Archive for the ‘Mold Allergies’ Category
Dehumidifiers: A Boon To Damp Homes
While humidifiers are a boon to moisture deprived homes during cold weather, dehumidifiers remove moisture that can condense in the cooler rooms of your home, such as the basement or crawl space. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture from the warm, humid air of your home. Warm air is moved past two coils in a similar fashion to an air conditioner. Moisture from the air condenses on one set of coils. The water then drips into a reservoir or through a hose to a drain. The other coil warms the air which is then expelled into the house or room.
Although the dehumidifying unit does not cool the air, it makes it more comfortable by decreasing the humidity that can cause mold and mildew to accumulate and cause health problems for your family and your pets.
There are several signs that will let you know that you need a dehumidifier in your home. First, if you see condensation on your windows, there is too much moisture inside your home. Check for wet spots on the ceiling and walls. A musty smell, stuffiness in the room, or an increase in allergy symptoms can all be signs that that there is too much humidity in your air. Dehumidifiers are also used quite often when there has been flooding in a home, such as a hot water heater leak.
You need to check a dehumidifier’s reservoir capacity if you are buying a new one as a larger capacity reservoir works more efficiently and would need to be emptied less frequently than a smaller unit. If your dehumidifier has an air vent on top, you can place in against a wall. If it doesn’t, you’ll want to make sure that it sits away from walls or furniture so that the air can circulate properly. Make sure that all windows and doors are closed when you are using your dehumidifier as this will allow it to work most efficiently. If you use a hose drainage system, make sure that you do not create an electrical hazard by allowing water to flow near plugs or wires.
Dehumidifiers are an excellent way of making the conditions in your home more comfortable and healthy.
Gabriel Adams
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/dehumidifiers-a-boon-to-damp-homes-81029.html
Custom Silicone Bracelets
Custom silicone bracelets can be seen on the wrist of children, teens and even adults. These wristbands have primarily become a fashion statement among teenagers. Silicone bracelets are used to promote breast cancer, advertise for businesses, music promotions, sports, or event promotion. Custom bracelets were first used by Live strong to raise funds for cancer research and awareness. Custom silicone bracelets are durable and do not break easily. A yellow wristband was used to raise funds for cancer. Since these wristbands are cheap and trendy it can be mass produced and used by endless organizations and business for advertising their product. Nowadays bracelets do not come in single colors but are of different types like debossed, embossed, glow-in-the-dark, screen printed, laser made, color-core, color filled etc.
Nowadays even in hospitals wristbands are worn. Many hospitals in Pennsylvania are using colored wristbands for patients who are facing allergic problems. Different colors are used for different allergic problems. Like pink is for restricted extremity; red means allergy; green is for latex allergy etc. Different colors are used for different purposes. Silicone wristbands are used in concerts, conventions and festivities. Nightclubs and discotheques use wristbands to control crowd and identification at the entrances.
Printed bracelets are less expensive when compared to debossed or embossed wristbands. 100 % silicone material is used. This type of bracelet does not require a mold. Instead of mold, a template is used to apply custom design onto the bracelet. Debossed bracelets are more expensive than printed or Laser made wristbands. Printed bracelets are not engraved or raised but only printed. Debossed bracelets are opposite of embossed bracelets. In debossed bracelets wordings are basically engraved and not raised. But in embossed wristbands wordings are raised and not engraved.
Wristbands are used for charity purpose also. Pink color is for breast cancer; blue for tsunami relief victims; black and white is for anti-racism. Event bracelets are used in amusement parks, night clubs, event festivals, special events, dance clubs, event festivals, community centers etc. If your company is planning for a picnic at a local park, employees and their families can be identified by issuing wristbands.
Rubber bracelets are available in single or bulk quantities with your brand name or phrase, one of the popular and easiest methods of business promotion. Wristbands can feature your company name, slogan, location, opening hours and contact details for company branding. Wristband connection is the creator of laser made silicone wristbands. Their wristbands are truly unique and are the only bands with 100% Si mark on the inside for safety, as well as guarantee of the very best quality silicone. They also provide all kinds of custom silicone bands.
Brayan Peter
http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/custom-silicone-bracelets-712311.html
Is Silk Bedding Really Worth the Extra Money?
When you’ve used serviceable cotton sheets all your life, it is a little difficult to switch over to silk. After all, silk sheets are expensive. They cost many times more than the cotton sheets you purchase from a discount store nearby. But the question is: are they just fancy or do they really justify the cost?
First off, cotton sheets may be inexpensive. But they also have a very short life. After you wash them a couple of times, even the best cotton bedding begins to lose color. Faded bedding can be a real eyesore. On the other hand, silk bedding outlasts several cotton sheets when taken care of properly.
The individual threads of cultivated silk almost match the durability of steel. Also, because silk fibers tend to stick, silk filaments have a strong bonding and do not break very easily. Also, silk has a naturally occurring substance called sericin, which makes it mildew resistant. So, even if you spend more money on silk sheets, you will get a much longer life out of them.
Cotton sheets may look like they are more serviceable. But they get quite uncomfortable when the weather is hot. Also, they cool off when it is cold. Silk bedding does the opposite. Silk is cool to the touch in summers. In the winters, silk fits warmly around your body thus preserving your body heat and keeping you warm. So, silk can keep you comfortable in all seasons.
Silk bedding is what the doctors recommend. Silk has several properties that make it the recommended choice for many doctors.
Ø Silk is hypoallergenic. Since silk is made by silkworms, the material has a number of naturally occurring substances in it. Even when the cocoon is converted into silk, these substances are not completely lost. So, fungus, molds and dust mites do not attack silk bedding. That is why doctors advise people suffering from asthma or allergic reactions to use silk bedding.
Ø Silk is good for the skin and hair. One reason for this could be because you cannot use harsh chemicals on silk bedding. So, the traces of these chemicals are not available on the bedding to do much damage to your skin and hair. Another reason could be the naturally occurring substances in silk that keeps away mold, dust mites and other allergy causing substances. Whatever the reasons, the benefits of using silk bedding are real and many people have felt the huge difference on their skin and hair. According to some experts, silk even has the ability to delay the formation of wrinkles.
Ø Silk is naturally fire retardant. So, it is a safer choice for bedding than cotton. Because it is gentle on the skin and hair and is totally safe, it is the recommended bedding for small children.
As you can see, silk bedding is a wonderful thing to own. And not just for its classy looks and seductive feel. However, to get good quality silk bedding, it is important that you buy silk from a reputed dealer.
Silk bedding does not really have to be a luxury reserved for the wealthy. Ordinary people can buy it too. A little research is all you need to land an excellent bargain.
quinlanmurray
http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/is-silk-bedding-really-worth-the-extra-money-698992.html
Eight Indications That Tell You It Is Time For Air Duct Cleaning
When it comes to knowing when it’s time to have your air ventilation system inspected and cleaned, many people may not be able to recognize the signs of a dirty system. Generally speaking, if you have no memory of the last time your system was cleaned, it’s probably been too long. A good rule of thumb is to have your home or office air ducts inspected and cleaned every two years. If you or someone else in your family has allergies, this period should be shortened to once a year or more often, if you feel that air problems in your home may be contributing to health problems for you or your family. Over 60 million people in North America suffer from some form of allergy, with children and the elderly being most affected by respiratory problems.
Many forms of mold, mildew and other bacteria can easily form in the dirt and dusty pollutants that form within the air ducts of your ventilation system. You also may start to notice that many people around you start to have headaches more often due to the poor air quality of an unclean air system.
Some indications that you may have a problem with your air duct system can include:
- The air return grilles in your walls have a black fuzz of dust along the vanes
- A layer of dust returns a few hours after you’ve dusted your home thoroughly
- The filters in your air system have black dust on them
- Dry and stuffy air throughout your home or office
- Higher than normal utility bills due to poor heated air transfer
- Heat registers on the floor have dirt and dust in them
- Sneezing more frequently, especially after air starts to flow
- More frequent cases of attacks in anyone with asthma in your home or office
If you do any sort of renovation work throughout your home, this can also have an effect on the way that your air ventilation and heating system works. If you are doing demolition work, the dust that becomes airborne will travel straight through your air duct system and may end up clogging your filter. It’s important that you are aware of the damage and health concerns that any renovation work can have on your air system. Even the simple act of painting can stir up a lot of dust that can have an effect on the way that your air system functions.
One of the first things you should do when you buy a new home is to have someone come in and inspect the air ventilation ducts for dust and other airborne contaminants. Because we spend an average of 75% of our lives indoors, the quality of the air we breathe should be of the utmost importance. Dirt, dust, animal dander and other airborne pollutants can have a marked effect on our health and the health of those around us. There have been some studies that have proven that levels of hazardous pollutants inside our homes and offices are sometimes 70 times higher than in the air outside.
Amy Nutt
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/eight-indications-that-tell-you-it-is-time-for-air-duct-cleaning-254755.html
Asthma Treatments
Most asthma treatments include the use of short and long-term medications as well as some environmental monitoring and modifications. As with all types of medical treatments, not all patients will respond in the same way to each type of environment or possible problem.
Asthma treatments focus on eliminating or avoiding asthma triggers. These triggers are the environmental or other conditions that cause an asthma attack to occur. Many patients have very similar triggers, so keeping good records of where you were and what was happening when the asthma attack happened can help identify each person’s individual triggers. Some general triggers that are problematic for many people with asthma include:
* Allergies and colds
* Grass or certain trees, flowers or plants
* Stuffed toys, carpets or some fabrics
* Dust and dust mites
* Cockroaches or waste material from where they have been
* Pets such as cats, dogs, hamsters, birds
* Perfumes, hair products or air fresheners
* Exhaust from vehicles
* Mold
* Wood smoke
* Pollution
* Some medications
In addition, there are also stressors that can cause an increased likelihood for an asthma attack. Worry, stress, fatigue or illness can all bring on the chance of an attack or increased difficulty in breathing.
Mild to Moderate Asthma
Many people with mild to moderate asthma can control, or attempt to control, their triggers and avoid anything that will make their asthma worse. Usually, these individuals use a bronchodilator ventilator or inhaler when the asthma becomes severe, and can use over-the-counter medications for minor attacks. Often allergy shots or even using anti-inflammatories to reduce the swelling in the air passages will be sufficient asthma treatment to control the problem.
Moderate to Severe Asthma
For those with moderate to severe asthma, more intense and long-term treatment is needed. Daily medications combined with managing the environment and keeping data on attacks and frequencies is very important in developing an asthma treatment. Long-term medications may include anti-inflammatories and inhaled corticosteroids taken every day. In addition there are some capsule-type medications that are used for those with severe asthma. Capsule or liquid medications, such as luekotriene modifiers and long-lasting beta 2-agonists, have several side effects and careful monitoring of these, plus dosage levels, is important. Patients should consult with the doctor before stopping any oral asthma treatment.
Alternative asthma treatments such as acupuncture, hypnosis, yoga or relaxation and massage can be helpful if the asthma attacks are triggered by stress or fatigue. Learning about what causes asthma attacks for each individual will help that person, in conjunction with their doctor, determine the most effective asthma treatment.
Terry Roberts
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/asthma-treatments-106953.html






