Articles

Asthma, Air Quality, and Environmental Justice: EPA's Role in Asthma Education and Prevention - (July 1995, EPA Document #402-F-95-001):

"Asthma is the leading chronic illness of children in the United States and the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness. Asthma deaths and the number of Americans diagnosed with asthma continue to increase each year...Asthma can be aggravated by exposure to pollutant "triggers" such as certain components of vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions; tobacco smoke; pollen; and allergens from animals and insects...Keep the house clean to reduce allergy-causing agents like microscopic dust mites, animal dander, and pollen...Consider using a high efficiency vacuum filter or a vacuum system that's vented to the outside."

Allergens in the home are real, even 'creepy'.

U.S. News & World Report:

Oct. 7, 1991. "A major cause of allergic reactions, dust mites are microscopic members of the spider family that live in rugs, bedding, upholstered furniture and stuffed toys and feed on the tiny flecks of skin we constantly shed. Millions can be found in the average household. It's not the creatures themselves that cause allergic reactions, but the waste they release that then travel through the air." See side bar on the right.

American Lung Association:

"Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, and hypersensitivity and pneumonitis."

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) http://www.epa.gov/iaq/:

Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasion more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. These levels of indoor air pollutants are of particular concern because it is estimated that most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. Over the past several decades, our exposure to indoor air pollutants is believed to have increased due to a variety of factors, including the construction of more tightly sealed buildings, reduced ventilation rates to save energy, the use of synthetic building materials and furnishings, and the use of chemically formulated personal care products, pesticides, and household cleaners.
Central vacuums make a clean air difference.

Annals of Allergy:

March 1985, Vol. 54, Num. 3, Pg. 209. "Determination of the number of particles less than .5, 1, 2, 5, and 10mM in the air before, during, and after cleaning of carpeting disclosed larger numbers of airborne particles during cleaning with portable vacuum cleaners than with central vacuum cleaners...Nearly all of these particles are small enough usually to be inhaled and deposited in the lower respiratory tract. Accordingly, they constitute a hazard for patients with asthma as well as those with allergic rhinitis."

One government's push for central vacuums.

The Swedish government studied a proposal of a nation wide central vacuum subsidization program to offset the rising health care cost of allergy related afflictions among children. The study showed how central vacuums removed house dust out of the home environment, which would reduce the vast numbers of asthmatic and allergic cases. (There is also a current study taking place in the Netherlands.)
How will you respond to...

DUST MITES

The house dust mite and its excrement are one of the most widespread causes of allergies.

Homes are a comfortable place to live; they have an enjoyable temperature and a rather high relative humidity. But these conditions are also excellent prerequisites for the propagation of house dust mites. House dust mites are found in every household.

It is not the mites themselves that contain allergens but their excrement, which are triggers for asthma, eczema and allergic nasal mucous membrane inflammations. Allergen-containing mite excrement on fibers (as pictured above) gradually falls apart into very tiny particles. The allergenic dust then flies up into the surrounding air and is inevitably inhaled as we breathe. This also happens during regular vacuuming. And exposure to high concentrations of house dust allergens at a very early age greatly increases the risk of suffering from diseases such as asthma later on.

The house dust mite has a life span of about four months. During this time it produces about 200 times its weight in excrement and lays up to 300 eggs. This makes it clear why the concentration of allergens in a room increases exponentially within a very short time.

Even with regular and thorough housecleaning, dust particles and human skin scales continuously accumulate. Mites derive their principal nourishment from these human and animal skin scales, but also feed on fungal mold. The average size of house dust mites is 0.3mm. About 3 mites could fit inside the dot at the end of this sentence.

BUT, all dust mites and their allergens vacuumed up with a M.D. central vacuum are removed from the living areas for good!

Text modified from www.espera.net/mites/.

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