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Nashville, TN
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[#1] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 1:21:46 PM |  |  |
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Hey everyone. I just moved into a new house, previously owned, built in 1960, gas heat, ranch house, with basement. I moved in the first weekend in January. I've been noticing that I have incredible dry eye syndrome, somewhat dry skin, somewhat scratchy throat.
I'm trying to pinpoint the cause. I had the floors refinished and some painting done. It could be that. It could be the ducts need cleaning. It could simply be the dry heat. Or, it could be hidden mold, or mold in the basement, re-circulating.
So, before I freak out, I'm asking around and getting folks opinions on next steps. My son lives there with me as well, and I don't see any symptoms in him...
Thanks!
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#3] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 1:31:31 PM | | |
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It's gas forced heat - and no, I didn't have that at my previous home. My previous home was a rental, not very well insulated, and with electric heat.
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Chicago, IL
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#4] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 2:57:15 PM | | |
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Do a very thorough cleaning, clean the coil in the furnace, replace the filter. Personally, I wouldn't do the ducts yet, as duct cleaning (counter intuitively) is overrated as a means for improving indoor air quality.
Yes, you could have some mold, but simple cleaning will go a very long way toward removing that as a problem.
Is the basement damp? Is there any obvious staining or appearance of water stains?
After that, it's impossible to diagnose indoor air quality on a message board. We might be able to point you in a direction, but most of the analysis is going to be on you.
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Kurt in Chicago
"If I smell it, it goes in the report".............Phillip Smith...2012
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indy, IN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#5] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 3:56:11 PM | | |
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I think Kibbel may have been implying that if you didn't have forced air heat before, it may take some getting used to.
Or what Kurt said....
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#6] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 6:17:40 PM | | |
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That's all good advice, thanks, and yes, understood you can't diagnose exactly. I'm just trying to get other folks' experience and work through the process of elimination.
On the ? The basement is finished, but I don't see any visible signs of water. It's slightly musty, but doesn't feel damp. There is a laundry room/bath off the basement, where I may have detected a little bit of mold behind the washer. So, I'm going to work at cleaning that up, of course
And, I'm going to get humidity meters upstairs and down.
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#7] Posted: 02/03/2012 - 7:17:22 PM | | |
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Forced air heat dries me out (and screws up my acoustic guitars). In the winter, I have to keep my home above 50% humidity to eliminate some symptoms similar to yours.
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| Bill Kibbel, Historic & Commercial Building Inspections - Old House Resources |
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Spring Hill (Nashville area), Tennessee
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#9] Posted: 02/05/2012 - 07:16:02 AM | | |
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Thanks Scott.
I just got a pocket humidity gauge and it's showing 58% - but that's partly because of the rainy weather we've had the last couple days. Dry eyes have been better. But nasal drip is still there and my son has a bit of a runny nose.
I have thought it's dust and paint and what not, from work that was done.
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Collins, NY
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#10] Posted: 02/06/2012 - 04:55:59 AM | | |
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Greater than 50% RH indoors is hideously uncomfortable, not to mention moist enough to grow all sorts of stuff.
I just looked at a ranch house built in 04, a pole barn over a full basement with two zone hydronic radiant heat, completely clad in steel. My humidistat went berserk when I took it out of my pocket. In less than 20 seconds the readings went something like: 21, 34, 45, 62, 74, then froze on 88. I reset it twice and installed new batteries, same result. The homeowner had analog gauges in several rooms of the house reading 57 to 68% with indoor temps in the low 60's. It was so muggy in there that I broke a sweat doing an IR scan.
And to think I was called out to diagnose a condensation problem
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Tom
http://clearcreekhomeinspection.com/
Life is tough enough as it is, it's tougher when your stupid. Don't do stupid things.
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#11] Posted: 02/06/2012 - 08:53:11 AM | | |
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It seems to have settled on 55%, indoor temp about 66 degrees; but it doesn't feel muggy. It's process of elimination, so I'll probably start with the duct cleaning. If that doesn't do it, then it's on to pinpointing mold/moisture.
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State: PA & NJ
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#14] Posted: 02/06/2012 - 5:22:22 PM | | |
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How so? (Re; the duct cleaning). I've talked to two air quality tester guys who suggested it as the first action. I'm open to all ideas here, just asking! Thanks
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#16] Posted: 02/07/2012 - 06:53:22 AM | | |
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Well, then, where would you start?
Your point is well taken. But, I'm trying to look at process of elimination. Ducts would certainly collect dust and crud and circulate it and a duct guy looking at them would at least be able to give me a sense of that. The other tract would be to try and focus on the mold.
Well, I have very little visible mold - a little in the bathroom downstairs. The humidity has dropped with the weather (low 40s) and it feels stuffy in the house a little bit, but not muggy. So, I'm not so sure that's it. and you'retalking investigative work in that regard too - at a cost - and one certainly doubts many of the mold remediation guys out there jumping on the bandwagon. So, I'm not sure how one tract is better than the other. Seems like you eliminate them as you go.
That's a long way of saying, if you don't start with the duct work - where would you start?
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Nashville, TN
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dust mites or mold or something else
[#17] Posted: 02/09/2012 - 06:54:45 AM | | |
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Hey all, I just thought I'd update you as you've been so cool and part of this is all detective work and the more we talk to each other, the more we learn.
I decided to have someone do a deep clean of the house, I'm having someone look at the ducts (before committing to cleaning),and I'm also having some air testing done. Folks tend to think it's VOCs or the ducts, as opposed to mold, but I'm thrown by the fact that even with the cold spell here in Nashville, indoor humidity never drops below 44%. Although maybe that's my cheap meter? It never feels "wet", however, and I never come close to breaking a sweat. So, that's probably the most puzzling part.
So hopefully doing all of the above will start eliminating possibilities and point me in a more specific direction.
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