I need recommendations on masks and personal air filters

August 3, 2002

Hello, Everyone,

I've gotten out of the mold contaminated space and have made

my new home (my mother's house) breathable and am feeling a

bit better with my stamina level reaching six to eight hours

instead of three or less. (The mold elimination diet helps.)

Now the immobility is getting to me. I am not one to be cooped

up in the house all day for months on end, but I can't breathe

anywhere else due to Reactive Airway Disease (the latest

diagnosis). I'm wondering if there are others who've been

successful finding masks to wear in public. The one time I did

got shopping I wore an asbestos level respirator that I bought at

the hardware store. It didn't take care of the strong smells of

perfumes or cleaning chemicals, that I now react to, but did

make the muggy outside air more tolerable.

I'm also researching air filters for the car. I've found tiny ionizers,

big hepas to put on the seat attached to a seat belt and a 3

pound " triple " filter to strap to the back of the front seat. Since

money is tight, I don't want to invest if these don't work.

What about the personal filters you wear around your neck? Are

these worth the money and batteries? Are they noisy? Do they

replace the need for a mask?

I have also been finding fanless filters that promise to zap

microoragnisms without moving the air or emitting ozone. Too

good to be true?

And lastly I'm curious about the room sized air filters that include

a uv light as part of the package. Sounds promising for the

basement of my mother's house which doesn't have visible

mold but does make me react. Anyone tried these?

Please send your advice.

Thank you very much!

nn

August 4, 2002

nn,

I'm not sure what your allergic response is, but let me discuss mine a

little. I worked for several years in a location with an ill-maintained

moldy air conditioning system. Eventually, I started couging, lightly at

first, eventually becoming severe. My sensitivity increased such that I

would start coughing within seconds of entering a few other select buildings

which apparently had the same mold growing in their HVAC as that to which I

had been sensitized, even though there is not enough mold to cause odor.

Unlike you, I have little problem outdoors, except with smoke. This makes

camping difficult, due to campfires. Even walking down the street behind a

smoker can be difficult, and I keep my distance.

One item you asked about was car filters. Some cars are built with filters

in their vents, such as Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Even some lower cost

cars have them, such as my 1996 Ford Contour. This works great for me, even

once filtering out the smoke from a nearby forest fire. With the heater or

AC going, all air entering the car is filtered. These filters also help

prevent mold growth in the drain pans of your auto AC, since not enough dirt

gets in to support growth. Filters do however need replacing every 18-24

months, at a cost of about $20 when I do it myself, or about $50 to have the

dealer do it.

This will be far better than any filter you can put in the car, since so

much air is constantly coming in that there is no way air will be

effectively filtered before you breath it by a filter sitting next to you.

Caution: in cars with such filters, never run the AC on the MAX setting,

as this allows air from the passenger compartment to enter the AC coils and

drain pan unfiltered, possibly setting the stage for mold growth,

particularly if you carry pets, or if there are any window leaks, allowing

minor mold growth on carpets from water leaking in.

Gil

Date: Sat, 03 Aug 2002 18:44:20 -0000

From: " mariannfm " <nnM@...>

Subject: I need recommendations on masks and personal air filters