After my house was destroyed during the 2008 Hurricane Season I spent many months afterward living in temporary housing - my camper. I love my camper dearly and under normal circumstances I never had any problems or issues. However, this changed while living in it during the subsequent 24 months following the Hurricane. Due to a number of issues happening all at once, I developed allergies. Even worse, I had no way of knowing which allergen was the problem or trigger - all of them seemed to be attacking at once.
Due to my circumstances at the time, I did not have any funds to go get allergy tested, or money for allergy treatments, and was unable to move into an apartment quite yet. But I needed to resolve this issue in order to Live Healthy in the middle of all the chaos! As they say, necessity is the mother of invention and this is so true! I came up with several innovative low-cost ways to keep my interior allergy-free. With the implementation of these 5 Allergy Fighting Methods, within a couple of weeks, my allergies abated to a manageable level.
1. Cleaning The Indoor Air
Indoor air can be filled with thousands of allergens that cannot be seen; dust, dust-mites, pet dander (if you have pets) and pollution from outside.
The air itself must be cleaned of these allergens so that they are not breathed in and constantly setting off the body's histamine levels.
Solution: Buy a 20 X 20 box fan ($14.99 at Walmart). Buy an Air Filter that is rated at least 1300 ($13.99 at Walmart). Plug the fan in and place the filter on the back side of the fan so the air is sucked through the filter. Presto! An in-expensive air filtering system. I had 2 set up in the camper; 1 in the bedroom and one in the main area.
Make certain to change the filters at least every month.
Cost: $$ 30.00
2. Lower The Humidity Level
Check the humidity level in your indoor space. Humidity levels of 55-60% and above can foster molds and mildews. This is naturally occurring, especially if you are living in a geographical area that is prone to humidity anyway- and you don't mold and mildew in your indoor living space.
Solution: I was fortunate to have my de-humidifier from the house that was lost. I set the humidity level at 55% and let it do its job.
If you do not have an external de-humidifier (your AC system has one internally already), you can find one at Walmart or equivalent store for under $100 if you are on a budget - also not a bad investment for your health's sake.
Cost: $$100.00
3. Vacuum With A Hepa Filter
My camper came with carpeting. My preference is for tile, laminate or vinyl flooring that can be dusted on a daily basis and cleaned easily of any spills. Carpeting, on the other hand, holds allergens and is very unsanitary.
Again, I was fortunate to still have my Dyson Vacuum with Hepa Filter that I had in my house. For those who have always wondered if they are worth the cost, my assessment is yes, absolutely! I had the fortune to find mine in 2005 when I shopped more frequently at Sam's Club, and happened to find it on sale. I've never regretted that investment. The Hepa Filter system is available on almost every vacuum currently on the market, depending what you have in your budget. The best pricing that I found was for Eureka or Dirt Devil smaller vacuums, with Hepa Filters, at Walmart for about $70.00. Not a bad investment for your health's sake.
Solution: Vacuum the carpeting at least once a week with a vacuum that is equipped with a Hepa Filter. The only cost is your time if you already own a Hepa Vac.
Cost: $$ 70.00
4. Aluminum Windows
Aluminum single-paned windows can be a nightmare. Not only are they horrible for energy efficiency, they condensate every night as the air inside is warmer than the air outside. How does this relate to allergies? When the water accumulates and sits on the windows and aluminum frame, mold can grow on these surfaces and cause allergy problems for those who are sensitive.
This is especially a problem if you have blinds and curtains in front of the window (who doesn't?) and the area cannot dry out during the day, thus staying in a damp state all the time.
Solution: This solution is in 2 parts:
First the windows and frame need to be cleaned of all the dirt, dust and mold. Clean with Clorox Clean Up or a solution of water and cap-full of bleach.
Second, the aluminum portions of the frame need to be treated so that it is more difficult for the mold/mildew to grow again. The Lysol spray in the can has anti-fungal properties in it. Spray all parts of the aluminum frame and leave it on there. Let it dry. This will inhibit any further growth of mold/mildew. Repeat the cleaning and treatment once a month as needed.
Cost: $5 and your time.
5. Weather-Stripping The Doors
Pollutants are in the air - a modern fact we cannot escape. But we do not want them in our interior living space if at all possible. To ensure that pollutants have a harder time getting in when the doors are shut, check and/or change the weather-stripping on the door so that there is no light showing. Not only is this more energy efficient, it will ensure that your indoor space is cleaner.
Solution: Weather stripping is available at any home improvement store; Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart
Cost: $$ 5 to 25 and your time to install
These methods worked wonders for my allergies when I was in the camper. I have since moved into an apartment and I implemented the same strategies again with similar results. Of course, there are many other allergy fighting products & technologies available such as UV systems and Ozone Machines, and they reportedly work great. Their only downfall is that they come with a considerable price tag of $1,000 and up!
Worst case scenario, Allergy Fighting Costs are reduced to around $200.00 for the low-cost methods, assuming a new vacuum and de-humidifier are needed. Amazingly, allergy testing alone costs upwards of $350.00 and yearly treatments are double that amount per year. Whether you currently suffer from allergies or not, try these low-cost strategies to clean the air you breathe - your lungs will thank you!
Read more about energy saving tips and techniques.
No comments:
Post a Comment