Guest guest Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 If you have a moldy carpet, if its at all possible, you should remove it and throw it out. Many people who have been hypersensitized by mold have to avoid carpets because they serve as reservoirs for mold. Having a carpet makes it hard to clean well. HEPA air cleaners can remove particulates, but the smallest particles, the ones that make people the sickest, may be reduced but can't be removed completely by filters. The filters still have to pass air or they wont work. In a moldy environment, a filter may help reduce exposure somewhat, but in my opinion they don't prevent people from being hypersensitized by the mold and then getting sicker and sicker. If you have a carpet that you know is moldy, that is even worse. Get rid of it. Wall to wall carpets or carpets on concrete slabs are often the worst. Putting a carpet on a basement floor is asking for trouble. Are you getting enough fresh air? Fresh air is far better than recirculated indoor air. Plus, air exchange usually reduces the humidity. You can buy heat exchangers (Google " heat recovery ventilator " ) that allow you to ventilate with fresh air year round without losing money on your heating. And you don't have to keep spending money on HEPA filters. If you buy a air filter, look around to see if you can find a product with a decent washable one. I haven't seen such an animal yet, but I get the feeling that its a product whose time has come, given how many people have been hypersensitized to mold. Dirty air filters don't seem to be helpful at all for mold-sensitive people. Even if the MERV rating is lower, the ability to clean it frequently seems as if it would count for a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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