Mold is an expensive and dangerous problem. Here’s how to get ahead of it. - The Washington Post
Mold is an expensive and dangerous problem. Here’s how to get ahead of it. - The Washington Post |
| Mold is an expensive and dangerous problem. Here’s how to get ahead of it. - The Washington Post Posted: 01 Sep 2020 12:00 AM PDT  Chris McLaughlin, sales manager for JES Foundation Repair, a company that works on foundations, crawl spaces and basements in the D.C. area, says that musty, dank smell is usually the first clue that you have a mold problem. "The thing is, most people don't even realize there is a problem. They grew up with a moldy smell in their basement or closets, and they never really knew what it was or thought to do anything about it," McLaughlin says. "But one day, someone comes in to do some work, and they start opening up drywall and they find mold all over the place." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that if you smell or see mold, you need to remove it as soon as possible — there are numerous varieties, but it's not necessary to test it to see what kind it is — as it can pose a health risk. McLaughlin stresses that mold has serious health implications and should be removed and monitored by a professional mold remediation company. And once it's removed, you should hire a professional to deal with fixing the environment (moisture and humidity) that is conducive to the mold growth. Georgetown University Medical Center's Richard A. Calderone, a professor and the chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Joseph A. Bellanti, a professor of pediatrics and immunology, explained in an email that people exposed to mold-filled buildings are more likely to suffer from mild respiratory symptoms (such as sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes), asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a rare inflammatory lung disease), respiratory infections, hay fever, bronchitis and eczema — illnesses that none of us want to deal with, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Calderone and Bellanti say that molds are fungi that grow as threadlike structures called filaments both indoors and out. As they grow, the filaments produce thousands of airborne spores. In nature, these spores normally return to their environmental origins, but if they are contained in moist, damp environments, the spores thrive and grow and eventually create the potential health risks listed above. Mold spores can enter your house through doors, windows and vents, or they can attach themselves to your clothing, shoes or pets. McLaughlin adds: "If you give those spores moisture and an organic material like paper, drywall or wood, you have a recipe for disaster." Mold can be difficult to identify, because you don't have to see it for it to be present. For me, it was that musty, rotten smell that indicated mold, but other signs to watch for are greenish black spots in the home, water-stained building materials or excessive water damage. Mold is most commonly found in basements and crawl spaces, where humidity and dampness are highest. McLaughlin also says closets can be an issue, because there is often little air flow and circulation. To combat mold, experts emphasize the importance of keeping moisture in your home at levels below 60 percent by using dehumidifiers and running your air conditioner. (The CDC recommends levels between 30 and 50 percent.) This is particularly important during the stormy summer months, when humidity is higher and flooding is more likely. It's best to use air-conditioning units with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter attachments, because they will trap mold spores and prevent mold accumulation; make sure you replace the filters twice a year. HEPA filtration can be added by upgrading your existing HVAC filter and using a high-quality dehumidifier that has a HEPA filter. Also, keep your air-conditioning drip pans and drain lines clean, using either distilled vinegar or a product formulated for this purpose, available at many home-improvement stores. Make sure that your ductwork does not sweat. Look for white residue that is left on the bottom edges of ducts, where the water drips on to the surface below. If you live in a very humid climate (daily levels at or above 60 percent), Calderone and Bellanti recommend choosing linoleum, hardwood or ceramic flooring instead of potentially moisture-retaining, wall-to-wall carpet. And because mold can grow on paper, bedding and clothing, store them in airtight, waterproof containers. They also recommend cleaning hard surfaces such as glass, plastic or tile, which can be breeding sites for mold, with a bleach solution, soap and water, or a commercial product. You should clean them immediately if you see mold, but these surfaces (most often in bathrooms and kitchens) should be cleaned weekly to prevent mold growth. In the bathroom, Calderone and Bellanti say to always use an exhaust fan or an open window to cut down on humidity. In the kitchen, keep a lookout for mold in refrigerator drip pans, door seals and garbage pails. Whatever you do, McLaughlin says, never paint or caulk over mold; remove it instead. McLaughlin says mold will never go away unless it is mechanically removed. When the spores are treated with spray, the growth can be killed at the time, but if the environment still supports mold growth, the problem will recur. A common method of mechanically removing mold is soda blasting, which is a pressurized system using baking soda or dry ice that minimizes damage to the surface but is abrasive enough to release the spores. This process, used in conjunction with HEPA filtration of the air, will capture loose spores. There are also precautions you can take outdoors to prevent mold growth. McLaughlin recommends moving outdoor sprinklers away from your home, cleaning gutters and directing all water flow away from walls. Also, promptly fix leaky roofs, windows and pipes. If you live in an area that is susceptible to high rains or flooding, McLaughlin recommends installing a sump pump. If you do discover mold in your home, realize that hiring someone to remove it will probably be a Sisyphean task unless you address the underlying issue: moisture. As long as it exists, mold will probably return. "If you fix the moisture problem, you fix the mold problem," McLaughlin says. Mayhew, a "Today" show style expert and former magazine editor, is the author of "Flip! for Decorating."  |
| Healthy Living Top 5: Best home air purifiers for reducing wildfire smoke - Stark Insider Posted: 12 Sep 2020 01:16 PM PDT  Air purifiers are an increasingly popular way to improve the air quality inside the home. Especially models which feature a HEPA filter — a NASA study suggests why HEPA filters are so efficient, and can even capture ultrafine particles below the 0.3-micron HEPA test standard. Now companies like Tesla are even including HEPA-based filters as an option on some of its cars. That's a smart idea given the amount of pollutants we encounter while commuting. The same can be certainly said for the air we breathe in our homes. Last year I dove full-on into the world of HEPA air purifiers. Why not? Health is important and with the increasing risk of wildfire smoke here in California (and along the West Coast) getting into the home I thought it might be a good idea to implement a defense. 10 years ago the idea would never have crossed my mind, maybe not even 5 years ago. Such is the world of climate change and its increasingly devastating impact. Life Under Smoke-Filled Skies
HEPA Air Purifiers to the RescueI probably went a little overboard. Almost each room in our home now has an air purifier. We opted for a large capacity Coway Airmega for the great room (kitchen and family room). A smaller Winix serves duty in the living room. Upstairs we have a Coway, Alen, RabbitAir and a Blueair. All told, 6 air purifiers. Part of my impetus for going whole hog was in part to write about my experience and write reviews here on Stark Insider. Do you need so many? Probably not. But most manufacturers specify the size of room in square feet that the purifier can handle, and also how many times the air will be exchanged in an hour so you can make informed decisions. These are important considerations to keep in mind when shopping various models. I've been running these for over a year now so I have some thoughts on what I believe are the most effective. Key point: The top five list below is specifically focused on smoke and its removal. A quick point on smoke odor removal. When researching you'll note that almost every air purifier comes with a HEPA grade filter. Okay, that makes sense. This is the filter that will capture almost all airborne particles (99.97%). Then there's another filter (a second "stage") which is typically some sort of carbon filter. You'll find in most lower cost air purifiers this carbon filter will be a simple sheet, sometimes called a deodorization filter. These are less effective at removing smoke. So, instead, I highly recommend you consider ones that come with an "active" carbon filter (sometimes referred to as a Honeycomb filter). These are filters that actually have small bits of carbon in them. Shake the filter and you can hear the carbon jump around. Yes, these are pricier. But in my experience, and based on many studies, these active carbon filters are far more effective in doing the job when it comes to reducing the harmful effects of smoke (and VOCs as well). So this list of recommendations includes air purifiers that ship with an active carbon filter and I've excluded any that do not (though if you're concerned only about PM2.5 dust removal and allergies here's an inexpensive Coway air purifier I recommend). Healthy Living Top 5: Best Air Purifiers for Reducing Wildfire Smoke(in no particular order) 1. Coway Airmega 400 or 400S
Best for: Large spaces. South Korean-based Coway has long been a trusted supplier of air purifiers for the home. The Airmega 400/400S (and the smaller 300/300S) are excellent examples of the company's ingenuity and know-how. I'd recommend these for larger spaces. With two filters (left and right) the Airmega has plenty of capacity to filter high volumes of air each hour. The 400 is rated up to 1,560 sq. ft. and the smaller 300 up to 1,256 sq. ft. The "S" denotes smart, as in Wi-Fi and a companion app. I have the S as I can schedule the Airmega to run overnight at high speeds so the air in our combo kitchen and living room space is clean in the morning. Also the Coway features honest-to-goodness active carbon filters (again on both the left and right sides). And they are the real deal, lots of bits of carbon. Certainly this will help remove smoke and VOCs. We inadvertently opened a door just this morning (wrongly assuming air quality was good according to the Apple Weather app). Almost immediately the Airmega kicked into high gear. We noticed the Temtop meter spike to about 188 AQI (unhealthy). We closed the door, and about an hour later things were much better. See readings below. Replacement Airmega filters are expensive. But that's the price to pay for real carbon. There's just no substitute. If you're concerned about wildfire smoke the Airmega 400/400S or 300/300S could be a good choice for your most important living spaces.
2. Winix 5500-2
Best for: No compromise value shoppers. Like Coway, Winix is also based out of South Korea (a place that knows all about poor air quality) and makes well-designed products. To get an air purifier with a smoke fighting active carbon filter for such a low price is rare. Google a bit and you'll discover this is a wildly popular model. Winix says it will "capture dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, mold spores, VOC (volatile organic compounds) and household odors." We've had great success with ours. Based on filter inspection at the one year mark the 5500-2 is trapping lots of bad stuff. I particularly like that the Winix will switch into sleep mode when the room gets dark. You don't need to do anything. In sleep mode the 5500-2 still runs, albeit very (very) quietly, still moving a small amount of air, but not making it impossible to sleep. Also, like the Coway Airmega, this model has a smart sensor that detects air quality and automatically kicks the fan into high gear as needed — when cooking for instance. For smaller spaces up to 360 sq. ft. the 5500-2 represents outstanding value.
3. Alen BreatheSmart FIT50
Best for: Those who care about performance and design. Alen is another household name when it comes to air purifiers (it's all they make). Like the Coway Airmega I appreciate Alen's focus on aesthetics. If you care about such things the Alen line-up should tickle your fancy — they look more designer than appliance. The FIT50 is a relatively new model and is suitable for spaces up to 900 sq. ft. per their specs. Unnique to most manufacturers Alen gives you four filter options. Given we're focused on smoke here I'd recommend the "Smoke/Chemical" filter. You'll find the usual features here including a smart sensor with AQI indicator (blue/orange/red), sleep mode, and ionizer. For those wanting to match decor, the FIT50 comes in eight finishes — essentially the front panel which is interchangeable. And, again, like all the air purifiers on this list, the FIT50 has active carbon (just be sure to choose the model with the Smoke/Chemical option). Alen makes a range of BreathSmart models including the Flex, 45i, and upper range Classic and 75i. I feel the Fit50 (interesting name) is the sweet spot for most buyers. 4. RabbitAir MinusA2 (SPA-700A)
Best for: Spaces that need massive air flow. Cigar smokers vouch for this one. Don't ask me about the logic behind smoking cigars indoors while sitting next to an air purifier. But this is apparently a thing. YouTube it. In any case the fact that this genre of buyer almost exclusively chooses the RabbieAir MinusA2 might tell us something about its performance at removing smoke odors. RabbitAir makes a few models. This one — SPA-700A — is rated up to 700 sq. ft. If you need more you can step up to the SPA-780A which will give you more coverage in addition to Wi-Fi. One unique feature of the RabbitAir is you can mount it on the wall, and includes everything you need to install it that way if you like (if you have outlet integrated into a wall this could make for a nice, cable-free appearance). Like the Alen FIT50 you can opt for one of four filter choices: Germ Defense, Odor Remover, Pet Allergy, and Toxin Absorber. Another thing I like is power draw. At the lowest speed the MinusA2 700A draws only 7 watts (and emits only 21 db noise) which is a fantastic result. In my tests this is among the lowest energy draws. The BlueAir Pure 411 draws even less, but it can't match the cleaning power of the RabbitAir nor does it have an active carbon filter.
5. Blueair Classic 280i
Best for: Buyers who eschew plastic and prefer industrial steel build. Blueair remains one of my favorites. We have a small Pure 411 (cute little thing that hardly takes up any space) in a small bedroom we converted into a gym during shelter-in-place and love it. Made in Sweden these are well regarded and well made. The 280i is rated at 279 sq. ft. so this is best suited for a smaller space, maybe a kitchen or baby's room. In addition to a smart sensor that automatically adjusts fan speed accordingly, extras include Wi-Fi and an app that enables all sorts of options and controls via your phone. Also the 280i is AHAM, Energy Star and safe ozone certified. Note that the 280i is made from a steel body. Blueair claims it's "durable" and indeed this feels on the commercial grade side of things. No question, build quality is top notch. Conclusion — Where the air is clean…HEPA filters in combination with active carbon filters can really help improve the air quality in your home. Will they solve every single problem? Probably not. But when I change out the filters in our home I'm constantly amazed at what they pick up (and we don't have pets). I'd rather have those dust particles (PM 2.5) trapped in a filter than floating around our living spaces. With California, Oregon and Washington and other areas facing rampant wildfires and the accompanying smoke that now floats above our cities for days on end, the case for investing — at least for me — in clean air and our health is a slam dunk. But do your own research. See what may or may not make sense for your particular lifestyle. In summary, below are the five air purifiers I recommend for fighting smoke odors induced by wildfires. All have active carbon filters. And all are highly recommended — it would be hard to choose a winner as they all perform well and are suited for different room sizes. Some of these are pricey, absolutely. But when you consider the value of your and your family's health I think the investment is worthwhile.
Be safe!  |
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