Yes I do, sorry, typing late.
The first attempts did indeed result in deaths & allergic responses, due to wrong dosages, poor control etc. However it has come back into favour - most likely with controlled dosage and pre-screening for allergen response.
Yes.
To be blunt, stick your nose by it and see if you sneeze/get an instant cold. I assume there is a rain trap on the top? 72" of water down it otherwise.
Aha... a dehumidifier might be useful (along with HEPA cleaner). Miele S380 if still around was a cheap =A389 cleaner with HEPA generic =A311.
If you do not have CWI - it works :-)
The static resistance of a HEPA at good airflow is probably 500Pa, the static pressure of a 175cfm 172x51mm fan is 200Pa at zero airflow. That is 5-10x more powerful than a high speed PC fan for comparison. Think 1/7th-1/3rd horsepower.
Yes - if that is the biggest which I think it is. It will knockout all pollen in a 45cubic metre room in 10mins in May- June.
speed.
The Honeywell does not leak past the filter.
- Drum looks like a massive carburettor filter on steroids
- Top & Bottom are a thick silicone moulding with recess
- Filter sits in the drum enclosure
- Bottom of drum enclosure is a big plate with handscrew
- Handscrew tightens to compress the filter seal perfectly
It's properly made, not like most flimsy appliances.
HEPA vacuum daily. Also vacuum the beds and under them (if applicable).
Diesel particulate can be very high and a factor in hayfever, our window cills are black dusted within a month of cleaning. Another factor is check no underlay is breaking up, rubber can do that and become an irritant - particularly any soft rubber backed stuff which is definately an irritant as it breaks down.
Make sure you have a HEPA cleaner, use it daily, consider a HEPA filter (Honeywell at sensible prices are good, I think the largest new was =A3199-259 at Viking Direct or similar many years ago).
T i m explained :
Is this a DIY project?
I would be thinking along the lines of - a length of duct, perhaps use the space between the joists in a floor or ceiling as the actual duct, with around four old 240v computer main-frame fans in parallel to move the air through a filter - these are almost silent. Possibly use an old HV sign transformer to generate the voltage needed and connected to a grid of wires in the path of the airflow - it would need around 30Kv to be effective. Air flow speed past this will need to be fairly slow.
They had a system like this at University (not a DIY job) and it collected an amazingly large amount of dirt and dust in a very short period of time.
Re NIH report on the photonasal probes...
RESULTS:
- "Significant reductions in severity of symptom scores were found for sneezing, running nose, running eyes and itchy mouth/palate (p < or =
0.05).", ie, Statistically significant at 0.05 level.- "No significant differences were found in the results for itchy eyes, itchy nose, itchy throat, ECPs, PIFn and PEFn."
- "No adverse events occurred."
So it reduces peripheral respiratory tract reactions, but not effective against deeper respiratory tract reactions.
That basically means if you are a severe hayfever suffer then it would not reduce a typical hayfever asthma reaction in a field or next to a horse which are typically deep respiratory allergic reactions.
That was my initial though as well.
When you think about it, similar to a Hookah
LOL
Ok, so would you think it was a good / harmless idea to have one? Would this help (in a realistic sense) determine if I'm allergic to house dust or my breakfast cereals / milk / whatever?
There was at one point. I'll check again. ;-)
Good point. However, whilst it is a good point, all our remaining chimneys if not used are at least vented (9" sq mesh type).
I have a reasonable one but feel it's lacking in the humidistat area (either always on or always off etc). I did ask here a couple of times about suitable aftermarket / accurate stats that I might be able to externally retrofit (to give both a more accurate reading for many reasons etc) but nothing came up at the time. Maybe and in light of us not having CH (old building solid 9" walls, end_of_terrace etc) maybe a 'better' de-humidifier could be a solution?
I think both our Dysons are HEPA already (maybe we should get them out now and again). I actually bought the Miele Cat n Dog because I was fed up of the noise of the Dysons (took my sound level meter into the electrical shop), not sure it's has a HEPA fitted at the moment but I'll get one if I can.
Sri, 'CWI"?
Ah, quite chunky then.
Ok.
That's chunky! (although I think pollen isn't the most tricky to get rid of is it)?
But still ok though or the one you suggested might be noisier?
Yup, sounds like a good engineering solution to the problem. As you say, works with many vehicles / with all sorts of filters (air / oil / fuel etc).
K ;-(
On should be easy and under ok on ours as it's raised with plastic storage boxes underneath. Under daughters bed is a 5' drop to the floor via her desk. ;-)
Yep. ;-(
Ok, well the lounge carpet is going to be replaced soon and apart but I'm not sure with what. We really don't 'like' laminate flooring (anywhere) but I guess it's at least easy to fit by an amateur (like carpet or lino tiles, not one big roll to deal with etc) and if it's 'better' for us for the allergy POV it's gotta be worth a look I guess.
Is a 'HEPA cleaner' different from a Cleaner that uses a HEPA filter? (or are we talking different things here now)?
Cheers again. ;-)
T i m
p.s. Would you be so kind as to point me to the actual Honeywell / other air cleaner you think would fit my needs, now you know what they are and to avoid me getting the wrong one from the wrong place please? (Not saying I would get that actual one so won't hold you responsible etc) ;-)
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Tests may be inconclusive because you may be 'allergic' to many things without suffering any noticeable effects. Still worth doing in case it does show up something strongly positive.
2 do not have CWI - it works :-)etc) ;-)
Probably cavity wall insulation.
Cic.
Discuss with your doctor, but they often treat the effect not cause :-)
If you ever do roof maintenance
- Get someone to fit rain caps over the pots
- A sign of high water ingress is U-cupped floorboards
Cheap but very good - some noise even on low:
- X-Dry on Ebay for about =A399-129, new is =A3189 (not much more). Puts out about 440-750W of heat, uses a rotating disc of silica gel and probably peltier system to condense moisture back out. They are very powerful even at low temperatures. The airflow even on "Low" is a bit high for domestic use.
- Ruby Dry, but buy new as many on Ebay are reconditioned and can be a bit rough. New is =A3199. Same technology as the X-Dry, not as well built, but lower noise and airflow.
- Best dehumifier is Mitsubishi EVX, but they are =A3300 new (and last several years)
Use vacuum cleaners regularly.
Cavity Wall Insulation which you can't as solid brick.
If you ever decorate...
- Primer-G or SBR the walls (waterproof seal)
- Mapei Keraflex skim (slurry to waterproof)
- a) Marmox 20mm 30mm if no wall depth available re door frames
- b) Celotex/Kingspan 25mm between 1" treated battens, then cover in another 25-35-40mm Celotex, then plasterboard, then a flash skim of plaster (so you can remove wallpaper without ripping the plasterboard apart
Uninsulated solid 9" wall has U =3D 2.11, R =3D 0.47.
- Adding 20mm Marmox, U =3D 1.50, R =3D 0.60
- Combined U =3D 1 / (0.47+0.60) =3D 0.93
- 56% reduction in heat loss, 440W required vs 1000W before
Uninsulated solid 9" wall has U =3D 2.11, R =3D 0.47.
- Adding 50mm Celotex, U =3D 0.40, R =3D 2.00
- Combined U =3D 1 / (0.47+2.00) =3D 0.40
- 81% reduction in heat loss, 190W required vs 1000W before
I mention Marmox because even where door frames go right into the walls, and you have double door frames (ie, no way of being able to move them), you can still replace 16mm plaster with 20mm Marmox and achieve better than halving of heat loss. The vastly warmer wall to the touch will reduce draughts and improve comfort.
Hmmm :-)
Despite what many say, carpet is fine when regularly vacuumed. It is warm, insulative and acoustically good. However do you have wooden floors downstairs, I assume all external vents are clear - ie, no standing water underneath which would not help above. PU underlay are about double the Tog rating (by virtue of their great thickness) compared to waffle-rubber type.
Argos surprisingly do the "midi" Honeywell HEPA filter for =A378. Homebase also list the "midi" 5018E version. That is a very good price, they used to be =A3149 199 259 for small-medium-large. Amazon list the replacement filter drum on its own, the actual "midi" is =A3169 which is the more usual price so Argos seem to have got some cheap probably as the slightly older design (nothing wrong with it). It is made like 1980s IT equipment compared to "Samsung construction today".
The largest is the best, but the midi should be "as close as makes no difference" because I doubt the largest is available for anywhere near =A378. The HEPA filters in normal non-continuous domestic use last several years and you can actually just vacuum the prefilters (I always have and mine are 9yrs old, no problem at all). The carbon layer may be stuffed but that is not critical really if non-smokers. Just run on minimum, they usually have a soft-start.
It was a thought Harry. When you look past the LED's and fancy trim it seems to get best overall / general purpose air cleaning you are looking at a filter and a fan. Building your own may end up more expensive and would obviously take time an effort but the reason many of us choose this option is because:
a) We can b) We like to c) We have control over the finished product d) We can make it fit our location / needs e) We can do things that may not be done commercially (that may be because there is no call for or our solution may not work for anyone else but sometimes because it's not possible to offer commercially or it hasn't been thought of before? ;-)
Like. The misting water filter idea (for pollen rather than building rubble) as it could mean you would avoid filter costs and high noise / pressure fans and you could sterilise the water using existing products (as supplied for ponds etc). Ok, you might have to integrate it with a de-humidifier (there's your fan and pre-filter covered) and it might involve a bit of plumbing but ...
Yep, that was the sort of thing I was thinking other than it would probably be better off in the same room (this is filtration rather than extraction etc).
It seems the limiting factor here is the HEPA filters, their porosity and hence the air pressure needed hence noise / power etc.
The way some manufacturers seem to get round it (as has been mentioned) is to allow the filters to be more 'open' but to put many different technologies in the path and assume multiple passes of the air.
The problem is (here and I know you weren't offering that as a specific solution etc) is the dust and dirt may have been trapped efficiently but they were not the 'stuff' that would be dangerous to us.
Was it laser printer toner that people would try to Hoover up and simply blow it straight through the cleaner and over the people behind them? ;-(
Cheers, T i m
Ah.
Is this something they would be (typically) willing to put me through or do you have to fight for them etc?
Ah. I've not even got cavity walls. ;-(
Talking about that, the main bedroom wall is one of the flank - end_of_terrace walls so cops the weather and is cold (not an internal wall or inter property wall). It's currently still lined with the old render / plaster that you could take off with a wooden spatula and hoover up as sand. I had the hall / stairs re cement rendered / plastered using a 'thermal plaster' but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be as effective as some form of batten / insulation / plasterboard or foam-backed board etc?
On the damp topic, would it be best to remove the old plaster and render and re- cement render or just put (whatever) directly against the old bricks (assuming they don't all fall out of course)?
Cheers, T i m
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I can't really offer any advice on this because my tests were done over 50 years ago and medicine has probably moved on since then!
In those distant days it was freely offered to me as I was suffering quite badly. My experience was that the desensitisation was quite unpleasant and ineffective. One item which showed up in the tests was a strong allergy to camel fur but it's never really troubled me. I think that most GPs would be more than happy to refer you to a hospital for tests as it's so much easier for them.
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I don't really think that this makes much difference either way unless there is some kind of mould in the damp plaster. I don't believe the old wives' tales about cold and damp being dangerous. It may be unpleasant but it's really only water vapour and of course it won't show up in the allergy tests. Obviously it will be more comfortable if the old plaster is replaced but you'll still have a cold wall. Proper heating / ventilation is the best and most immediate answer.
Cic.
================================================= Using Ubuntu Linux Windows shown the door =================================================
T i m pretended :
I don't know, but I would imagine the voltage would attract all of the particles to it, irrespective of their size, providing the air flow is sufficiently slow on its way through the charged area. One problem you will be faced with is cleaning the unit down regularly.
That is/was laser toner :-)
Which are extremely fine particles and as you probably know they use electrostatic attraction to pick up the toner in the printer, as part of the printing process.
I like the idea of the water mist filter, but again it is not without its problems. One will be as already mentioned - the humidity it creates, the other being that it will draw quite a lot of heat from the air to generate that humidity.
I have little faith in any of them and in spite of generally being able to give them a very accurate description of my symptoms have never had a 'cure' (not that I expect a cure in all cases of course but even when one was available I've generally dumped what they prescribed and sorted it myself).
Check.
No sign of damp on the chimney breasts, even those that are unused or still in plaster trim? ;-)
K?
Erm, is this the same eBay as I'm using (.co.uk) as I can see no reference to either? ;-(
;-)
Indeed.
LOL.
Is this a good idea. I thought (especially with this sort of solid wall) that they should be allowed to breathe?
I think we are ok there. It's pretty well a plain blank wall.
What is the purpose of the battens then?
Nice. The other wall is South facing and has two double glazed / uPVC windows. Because of the windows I don't think it would be quite so easy to treat in this way?
So this is just the losses through that one wall ('f*ck' if it is). ;-(
FWIW we have a single slimline storage rad on there on e7 and it seems to cope ok (and is rarely on all night (it cut's in when it needs towards the end of the charge period))
Hmmm. Sounds like it might need a further look for all the other external walls that haven't already been re-plastered etc (or even the main flank / stairwell / hall that has?).
Nice.
Well it's a little North facing box room so I built a bed up across the whole end (full sized single) over a full width / 1m deep desk. I also built a flight of stairs that are also storage and easier on bare feet than ladders. 25 years later our 19 year old daughter and her
6'4" b/f are sharing it! ;-)We should regularly vacuum you say? ;-)
Hmm. So carpet tiles could be ok then (and are durable, easy to lay and a bit warmer than laminate?).
Everywhere except the kitchen / rear addition.
Pretty sure that's all ok, yep.
Ok, something else to consider then thanks (and something we might be looking at soon).
The reviews aren't very encouraging noise wise, unless I'm going to leave it on in a spare room (door open) or just when I'm making dust etc?
Ok.
Apart from it being more noisy possibly?
I like it. ;-)
Ok, and at that price it would be worth a crack?
I like it.
No one has ever smoked in the 30 years we have been here. That's also why the ceilings are still white. ;-)
Ok, Thanks.
Cheers, T i m
yup modern non-drowsy antihistamine
?? why stopped? what did you read on steroids? not the "moon face" of systemic steroids?
I've been "on" both those for over 5 years with no (identifiable :>)) probs....
Would you say your chest could be asthma? Are you allergic to aspirin? (if you don;t know plse don't "just" test
- seriously..)
Cheers JimK
Dehumidifiers were "all sold" by late November. People buy them in winter, then sell them early spring usually - boats, sheds, garages, car people, etc.
They breathe externally unless you have a waterproof render & lime plaster internally.
Primer-G & SBR on the wall seal it. Mapei Keraflex is a cementituous adhesive which waterproofs it (you do not want the dew point moving out of the wall into the interstitial space between wall and plasterboard or it will simply saturate with water, rotting the battens and getting rather nasty).
Then you mount wooden 25mm battens to the wall surface whilst the keraflex is still wet, between the battens you fit 25mm Celotex. Over the battens you fit 25mm Celotex, then plasterboard. The idea of Celotex over the battens is to prevent cold bridging and the battens provide something to screw the plasterboard to.
The windows should be "set-back" from the internal wall face in the window reveal (cutout in the wall). So the insulation thickness merely affects the window reveal board (replace by 12.5mm celotex, 10-12.5mm marmox to reduce the cold bridge) and the window sill inside (fit a deeper one or router a tongue & groove and extend accordingly).
Yes it can be. The worse rooms are "box rooms" with 2 outer walls. However with sold brick walls, any are bad because I am not convinced the U value consider the water content after say 11wks of heavy rain and then cold weather. Wet brickwork will have very poor insulation value compared to dry. Perhaps the figures accommodate it.
With solid brick walls you should feel a cold draught plunging off them, particularly in hallways due to the height and usually the stairs acting as a "tunnel" downwards. That cold draught can be removed by insulation - as well as reducing the heating you require.
Solid double brick have the greatest need for insulation (4x worse than an insulated cavity wall).
YES if you have any respiratory allergies :-) Very often that alone eliminates the problem.
Carpet over PU underlay will give you the best thermal benefit, you lose about 25-30% of your heat through the floor and from experience of uninsulated concrete with quarry tiles there is a very noticeable difference between tredaire waffle rubber and tredaire 11mm PU Dreamwalk. On the latter my calves ached within 20secs, with Dreamwalk there is none of that coldness. The carpet is "self-underlay" with felt, hessian backed so it has perhaps 4Tog rather than the usual 3 or Dreamwalk - the original waffle rubber was about 1.13Tog.
Ebay is good for 15m-sq rolls, about =A338 delivered.
Had not checked reviews, but yes - noise is the issue. Minimum is not too bad, but forget "PC quiet type of noise". It's a big radial fan with high resistance air filter, but compared to suffering with hayfever a 10min run lasts quite some time. One point to note is regular HEPA vacuuming negates the need to run it, I have not run it for the past 2yrs - 2 Miele vacuum's with their own cleaner bags and HEPA panel filter.
=A378 is a bargain. The actual drum filter is about =A332-40 (however it will never need changing).
Since it is Argos I think you might be able to return it if you do not like it (check for the symbol), if so check Homebase. Alternatively Ebay it because they do sell - people know they work and are aware of the noise.
Is there an over_the_counter (cheaper) equiv as I've got to ring the Doc for a repeat prescription soon?
Erm ...
That they don't actually cure anything directly and can cave some unpleasant side effects (especially if you can do without them). Even if it wasn't true (and even if some of the side effects mentioned on the paperwork with this Nasonex are true I'd not need to read elsewhere) I'd rather pass if possible.
Not had any dealings with them myself up to now but like I said if it's the choice of rock or hard place ...
Good. ;-)
I don't know, never had asthma nor been close to anyone who has to know how it feels etc.
I'm not allergic to anything that I'm aware of ... yet something isn't right. ;-(
Cheers, T i m
p.s. I have enjoyed the ability to answer all the typical questionnaires in the negative ...
"Have you had any car claims, convictions, disabilities, been refused insurance ... "
No.
"Have you ever been refused finance ...."
No.
"Are you allergic to any ... "
No
"Do you have any implants, contact lenses, artificial limbs ...."
No
"Have you ever smoked, do you drink [1], taken any drugs or are you on any medication ..."
Do antihistamines and statins count?
[1] Just the occasional Special Brew. ;-)
That is available OTC. Available from (among others):
Somewhat cheaper than the branded versions such as Benadryl, Zirtec, Pollenshield, etc. - and than an NHS prescription (at least for 30 tablets).
(However, as I said in another post, I prefer Loratadine, another non-drowsy anti-histamine. Also even cheaper.)
Ah, handy. Do we know they are safe etc (seen bad things about 'Internet drugs')? Also, not sure I trust a Co who suggest these tablets will give:
"?Immediate solution the pain and irritation of your sensitive teeth ?One 10 minute application gives you immediate relief" ;-)
Ok.
Yup, £7.20 or summat? ;-(
Ah, I read that but as I didn't think I was "anyone who uses Loratadine (e.g. Clarityn) as their chosen anti-histamine" I didn't follow it up. ;-(
Cheers, T i m
I wouldn't for a moment dismiss concerns about 'Internet drugs', but we have bought a fair variety from some UK and US companies. Always careful to make out own assessments of the companies and check their reputations so far as we can. All products have been spot on, real, good, as described - so far as we have been able to tell. Indeed, some have proved to be more reliable than UK pharmacy dispensed versions of the same prescription medicines.
Must admit, that link is to a company we have not used but I have seen others mention them. Yes - that sensitive teeth comment does sound like a claim too far for the tablets!
That principal makes sense on something like an air cleaner when the air might go round a few times and the contaminates are very small but less so on a domestic cleaner.
Cheers, T i m
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