4 Must Weapons To Kill Mold

              
     There are 4 absolutely necessary weapons that every household needs to kill mold.  You might be wondering if mold is a problem in your house.  Let's ask a few questions that will quickly make that assessment.  Is your basement wet?  Has your basement been flooded?  Do you use a basement dehumidifier in the humid months and leave it on?  Have you had leaks that it took you a long time to fix?  Are there any musty smells or black/white/green patches on walls or ceilings?  Does your bathroom ventilate well or does it stay wet really long?  If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you have mold.  While all houses have mold, this is referring to mold counts that affect health.

      How can mold affect your health?  Mold can cause or trigger asthma, mold allergy flare-up,allergies,  headaches, body aches, cognitive impairment, other respiratory problems, sinus headaches, and more.  Can Mold Destroy Your Health?  Mold affects the health of everyone in your house.  If you are the unlucky one, you can have a biotoxic reaction to mold that can have very serious health implications.  

     First weapon in fighting mold:

1.  Basement Dehumidifier:  Run a basement dehumidifier that can lower the humidity to around 50%.  This refers to the capacity of the dehumidifier and size of your basement.  For example, you may need a basement dehumidifier with a 70 quart capacity to prevent mold.  Because basements are below grade, the humidity levels are naturally high.  Mold grows in warm, dark, and damp places. Knowing how mold grows is key to preventing mold. This is a key point to remember.  Basements are the number one place to find mold according to the NIOSH. (National Institute For Occupational Safety and Health). Run dehumidifiers throughout the house as needed.  If you have wet crawl spaces, you need a crawl space dehumidifier.  There are other dehumidifiers designed to meet specific needs such as a room dehumidifier, whole house dehumidifier, and a portable dehumidifier. Use as needed.  Dehumidifiers are necessary to prevent mold in the first place especially in the basement.

2.  Allergy Air Purifiers:  To kill mold in the air, allergy air purifiers are the weapon of choice.  They are 99.97% effective in killing mold, bacteria, germ, viruses and fungi(mold).  Hepa filtration acts to absorb biological contaminants into the hepa filter.  Other components to consider:  ultraviolet air purifiers, negative ion generators, electrostatic air purifiers, and activated carbon filters.  Different But Necessary Components of An Allergy Air Purifiers  Clean the air of not just biological contaminants but also unwanted indoor air pollution which also affects health.  

3.  Clean all surfaces with mold removal products.  Once the basement door or any other place with mold opens up, mold spreads throughout the house.  Cleaning all surfaces with either a commercial mold removal product or Borax, will kill mold on surfaces.  This is a key thing to do.  You cannot let mold on surfaces.  It will cause unhealthy reactions

4.  Hepa vacuum all surfaces.  Once all surfaces are wiped down, a quality hepa vacuum needs to be used to suck up all the dead mold spores.  Dead mold spores still cause a reaction so they must be sucked up.  In purchasing a hepa vacuum, make sure that you buy one that will enable you to reach all surfaces including ceilings and walls.Hepa Vacuums To Purchase

It is obvious that all moldy materials need to be pitched as soon as possible.  Start in the basement.  Under no circumstances, should you carpet a basement.  The carpeting cannot stay mold free. The 4 steps above are essentials steps to kill mold, prevent mold and help your family breathe clean air.  Who know how many conditions you are preventing by taking these actions.  

The 4 steps are

1.  Run Basement Dehumidifier during humid months.

2.  Use Allergy Air Purifiers Throughout The House

3.  Clean all surfaces with Mold Removal Products

4.  Hepa Vacuum all surfaces.

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How Many Chemical In Carpeting?

How Many Chemicals In Carpeting?

Whe you are lying in that plush wall to wall carpeting and watching tv, you are not thinking"Hey, how many chemicals are in this carpeting?" It is not whether carpeting has chemicals; it's how many and do they affect your health? Carpeting is said to have 120 neurotoxins in them. While I cannot find a comprehensive list, many are listed and the reasons they are used. Neurotoxins sound bad because they are. They go through the blood/brain barrier attacking your central nervous system. The blood/brain barrier works to protect the brain. Carpeting has chemicals to: keep mold and bacteria growing(ant-fungal & anti-bacterial); stain proofing; made from petroleum fibers, and treated with bleaches, dyes,stain protectant and antistatic solutions. Many of these substances are banned by FDA as not approved for contact with human skin. Instead, we have babies crawling and toddlers playing with toys on the carpeting. Does disease start early from environmental exposure? Here are some of the VOCs (volatile organic compounds known to be in carpeting.: 4 pheny cyclophexene, toulene and styrene. Formaldehyde can also be found in the carpeting itself and/or the backing. These VOCs can cause: respiratory tract irritation, headaches and dizziness. Some of these are suspected carcinogens. Throw in a cigarette smoking near the carpeting and the carpet has wicked up the 69 known carcinogens and some of the total 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes. It is never a good idea to smoke inside. Who knows what mold, indoor air pollution, and cigarette do to a young body. Other issues with carpeting are the cat and dog will carry substance in on their paws. Vacuums have a hard time penetrating the thicker, plusher carpeting. This leave the bad stuff: dirt mites, mold and milder, bacteria, lead and pesticides. Years ago carpeting was made to be taken out and cleaned. Carpets were cleaned several times a year. This controlled mold and mildew and other biological contaminants. It is time to go back of this type of carpet installation. Over time if the carpeting is not replaced, the backing disintegrate an makes a great place for mold, dirt mites etc to take over. How many years pass before replacing the carpeting? Chemicals meant to clean the carpet ;eave residues in the carpet. More natural cleaners are effective and safer. New building means air tight energy efficient homes. Nothing leaks out of them. Old drafty house have fresh air leaking in. Indoor air pollution from carpeting and the many chemicals we own cause out houses to be 5 times to 100 times worse that outdoors; especially if you smoke. Natural rugs made of wool are stain resistant and do not require chemicals. However, they are expensive. Consider hardwood flooring or bamboo flooring. If you must have carpeting, consider having area rugs. Here are some suggestions for folks that must have carpeting; 1. Buy low pile carpeting. 2. Let the manufacturer open the carpet and air out a few weeks before installation. This is the period of intense concentrated off gassing. 3. Have the carpeting installed to be removed and cleaned. Tac-fast (hook and loop method-Velcro) lets the carpeting be removed to be cleaned thoroughly. 4. Install central vacuum system. 5. Don't let babies and small children play on carpeting. Buy a wool area rug for that purpose. 6. Run a basement dehumidifier. Humidity causes mold to grow in the basement. Mold travels as soon as one opens the door. It ends up in the furniture and carpeting. 7. Run air purifiers to remove mold, biological contaminants, and chemicals from the air. 8. Use a quality hepa vacuum and vacuum frequently. Carpeting in homes has always made me sick. Whether it is in a home or office it affects me. Guess it is time for you to come to your own conclusion. With many harmful chemicals in carpeting, should you have it in you home? References: 1. John Hopkins Magazine, 2001 - "Home Sick Home" - Melissa Hendricks 2. Healthy Home Plus - "To Carpet Or Not to Carpet" - by Christi Graham 3. Purely Pets - "Carpet of Chemicals" - by Christi Keith
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5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have Air Purifiers

Do you want to be as healthy as you can be? Do you want this for your family especially young children? Why air purifiers are a must? 
1. We spend 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air pollution can be anywhere from 2 to 100 times worse that the outside air especially if someone is smoking a cigarette inside. Cigarettes contain a whopping 4,000 chemicals. 69 Of are known to cause cancer. Actual tobacco companies reporting: American Tobacco Company, Brown and Williamson, Liggett Group, Inc., Philip Morris Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Source: Tri - County Cessation Center. Why smoke near the delicate developing lungs of children? Second hand smoke is known to cause asthma but what about the future of these children? 
2. Homes contain biological contaminants: germs, viruses, bacteria, fungi (mold). Who wants germs, bacteria, viruses, and fungi (mold) in the air if you can get rid of it? 
3. Chemical off gassing occurs especially at times of high humidity. It also occurs when new construction occurs. Ever breathe deeply when your carpeting is just installed? There are some serious suspected carcinogens in carpeting called Volatile Organic Compounds: Toulene, 4 phenyl cyclohexene, styrene. VOCs can cause eye and respiratory irritations, headaches and dizziness. Carpeting can also harbor: mold and mildew, dirt mites, pet dander, lead, pesticides, etc. Go with hard wood flooring. Also consider off- gassing of: cleaning products, hobby products, construction materials, etc. Source: John Hopkins Magazine, Sept. 2000
4. Why continue to live in polluted air? Air Purifiers remove 99.97% of all biological contaminants from the air. Essentially, the contaminants are sucked into the air purifiers and caught in a hepa filter. A hepa filter is a must in an air purifier. Another feature: activated charcoal filter will adsorb chemical, cigarette smoke, pollen to the filter. What is drawn to the filter sits on top of the surface of the filter. When the filter is full, replace it. Other features are: electrostatic air purifier, negative ion generator, ultraviolet air purifiers and hepa filtration. Purchase air purifiers with all these functions.
5. Place air purifiers throughout the house according to square footage. Have clean air in the whole house; a healthy environment for the family. Hopefully you are convinced. "Where do Americans encounter the greatest exposure to toxic chemicals? a) At superfund hazardous waste site or b) in the home or other indoor environments." (John Hopkins) Not to surprise you; it's your home. Do something about it. Lean more at our site:  www.stopmoldcold.com/behealthy 

Air Purifier

Lots of Household Chemicals

                                                 
                                                               Breathing Fresh Air