Late June, 2002
Dear
Everyone,
 From
time to time my job as Company president is pure pleasure. My favorite
task this summer is being asked by manufacturers to try out hypoallergenic
luxury bedding. I enrolled my husband, yet again, into making our
bedroom a product-testing laboratory.
As the poor man was trying to get to sleep the other night, I was quizzing
him on how he liked the silk
filled comforter or DIVA
400 thread count sheets. Forever mischievous at 65 years old,
he informed me that if we were to take this product testing seriously,
we should do it in our "body suits," in order to really feel
the difference in thread counts and finishes!
So we are awash with sample pillows, comforters and bed
linen. My husband says we are getting so spoiled, he can foresee we will
be taking our own bed linen on vacation with us. Of course, that is the
downside; I now hate sleeping away from home. When we went away for Father's
Day, I woke up feeling very stiff, and as such, was mournfully contemplating
the next 30 or so years of my life. The instant I returned and slept on
the Royal-Pedic bed at home, I felt just fine.
My biggest find to date are silk-filled comforters, a wonderful choice
for summer bedding. Like anything else, when you dig a bit deeper, silk
comforters are not all created equal, as you will read about in this
issue.
Enjoy your July 4th celebrations and the ongoing summer!
I am off to Alaska for a couple of weeks, so do not write to me until
mid-July.
 Do please
let your friends know about AllergyBuyersClub.com and forward this issue
to those you might think might be interested.
Mercia Tapping
President / CEO
AllergyBuyersClub.com
Contact Information
Disclaimer: Product and solution information reflect information available at the time of publication, including prices, availability, and reviews. To get the latest information, contact us or join our newsletter.
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Bedding
for the Summer Season
 With
summer upon us, we reluctantly put away our Artic weight Hypodown comforter.
We have air conditioning but our bedroom is still quite warm in summer
months. My best picks for summer lightweight comforters are the Ming
Dynasty silk comforters (reviewed below in next article) or the Hypodown
800-fill southern weight comforters. Both are in the category of "spoil
yourself" but silk-filled comforters cost less than you would think.
The value choices are the Hyperclean down blanket and the Primaloft synthetic
down blanket.
See all the Comforters at Allergybuyersclub.com
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All
about Silk Comforters
 Silk
comforters are a new addition to our site and I have
been educating myself as the subtle differences between
brands and what makes a silk comforter worth taking
a look at for a summer bedding choice.
As the weather has warmed up, even in
Boston, reluctantly, my husband and I jettisoned our
Monarch Arctic 800-fill Hypodown "to die for"
comforter. My husband, who had previously complained
he was always cold before we got the Hypodown comforter,
was now complaining of being roasted alive. This opened
the way for me to turn our bedroom into yet another
laboratory for product testing - this time silk comforters.
My husband is now a very willing participant in these
experiments. Here is what I concluded.
Pluses
- First thing I noticed was how unbelievably
luxurious, supple and drapeable the whole silk comforter
felt.
- While not as "puffy" as
down, it was just dreamy as a fabric. In fact, my
husband said he liked being able to easily see the
television in bed, as he has had to mash down the
Hypodown Comforter in order to see over it!
- Silk is naturally hypoallergenic and
inhospitable to dust mites, so no allergic reaction
or need for dust-mite encasings.
- The silk comforter was as light as
a feather and I did not feel weighed down, such as
with the summer cotton blanket and cotton coverlet
I had been using. I sleep in an air-conditioned bedroom
in Boston in the summer, and found the silk comforter
surprisingly warm, in fact, warmer than I predicted.
This is due to the fine thermal properties of Mulberry
silk (explained below).
- I have tried out several silk comforters
including those made of Mulberry silk, the best quality
silk in the marketplace. The Ming Dynasty silk comforter
felt softer and smoothest of all the comforters I
tried, due to it being made out of long fiber high-quality silk. Tussah silk or wild silk is coarser
with more impurities than Mulberry silk. Mulberry
silk has better thermal properties.
Minuses
- Whatever silk comforter vendors say
about silk, it is NOT as warm as Down even in heavier
weights such as found in the Imperial Delight silk
comforter that also I tried out, but it makes it a
perfect summer weather candidate. I did find it to
be warmer than Primaloft summer blankets or a Hyperclean
down blanket.
- I was startled to detect a slight,
but not unpleasant odor, to silk comforters when I
first unpacked them. Apparently, that is the smell
of natural silk intensified by a plastic bag. It dissipated
over a couple of days' duration.
- A good silk comforter will last about
5 and up to 10 years if proper care is taken of it.
This includes always having a duvet cover on it and
never trying to wash it yourself, which would invalidate
the warranty. A silk comforter needs professional
cleaning.
- This is not the kind of comforter
to have your pets and children hang out on. While
the feel is incredibly luxurious, it also feels much
more "fragile." At the very least, I felt
this was a bedding item to be treated "carefully."
I concluded that a duvet cover was absolutely essential
and is needed in order not to void the manufacturer's
warranty. In the end, my favorite duvet cover was
a 400tc cotton sateen; a very silk and supple feeling
fabric but had the advantage of being washable - an
absolute necessity for those of us who have pets who
sneak up on the bed.
- The "hand tacking" ties
on the Ming Dynasty models initially appeared like
the finish work on the comforter was somewhat lacking,
until I learned that hand tacking or hand ties are
the traditional Chinese design and are there to keep
the hand ties in place. In any case, the ties do not
show once the comforter is put into a duvet cover.
Summary
I am thrilled with my Ming
Dynasty silk comforter as a summer addition to my
bed. It feels extremely luxurious and it has just the
right of warmth for the warmer weather. From $369.95.
See all comforters at AllergyBuyersClub.com
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Update
on Primaloft Synthetic Down
Primaloft
is a hypoallergenic fiber which mimics down. As such, it is perfect for
the allergy sufferer and what's more it is a fraction of the price of
real down bedding. It is very soft and lofty. So as you can imagine, it
is very popular with our website visitors. In theory, you can also wash
it, and the label on the comforter gives precise instructions as to how
to go about doing that.
Here is our caveat. A Primaloft comforter will give you
good honest wear, as long as you put it inside a duvet cover to minimize
the need to clean it. What's more when you clean it DO NOT wash it in
your washing machine at home. Most home washing machines are too small
and the comforter will come out lumpy (read "ruined"). The same
advice applies to Primaloft pillows. While a Primaloft comforter could
give you several years wear if treated with care, a Primaloft pillow will
last 18 months to 2 years before losing its loft and going completely
flat. Primaloft is delightfully soft and is very reasonably priced, but
do not make the mistake of thinking it either has the lasting power of
a top-quality down comforter or indeed the warmth of an arctic weight down
comforter. We believe that many people in the Northeast would not find
that Primaloft comforters are warm enough in winter. Conversely, a Primaloft
blanket is an excellent value choice for southern or summer climates.
See all the pillows at AllergyBuyersClub.com
See all the comforters at Allergybuyersclub.com
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Update on the
perfect pillow
Ever
since I wrote the article last year "In
Search of the Perfect Pillow," people keep on asking me, "Well
have you found it yet?"
Now here's my update!
Wool pillows
Wool is inhospitable to dust mites and it goes on forever. I see our wool
pillows as virtually indestructible. It is not a lofty pillow and what
loft it does have disappears quite quickly. Great for those who like a
very firm pillow.
Alpaca pillows
Alpaca pillows are an undiscovered little jewel. As hard wearing as our
pure wool pillows, they contain 70% alpaca and 30% wool. BUT given that Alpaca
is softer than cashmere they have all the advantages of a wool pillow
but are discernibly softer.
Hypoallergenic down primaloft pillows
See my remarks in above article. We actually enjoy our Primaloft pillows,
I just wish they lasted a little longer, but for the price they cannot
be beat. The medium-fill compresses down quite a bit within 6 months and
is flat after two years. For a synthetic down, feeling as soft as it does,
you cannot beat it, especially at the price.
Royal Pedic natural latex pillows
These are wonderful pillows especially if you need to align your back
and neck. They are best for side and back sleepers but not for those who
like to sleep on their stomachs. We are disappointed that these contoured pillows were not
larger in size and they are not for those who wriggle around in the night,
because you manually need to readjust the pillow when you move, as the
latex is rigid in form. Also they are not for people who like to mash
a pillow into a ball beneath them.
 Hypodown
pillows
In my opinion, these are the crème de la crème. We started
with Hypodown firm pillows which after a year show virtually no signs
of aging. However, given the choice again we would go with Hypodown Soft
or Medium 800-fill pillows.
We did a blind test in the office between the 600- and 800-fill
pillows. Everyone got it right, there is a noticeable difference between
them.
Hyperclean pillows
Hyperclean Pillows are good hypoallergenic down pillows that are more
value priced than the Hypodown and also have some useful child
and travel sizes. They do not have the same luxury feel as a 800-fill
pillow but they will still last for years and not cause allergic reactions.
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Your
Furnace Filter -
What A Furnace Filter Can Do
For You
by CHMC
 Traditionally,
furnace filters were designed to protect the furnace and
fans. With increased air quality awareness, some filters
are now being installed to reduce exposure to particles
which can affect your health.
There is a wide variety of furnace filters
available. However, you may find it difficult to select
one that suits your needs and know what to expect since
there is no common rating system. This purpose of this
document is to provide you with guidance when selecting
your furnace filter.
What Airborne Particles Are Found In Your
Home?
The particles you breathe in your home
come from a variety of sources including:
- dust on floors or other surfaces that
is disturbed by activity in the house;
- dust generated by smoking, burning
candles, cooking, doing laundry, etc.;
- hair and skin flakes from humans or
pets;
- and particles from the outside air
which come into your home with infiltrating air.
Some particles are so small that they
are inhaled and then exhaled without being trapped in
your lungs. Some larger particles are trapped in your
nose and throat and never reach your lungs. Still other
particles are too large to be inhaled.The particles
most dangerous to you are those that enter your lungs
and lodge there.
You can see the particles of dust which
accumulate on your television screen, shelves, and furniture.
But you can't see the respirable particles. Respirable
particles can be easily inhaled into your lungs and
provoke respiratory illness. Although you would probably
like to keep visible dust out of your home, the main
health risk comes from respirable particles, which include
tobacco smoke, spores, bacteria, and viruses.
The activity levels of the people in your
home can affect the air you breathe. Activity such as
vacuuming and cooking can create or stir up particles.
On the other hand, during periods of inactivity such
as the middle of the night, particle concentrations
tend to be much lower.
Filter Research
CMHC conducted a study to verify filter
manufacturer claims and to determine whether good filters
will significantly reduce your exposure to airborne
particles. All results are compiled and discussed in
the research report: Evaluation of Residential Furnace
Filters (1999). You can obtain a copy of this report
by calling the Canadian Housing Information Centre (CHIC)
at 1 800 668-2642. A summary of the results of this
study follows.
Research Program
The CMHC study first tested ten filter
types in a single home and then the following filters
in 5 additional homes:
i) 25 mm (1") premium media filter
ii) Charged media type electronic
iii) 100 mm (4") pleated media filter
iv) High efficiency bypass filters, such as a HEPA
(high efficiency particle arrestor)
v) Electronic plate and wire (ESP)
Air in the houses was tested when these
higher efficiency filters were in use. The results were
compared to when no filter was used.
The electronic plate and wire filter (ESP)
produces some ozone during its operation. Exposure to
elevated ozone can irritate your lungs. Separate testing
was done to verify whether the amount of ozone produced
by the ESP could affect the occupants of the home.
Testing Limitations
Each filter was in use in each house only
for one or two days. The effects of dust accumulation
on filter performance could not be evaluated in these
tests. If a filter actually cleaned dust out of a house
by cleaning house air, these tests were too brief for
such effects to be seen.
Research Results
The research showed that exposure of the
house occupants to airborne particles appears to be
directly linked to their activities when they are in
the home. The furnace filter appears to have only a
moderate effect on the exposure of an individual to
respirable particles in the home.
Consider each member in your home to be
followed by a cloud of dust-like "Pig Pen"
in the "Peanuts" comic strip by Charles Schulz.
When occupants are moving around, they stir up the dust.The
dust in this cloud is usually not affected by the quality
of the furnace filter because the filter is far away
down a duct.
The table below shows the percentage of
improvement provided by each filter versus having no
filter. The improvements are greater when there is no
activity in the home, but particle levels were quite
low in the test houses during these periods whether
or not the air was being filtered.
The Cost Of Clean Air
For a furnace fan filter to be effective,
your furnace fan would have to run almost all the time.
Unless you already have your furnace fan operating all
the time, this additional fan use can add up to $200
per year to your electric bill. The following table
shows the cost, including maintenance, of each filter
over a period of 15 years compared to the cost per unit
of clean air they provided.
| Filter |
Maintenance
and capital costs,
per year, over 15 years ($) |
Amount of clean air produced
(litres/second) |
Cost of clean air
per year
($/litres/second) |
| 25mm pleated |
48 |
17 |
3.36 |
| 25mm premium |
100 |
97 |
1.13 |
| Charged media |
43 |
44 |
1.25 |
| 100mm pleated |
93 |
60 |
1.71 |
| HEPA bypass |
240 |
175 |
2.03 |
| ESP |
67 |
298 |
0.26 |
The following table shows the cost, including
maintenance, of each filter over a period of 15 years
compared to the cost per unit of clean air they provided.
The table shows that filters which cost the least produced
very little clean air. The 25 mm pleated filter actually
had the greatest cost per unit of clean air. The ESP
filter was the most cost effective because it produced
the most amount of clean air, and cost very little to
do so.
Filter results
| Filter |
% improvements
during active periods in the home |
% improvements
during non-active periods in the home |
| 25mm premium |
21 |
57 |
| Charged media |
9 |
29 |
| 100mm pleated |
9 |
13 |
| HEPA bypass |
23 |
38 |
| ESP |
31 |
71 |
What About Ozone?
Despite being the most effective filter
in the tests, the ESP produces small amounts of ozone
during operation. In the research project, a survey
of fifteen homes with ESP filters showed that all ESPs
created ozone in the air stream of the duct. None of
these raised ozone levels in the house air above the
safe concentrations recommended by health guidelines.
During the test period, ozone levels were always higher
in the outside air than in house air, despite the ozone
production by the ESP filters.
Conclusions
This research showed that the particles
in the duct air can be reduced when an upgraded filter
is installed.The results also showed that this reduction
will only moderately reduce indoor exposure to respirable
particles.
So... How Do You Reduce Levels Of Respirable
Particles?
Our best current guess is to reduce dust
entry by:
- removing footwear on entry;
- keeping major dust generators (smoking,
pets, etc.) out of the house;
- reducing dust collecting surfaces (open
shelves, carpets, upholstered furniture, etc.);
- diligent and frequent vacuuming with
an efficient vacuum cleaner;
- reducing the entry of particle-laden
outdoor air by closing windows, improving house airtightness,
and installing an intake filter on the air supply;
- using a good furnace filter.
Most of these recommendations will also
reduce the amount of visible dust in your house.
©1996-2002 CMHC-SCHL, Reprinted with
permission
See the full selection of furnace filters at Allergybuyersclub.com
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Travel
Product Ideas
 As the new Lincoln car TV ad states there are those
who travel, and those who travel well. We have a few products for those
who want to travel well. A silk
pillowcase in a pocket or silk
sleep sacks for those who are not sure who and what has slept on hotel
bedding before them. Some Bath
Balls to take out the chlorine from bath water, a car
air purifier for the car traveler and a Roomaid
air purifier for a light weight portable air cleaner are some of our
best picks.
Crystal Ball Bath Water Filter
Silk Pillow Cases
DreamSacks Silk Sleep Sacks & Sleeping Bag Liners
Portable Car Air Purifier
Roomaid Portable Air Purifiers
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New
Product Roundup
A)
NEW
MODEL EUREKA OXYGEN VACUUM CLEANER 6996
 This model replaces the old top of the line model 6999
and still comes with a washable HEPA filter and is priced at $899.00 but
we sell it for $699.99. Basically some of the little irritations we had
criticized in the 6999 model have now been eliminated. Softer vinyl wheels
for easy maneuverability and an easier new wand lock release are the best
improvements in our opinion. BONUS ITEMS at Allergy Buyers Club: a FREE
mini turbo brush AND a FREE deluxe 12-inch floor tool!
B)
BUNK
BEDS FOR THE KIDS
 We've answered your requests to provide a larger range of beds, bunk beds, loft beds, trundle beds and cribs for children's
rooms and nurseries. Our range is a decently-priced natural wood collection
of quality furniture which includes birch, ash and maple. Accessories
such as desks, nightstands and dressers are also available.
C) ALLERAIR AIR PURIFIERS UPDATE
For those with multiple
chemical sensitivities or needing odor,
smoke and gas control, AllerAir has a good range of cost-effective
products to suit such needs.
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Some
points to consider about Dehumidifiers
(found
at a public message board) "pelmark" wrote:
What to look for is "AHAM" rating,
which is measured at 80 degrees F., and 60% RH, which is far closer to
what you are actually going to be dehumidifiying. ("AHAM": American
Home Appliance Manufacturer's spec of 80 degrees F., or 27 C., at 60%
RH, or "relative humidity".)
AHAM may not be voluntarily provided, as AHAM is a
much truer measure of what your dehumidifier will actually remove in the
humidity conditions found in normal homes and structures, even when humidity
levels are high, and as you obviously do, the homeowner wishes to dehumidify.
I live in the subtropics, the southern tip of Florida, and I seriously
doubt that "up here" you experience humidity levels we do.
I am doing a major flood right now in which the home's RH
is 78%, and is soaked. I am talking water surfacing when you walk on carpets
from the cushion (pad), and dry wall soft enough to push holes through
with light fingertip pressure. Even at this level of water present inside
the structure, my dehumidifiers will not reach their maximum stated extraction;
the temperature is too low (76 F) and so is RH at 78%. I have a dehumidifier rated at 24 gallons which is probably pulling 18 gallons every 24 hours.
That's a guess. Now, I will get this to increase over time, and for awhile
(until significant moisture removal is accomplished), by using air movement
to raise RH.
Its rating is established at 90F @ 90% RH, and it has a
12,700 BTU compressor, and is moving 450 CFM. If I get the indoor air
to 90F, I will increase RH to probably 90--95% (water will evaporate to
the air), but I then run the risk of really activating biological growths,
and more damage to the structure and contents.
So I add blowers to get water vapor to the air, which then
increases RH levels through evaporation, and my dehumidifier removes the
water vapor. Air movement alone, will indeed dry out a structure, but
it will take far longer which increase damages, both structural and contents.
And without air movement, dehumidifiers will never dehumidify adjacent
rooms unless the moisture laden air is *brought* to them.
It would, however, allow the dehumidifier to remove more
water in 24 hours. Warmer air carries more water than cooler air. Air
movement gets water to water vapor to air to increase RH, and moves this
air to the dehumidifier.
Previous message(What I know is that I've seen. For the
size of building and approx. humidity,the recommended unit was way too
small. IOW, the "recommended" 25 unit would shut off during
the night)
Because if at MAX, it removes 25 liters per day, then at
the humidity levels in you home which are closer to 80F and 60% RH, it
is actually removing approximately 13 litres per day. Why it shuts off,
depends on the unit. Tank filled?
Your 50 litre per day dehumidifier is assuredly rated at
high temperature (90-95 F) and maximum humidity of 90-95% RH.
Unless your structure is at those levels, it will never
extract that much water.It is simple, really. Your advice was correct:
get a larger unit, because the rating is deceptive as to capacity. We
are differing on the why sort of.
(Ergo, less humidity removed unless I get up to empty the
tank or have it hooked to a drain (not yet)).
Perhaps you have the owner's manual? See what it says (if
anything) on *how* it is determined the unit removes "50 litres"
per day.
You may misunderstand me: I am saying that if you need 25
litres of water per day removed from the structure, you will require at
least a 50 litre per day dehumidifier. Not a dehumidifier which is rated
at 25 litres per day, maximum water removal, which will only remove 13
litres. And dehumidifiers are sold rated at "maximum water removal",
NOT what they will remove in a 75 degree house.
The marketing on dehumidifiers is simple: they state the
maximum amount of water a dehumidifier will remove, but it is not stated
that this amount requires saturation which is high temperature and high
humidity, much higher than what is in your home, unless your home is at
90F and 90% RH.
There is not a home dehumidifier unit, excluding HVAC system
units, sold by any retailer which matches the smallest commercial building
dehumidifiers, and the smallest of these are mostly rated at 14 gallons
per day, or 7.25 gallons at AHAM. They also cost $775 US.
Dehumidifiers NEVER match what they are rated at, per sales
claims, UNLESS they are placed in structures where those conditions they
are rated at are met. In drying out buildings for eight years, I have
never encountered a job in which I walked in and found the air at 90F
and 90% RH, and that includes a telephone switching four story building
in which a two inch water main broke and ran for several hours before
discovery; a very hot, wet building. I measure every job with a digital
hygrometer which is accurate to 1% of RH and temperature, and I can tell
you *exactly* how much water I have removed from a structure after I compare
a few hours of running, and the inside/outside temps/RH's. It is the science
of psychometry, and removing water from air is simple physics.
Buying dehumidifiers is simple, also: compare apples to
apples, not oranges. What will the dehumidifier remove at your needed
point. If your home is kept at 75 degrees F, and the humidity level is
60%, how much water will it remove per day? What is the RH in the home,
and what do you want it to be? The cooler the air, the less water is easily
removed. Below 33 F (and usually in the forties), refrigerant dehumidifiers
don't even work, water will not condense from the air in these types of
dehumidifiers at these temperatures.
AHAM is used *precisely* to eliminate these overblown claims
of what dehumidifiers will remove. I don't *care* what it removes at some
theoretical temp/RH levels it will *never* actually be exposed to; I distinctly
care about what it will remove in the building I put it in.
Mark
See our selection of dehumidifiers at AllergyBuyersClub.com
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Letter
from a customer about their Blueair purifier
Bob,
Just wanted to confirm that we received the Blue
Air purifier and have had it working in the living room for a couple
of weeks now and it is just terrific! Both my husband and I were completely
comfortable living with the unit right from the beginning. It is elegant
looking, hard working, and unbelievably quiet. As quiet as it is, the
efficiency of the unit is very apparent. The "taste" and smell
of the air has noticeably and dramatically improved. The "dust test"
that I conducted in the bedroom, where I dusted all the surfaces and thoroughly
vacuumed and then ran the air purifier consistently to see if the dust
level remained low, I am now conducting in the living room. Since we are
in the midst of disarray just now with some late "spring cleaning,"
it's a bit harder to determine. When we have cleaned some more of the
clutter off of some surfaces, I'm sure we will find that the results with
the Blue Air are every bit as good as, if not better than, the Hamilton
Beach.
I have to reiterate that the noise level of the Hamilton
Beach, which we are using in the bedroom, is really very unobtrusive
and comfortable for us even in contrast to the eerily-quiet Blue Air.
It turns out that the low persistent sound of the fan of the Hamilton
Beach is becoming something of a comfort now that we have been living
with it for awhile. With the summer weather upon us we are now running
fans all through the night anyway. The air purifier makes less noise than
the fans on everything but the very highest setting. Also we are finding
that our general comfort this summer is superior to what we have experienced
for the last several years. Clean air indoors does make a particularly
big difference when the air is generally more prone to being still, hot,
and "heavy" with pollutants. Adding the purifiers to the fans
has made a remarkable improvement.
We are extremely pleased with all our purchases from you
and we'll be back when we have other needs (and more money to spend).
I'm planning to be back to you very shortly, actually, for dust mite encasings
as my husband dislikes the ones we have. Certainly we'll be back for the
replacement filters we'll be needing for the air purifiers.
Thanks again for the time and patience you showed us in
helping us carefully select the perfect solutions for our needs. You have
won yourself two extremely satisfied and very loyal customers!
Sincerely,
Althea & Derek L
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