sunbeams " able to be seen from a window.

>

> I also maintain humidity control to keep the humidity below 50%

> where mold, mildew and dust mites do not survive. You'd be surprised

> what is in those sunbeams you see from your windows during a sunny

> morning. It happens mostly to be skin scales from those who live in

> the house and the dust mites and their remaims that thrive on that

> skin we sluff off each day.

>

> It is said one person can release 100,000 skin scales a day. A

> couple spending 14 hours a day in the house will be generating over

> 114,000 particles of skin to float around and settle into carpets

> where if the humidity is over 50% the skin particles will be feeding

> great colonies of dust mites and mold colonies. We're not allergic

> to our own skin but can be highly allergic to mold particles and the

> billions of dust mite particles being cultivated. And remember dust

> mites are microscopic animals who do defecate and all that substance

> floating around creates allergens when the humidity is above 50%.

>

> The ionizer will cause the airborne particles to lose their ability

> to float and settle out by gravity where they can be vacummed or

> swept up with a damp mop.

>

> This concept I'm using flies in the face of those that wish to use

> filters to remove all that " stuff " that makes us sick. I believe

> filtering should be the last resort needed to be healthy. I believe

> filtering is like shoveling sand against the surf. I believe a good

> vacuum cleaner and a good ionizer is all that is needed to control

> dust after the humidity is reduced to less than 50%. I live outside

> of Washington, DC known to be a high humidity area.

>

> Oh... with what Carl Grimes has taught me about humidity I now have

> digital humidity gages in half the rooms of my house. [Yes, Carl...

> you have been good for something.. <I'm smiling>]

>

> Sincerely,

>

> Gibala

>

> ============================

>

>

>

>>

>> Thanks Rosie for the info. I have a question that anyone can help

> answer

>> for me. I have 2 young children. Who are extremely sensitive. I

> practice

>> as closely as I can get to a dust mold free home. The HVAC system

> has

>> always been a concern to me, the duct work and so forth.

>> I went online tonight and read up on MERV ratings. Very

> interesting, and I

>> will also be presenting this to the school on Thursday.

>> MERV 11 is suggested for trapping mold spores at 85%, and dust,

> allergens.

>> I do not see anything about a charcoal filter either.(does this

> exist in the

>> stores?) They themselves suggest using this size filters in the

> air supply

>> vents.

>> So, here is my thought. Being a mother trying to control dust and

> indoor

>> allergens, not just mold, is it plausable to buy the filters with

> this

>> rating at the store. Dis-member them, cut them to size and insert

> them? I

>> think this is something I will try this week, but some thoughts on

> it would

>> be great. Any thoughts?

>> I love to experiment with new things I learn about. I have always

> used

>> those stupid little filters that are pre-cut. Well, I should say

> I have

>> tried them on several occasions. I see nothing. (but dust)

> Stupid if you

>> ask me.

>> If someone has tried this, let us know how it worked. If not

> after I get

>> some feedback, I will try it and let you know how it works.

>>

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Ken,

I agree with almost everything you said except what seemed to be the

pooh-poohing a good filter on a house furnace.

Even with ionizers dust will go into your air conditioner and if it

is wet it will stick to the coils. The cleaner one can keep the

coils the less food there is for mold to grow. The fan never shuts

off but does slow down when heat or cold is not called for. This

dries down the coils quickly to keep from having stagnet wet

conditions inside the coils which can grown molds bacteria etc.

We do live in the country which has more dust, but you would not

believe how dusty the filters become on my furnace, this includes a

hepa filter on an air to air heat exchanger which continuously

filters a portion of the air that goes into the furnace.

Ionizers do concern me if they produce ozone as my son is

asthmatic. I hear people on both sides there and have them, but

stopped using them, one gave a black wall even. I have fresh

filtered outside air being pumped in all the time so I hope this

helps do some of the ionizer does.

Fletch

[Guest guest]

,

Is this a central air purifier that taps into your ductwork or a free

standing unit? thanks barbb

>

> Thank you for your response. And yes I do use all of the things you

have

> mentioned, except the ionizer, plus many that you did not mention.

I do use

> a an air filtration system though, that has a 6 chamber filtration

system,

> along with a ultra violet light. It is the size of a small washing

machine.

> As for many of us here,

[Guest guest]

Fletch,

Now that you have brought it up, I will also comment. I also have concerns

about the ionizer. I have heard and read that caution needs to be taken.

I also agree with you, that you should NEVER over look your HVAC system.

Changing filters and using a high quality filter is a must. I believe also

that proper duct cleaning every few years is a must also, if you are trying

to provide a healthy indoor environment. Especially, if you have had

construction done your home, or your home is exceptionally dusty and so

forth. I also agree that fresh air brought into your home especially in the

months when it is closed up and you are constantly running the furnace or

A/C. I do not have a special system like Fletch speaks of. I do it the old

fashion way. Crack a window and bring it in. How wonderful it feels in the

middle of summer or the middle of winter (on a not so freezing day) to bring

in some fresh air. It just feels so good, and makes me feel better too.

I believe that if it works for you that's what you should keep doing. But,

I have also learned thru this group that getting others opinions of what I

do, or others do, shed some light. I have changed things I do, I have

started doing things I didn't, and some things I just leave, because I

believe that the way I do it is best. hehehe

[] Re: *MERV Question Rosie or Others

> Hi Ken,

>

> I agree with almost everything you said except what seemed to be the

> pooh-poohing a good filter on a house furnace.

>

> Even with ionizers dust will go into your air conditioner and if it

> is wet it will stick to the coils. The cleaner one can keep the

> coils the less food there is for mold to grow. The fan never shuts

> off but does slow down when heat or cold is not called for. This

> dries down the coils quickly to keep from having stagnet wet

> conditions inside the coils which can grown molds bacteria etc.

>

> We do live in the country which has more dust, but you would not

> believe how dusty the filters become on my furnace, this includes a

> hepa filter on an air to air heat exchanger which continuously

> filters a portion of the air that goes into the furnace.

>

> Ionizers do concern me if they produce ozone as my son is

> asthmatic. I hear people on both sides there and have them, but

> stopped using them, one gave a black wall even. I have fresh

> filtered outside air being pumped in all the time so I hope this

> helps do some of the ionizer does.

>

> Fletch

>

>

>

>

>

>

> FAIR USE NOTICE:

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Fletch,

You are right on target! Keep up the good thinking!

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> Hi Ken,

>

> I agree with almost everything you said except what seemed to be the

> pooh-poohing a good filter on a house furnace.

>

> Even with ionizers dust will go into your air conditioner and if it is

> wet it will stick to the coils. The cleaner one can keep the coils

> the less food there is for mold to grow. The fan never shuts off but

> does slow down when heat or cold is not called for. This dries down

> the coils quickly to keep from having stagnet wet conditions inside

> the coils which can grown molds bacteria etc.

>

> We do live in the country which has more dust, but you would not

> believe how dusty the filters become on my furnace, this includes a

> hepa filter on an air to air heat exchanger which continuously filters

> a portion of the air that goes into the furnace.

>

> Ionizers do concern me if they produce ozone as my son is

> asthmatic. I hear people on both sides there and have them, but

> stopped using them, one gave a black wall even. I have fresh filtered

> outside air being pumped in all the time so I hope this helps do some

> of the ionizer does.

>

> Fletch

>

>

>

>

>

>