My Chemical-Free House

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Mold-Free Interiors

Prevent & Decon Mold in Your Car & AC

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prevent and treat mold in vehicles

This post contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This article covers the sources of mold growth in vehicles – AC system, high humidity storage, spills, leaks, and design malfunctions – and how to prevent them.

I go into detail on the four methods used to clean the HVAC system out, as well as methods to clean mold and cross-contamination in the vehicle as a whole.

The AC is usually the most difficult area in the vehicle to manage microbial growth. While there are certain makes and models of vehicles where this is more of an issue, to some degree it’s a problem in all vehicles due to the inherent design of the AC system.

Preventing Mold in Vehicles

Preventing Mold in the AC and Heating System (HVAC)

prevent mold in the car's AC system

The fungi and bacteria grow mostly in the evaporator core and immediate surrounds, due to humidity and moisture that forms when AC is in use. Mold can form in the ductwork as well.

To help reduce mold formation in the AC system, run the fan for the last 10 min after using the AC. (Defrost is also AC, so you need to run the fan for 10 minutes after defrost as well). This helps the evaporator dry out.

Using recirculate can worsen the problem in some situations. Bringing in fresh air (if the outdoor air has drier absolute humidity) as opposed to using recirculate can help the evaporator to dry out.

Another thing you can do is to avoid parking in areas where a lot of debris can enter the air intake.

Similarly, when driving through very dusty areas, you are bringing in dust and spores through the air intake. You may want to turn off the HVAC system completely in those conditions.

Maintenence on the vehicle should include changing the cabin air filter as needed (when it’s dirty).

I would include one of the four HVAC cleaning methods below as a preventative (before you start smelling or reacting to mold) if you do use the AC system regularly.

For those Extremely Sensitive to Mold in HVAC – How do you Turn off the AC?

Many folks who are extremely sensitive to mold do not use the AC system in their vehicle at all. If you refrain from using this right from the start with a new car, you will avoid most of the problems here.

If you want to avoid AC use altogether, using just the heating system should be fine. But, keep in mind many new vehicle models have automatic climate control which will use both heating and cooling under many different conditions (not just when defrosting). If you want to turn off the AC, look for a vehicle where this can be done – new cars have a way to disconnect the AC compressor. Ask a mechanic how to do this.

Does the auto setting on cars use AC and how to turn off AC

If you have already used the vehicle’s AC or you bought a used vehicle that has some funk in the HVAC system, then even the heating setting will circulate the fungi and bacteria throughout the vehicle.

Buying a vehicle with heated seats is a good idea in case you become sensitized to the vented HVAC and need to turn it off for a while (and try and clean it). Some very sensitive folks have had to turn it off permanently if they have not had success with the cleaning methods.

One other hack is that you can externally mount the HVAC system to get easy access to the evaporator. This is a very unusual hack. You can find photos of it in the group Mold Avoiders on the Road.

Alternative Ways to Stay Cool in the Car

Cars that Come with Cooling Seats

Some of these built-in systems blow unrefrigerated air through the cushions. And some use refrigerated air that is tied into the main AC systems. The unrefrigerated air system may be safe in terms of mold prevention.

Safer Cooling Seats (or Heating)

You can also add your own cooling and heating seats to avoid the use of your car’s HVAC system.

Cooling seats that you add yourself work simply by adding a fan that blows unconditioned air which helps to cool you down.

This one (pictured) that uses fans is affordable.

The heated seats use coils, just like a heated blanket or heated jacket. Some models like the Naipo do both.

Then there are gel seats, I like the idea of the ones you put in the freezer first, then you bring it out to the car with you. This is a kids version. If you know an adult version let me know, I think it’s a good idea. You will want to dry those off though, when they come out of the freezer they are probably going to condensate.

Cooling Vests

When I used to have severe heat intolerance, I used cooling vests on my body – both active and passive vests work.

The active vests provide more cooling but are more expensive.

They were life-saving for me until I healed from heat intolerance.

Preventing Mold in the Car (as a Whole)

does mold grow in cars just from sitting in humid climates
Many of us stored our vehicles in the humid winters of the Pacific Northwest, to come back to moldy cars

Why Mold Grows Inside Vehicles

There are a few ways your vehicle can become moldy inside on the seats and upholstery. Sometimes just leaving a car to sit in a very humid place for long periods of time can cause mold to start growing on the seats.

More common though, is a spill or window left open that wasn’t dealt with fast enough.

Other sources of water damage are less common:

  • Debris accumulating in the air intake areas and connected drains (keep your air intake area clean, and change the filter). The cowl intake and drain area can collect debris. Those areas are connected to body cavities that can harbor microbial growth. Thus structural mold is possible in a vehicle, though this is less likely than mold growth in the HVAC and inside the vehicle.
  • Rainwater that has gotten into the HVAC ducts and car interior in some past Ford models – causing hidden pooling of water.

Ways to Prevent Mold Growth in Vehicles

Prevention here is key. Once mold is actively growing and has made it through to the foam in the seats, it’s a huge problem that is hard to fix.

When storing your vehicle for long periods of time in a constantly humid climate, it’s best to leave it in a sunny spot and leave it with a dehumidifier. Climate controlled indoor storage is of course ideal.

Though generally, a vehicle should be able to withstand a good amount of humidity while being stored, really high humidity for long periods has been a problem for me. I left a truck in 70-95% humidity for a couple of months and came back to mold growth. No known water intrusion.

Many others in the Pacific North West and similar climates have left vehicles sitting to come back to visible mold growing (and not from leaks).

Both active (battery-powered), and passive dehumidifiers will help. You can also monitor the outdoor humidity.

I would check on the vehicle (or have someone check on it), both to empty the dehumidifiers and possibly to dry the vehicle out actively with heat and airing every few days if necessary.

When you spill something or leave the window open, just do everything you can to dry it out within a day, which includes the above: usually sun and air, or heat and air. Add dehumidification only if it’s going too slowly.

Decon/Clean Mold or Cross-Contamination in a Car

DISCLAIMER: Some of the cleaning methods discussed in this article, that include ozone, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, and quaternary ammonia, require knowledge of safety precautions for handling the materials, and executing these methods. Please take full responsibility for your health and wellbeing and make sure you understand the risks, precautions, and procedures – not all of which are explained here in full (please research them before proceeding or consult with an expert). Full disclaimer here.

use a HEPA vacuum to decon mold in a car

If you do have some light surface mold in the car or cross-contamination, I would start with a deep clean.

If you had a big spill that didn’t dry out, or you suspect someone else did in your vehicle, you might want to open the seat covers to check on the foam. Some have zippers. If they don’t you would have to cut them open to check.

Mold in the foam cannot be properly remediated other than with replacement.

Deep Clean your Vehicle

You can remove light surface mold or cross-contamination by steam cleaning or shampooing the seats.

Make sure it is dried out quickly after that. Car detailing shops can do this. Just make sure you know which products they are using, as some might not be acceptable, toxin-wise.

A mechanic I talked to near Vancouver BC, does a shampoo of the seats with high temp extraction, then an enzyme spray on the seats instead of ozone to reduce odors. I use similar enzymes to break down odors.

DIY HEPA Sandwich for a Car

If it’s not so bad as to warrant a steam clean or extractor shampoo, use a HEPA vacuum, which you can do your self. Vacuum the seats and carpet, and upholstery.

For a vehicle, you want a rather flexible hose. I would use the Shop-Vac. I’ve used this one before with the HEPA filter and HEPA filter bags.

You can then wipe down all surfaces with quats or the cleaning product of your choice. A proper HEPA sandwich would involve another round of vacuuming.

Having your car or truck professionally detailed can help, as they do a very thorough clean, though I haven’t seen them do HEPA vacuuming.

Using Ozone on Cross Contamination

I use this little one from Amazon

If those methods don’t cut it, and you are still sensing mold in the vehicle, you will want to use the methods below.

Many people do use ozone and it does work, but it leaves behind oxidation, which smells quite terrible.

Depending on how long you ozonated it for, it can take a while to die down.

I don’t agree that you will damage the wiring easily, you would have to use extremely high levels for a very long time to do damage like that. Many mold avoiders have ozonated vehicles at very high concentrations for 24 hours, many times. I have done a couple 24-hour treatments on my truck.

Car dealerships use this all the time as well (but normally in much shorter treatments, like 1 hour). Many people only do 2-hour treatments for mold, which should not cause damage to the plastics, and would only cause minimal oxidation odor after.

There is more info below on pumping ozone through the HVAC. If you don’t need to pump it through the HVAC, just see my general post on ozone and run it inside the vehicle. I use the little Airthereal.

Please read through the precautions thoroughly, since ozone is a dangerous gas that can be deadly.

Another oxidization method, though it is a weaker oxidizer than ozone, is to use chlorine dioxide gas. That method is explained below, in its own section.

Other Fogging Methods for Mold

If you have another decon method that has worked well for you in decontaminating your house from mold, it’s likely you can use that here – like thieves oil fogging, Concrobium fogging, or using quats.

Silver Hydrogen Peroxide though, is likely too much oxidation for most vehicles, though it can be used in the empty part of metal cargo vans.

Chlorine Dioxide Gas to Treat Mold

Chlorine Dioxide, like ozone is an oxidizer. Like ozone, there is evidence that it breaks down mold and mycotoxins.

Although it’s weaker than ozone, you should take the same safety precautions outlined here. It is dangerous to breathe in and it’s explosive in certain concentrations.

You may not need to be so far away from it like with high doses of ozone, which is an upside. It’s also cheaper and easier.

Keep it simple and buy the ready-made tablets or packets on Amazon. They are inexpensive and work just as well as mixing it yourself. NosGuard is one brand, Reset is another one.

Read the safety instructions carefully on the product and make sure you understand them. Never use a chlorine dioxide product in occupied spaces.

If you want to make it yourself, please take full responsibility for your safety and wellbeing. Here are the instructions:

How to make chlorine dioxide gas treatment for the home or car: 6.5 oz (roughly 3/4 cup) Oxine plus 3-4 tsp citric acid in glass or heavy plastic container, one for each room. Leave it for 3 hours for a shock treatment or 24 hours for a deep treatment.

You can make a smaller batch for smaller spaces with the same ratio. It takes about a minute for the reaction to take place, the liquid will turn yellow, and for about 3 hours it will release chlorine dioxide as a gas. Take similar precautions as with ozone for airing it out and re-entering.

Four Methods for Cleaning Mold from the AC (HVAC) System of the Car

1. Take it to a Dealership – Have them Clean out the System

Skill Level – Easy. Results – Can work, depending on which methods they use.

how to clean mold out of the AC system of a car

There are a number of different cleaning methods used by automotive repair shops to clean out the AC system. Some use ozone and even run it through the HVAC in the same way as described in the next section on ozone.

There are also treatments that are similar to #4 on this list, introducing a product into the system to clean the evaporator.

One mechanic explains: “one is a mist treatment, using a product which foams up. You drill a hole in the case and then introduce the mist to the evaporator core and let it sit, give it time to work, and then flush it out.” (source).

Some of these might have fragrance of other toxic additives but others would be acceptable for many folks who are sensitive.

2. Using Ozone Through the HVAC

Skill Level – Intermediate. Results – works on most mold and bacteria.

how to use ozone to clean out a car or AC system

This is a technique used by some car detailers and dealerships and mold sensitive folks.

The simplest way to do it is to run an ozone machine in the car while the vehicle is running so that the ozone is pulled in through the air intake. Most people would run this through for a couple of hours. Depending on the amount of ozone and the time you run it for, you may need a window open to provide oxygen.

If you are running the machine in the car I would use a small machine like the ones on Amazon for under 100$.

Instead of running the vehicle, you could alternatively, hook up the battery to a battery charger to run through the HVAC settings that way.

For any serious contamination or if you want to blast this more directly through the HVAC, mold avoiders tend to use an external ozone machine that pumps in the gas, giving the machine full access to oxygen outside. Bioblaster is the most popular one.

If you are in the Facebook group Mold Avoiders, you will be able to see an example of a Bioblaster hooked up right to the air intake here.

That machine is overkill for me. But others may need this. I would have no problem running the smaller ones on Amazon that I have used many times and pumping those through the HVAC system with tubing from the outside.

To get it through all the different parts of the HVAC system, the ozone needs to run through it on all settings (heat, AC, recirculate). Run it through each setting for at least 20 min. The next section explains more about how to access the air intake.

This is tricky because of how far away you need to be from the ozone. Let it air out each time before coming close enough to the vehicle to change the settings. Again, ozone precautions are here.

3. Spray Through the Air Intakes

Skill Level – Beginner to Intermediate. Results – May or may not work.

spray in the air intake to kill mold in a car
The air intake is usually right under the front windshield

In this method, hydrogen peroxide or quats are sprayed through the air intake.

Some very mold sensitive folks have had success with 10% hydrogen peroxide sprayed into the air intake with these video instructions (not with toxic products like scented Lysol). Seeing the process in a video really helps to make sense of it.  

Spray the hydrogen peroxide through each setting for 3 min. You can use this mister.

You will be using 29, 30 or 35% peroxide (depending on what you can source) and diluting it down to 10%. Please research and take full responsibility for handling and spraying this concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

Some people found this worked better with quats (a type of ammonia). This ACDelco product was recommended.

4. Greg Muske’s Quats Cleaning Strategy

Skill Level – Very Advanced. Results – Likely to work if you do it right.

how to clean the evaporator core
From http://biotoxinjourney.com/clean-driving-machine/

Greg Muske from Biotoxin Journey has a detailed and more complex method of accessing the entire HVAC system and runnings quats (quaternary ammonium) through it.

You need some mechanical expertize for this method as it does involve drilling into specific parts of the system, which differ depending on your make and model.

You need someone who can understand the heater core diagram for your car, which you can look up online. You’re going to locate the evaporator core. Then drench the two cores by running about one gallon of quat solution into 3 access holes. Followed by a water rinse.

Greg also misted quats through the ductwork via the vents and the opening for the cabin filter directly above the blower (after removing the filter), and air inlet holes located under the hood next to the firewall. Unlike when cleaning the cores, this was not rinsed out. It was dried out by running the heater and fan on high.

Greg then cleaned out the rest of the car by using a steam cleaner on the carpet with Thieves Oil Cleaner. (You can use the cleaner of your choice). All other surfaces in the vehicle were wiped down with quats.

Full instructions and a video can be found here: Clean Driving Machine. This section was printed with permission from Greg Muske.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping people create healthy homes.

This post was written with input from an engineer, a mechanic, and a car detailer.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

Using Ozone to Kill and Denature Mold

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The Effectiveness of Ozone Generators on Mold, Mycotoxins, Fragrance and Smoke 

Ozone kills and denatures mold on surfaces, eliminates many VOCs and odors such as perfume. It can also remediate smoke smell in certain materials. 

This post contains affiliate links to relevant products that I use and recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For those who prefer a video format, I have explained the process of a shock treatment and the risks in this video.

For individual help with using ozone safely for your application, you can schedule a consultation with me here.

Does Ozone Denature Mold and Mycotoxins?

Some say that ozone kills mold spores but does not denature the toxins (EHC). 

These two studies show it can denature the toxins. Based on these two studies (that use very very high amounts of ozone), and the experience of me and those extremely sensitive to mycotoxins leftover after remediation, I do think it is accurate to say ozone actually kills and denatures mold. 

It can still be a good idea to HEPA vacuum after ozonating to clean up dead spores. 

A shock treatment is either a very high doses for shorter amounts of time or very long treatments (from 24 hours to 48 hours). You really have to experiment if you want to denature mold and see what works for you, and be prepared for byproducts (discussed more below).

Which Ozone Generator to Use


 I started with the Jenesco Ozone Generator with an output of 100-2100 mg. This is a high-quality unit with a timer and dosage control. 


I liked this unit because it’s well made and, the timer settings and dosage control setting were useful.


This one comes in around $400

I have the little Airtherial 5000 mg one (pictured left) this is the lowest cost one I have seen. If you are doing a shock treatment for mold you need one with a hold setting like this one. If you are using it at low amounts for fragrance you will only need the basic timer.

You cannot control the dosage with these little inexpensive ones but you can find them for under $100 on Amazon.


For only a little more than a hundred, you can buy this Ivation model which can dial down the dose from  6000 mg to 500 mg. This is what I would use for going after fragrance and smoke as well as cleaning product residue. You don’t want a high dose for that application.

Results with Offgassing, Mold, Fragrance, Smoke

Offgassing

– Chemical smell in Camplite trailer reduced after a few treatments

– Glue smell reduced in brand new metal cargo trailer (this seems to work really well o the new glue smell in basic trailers).

-I would not use this is a new house or conventional trailer (that is full of plastics and upholstery) to reduce offgassing, it’s too risky and does not work that well

Mold

– Mold remediated in an all-metal trailer after 48 hours high dose

– I also had a mold problem in another house I was living in. After the mold was remediated I was still very sick – throat swelling, extreme POTs and terrible insomnia. I then ozonated each room for 24 hours with the machine and was able to come back without any symptoms. I removed all the fabric and cushions from the area before ozonating and there were no adverse chemical reactions with the wood or anything else in the house.

– I’ve used it 4 times now in post remediations with a 24-hour shock treatment. This for me definitely denatures mycotoxins. I have also done 48 shock treatments in metal trailers that were very effective. (I let in oxygen during that time).

– However one of these times the 24-hour treatment created horrible byproducts in a wooden house. Even after excessive airing out, I got extremely sick. It seems as though I overdid the ozone or did not have enough oxygen coming in. Big risk here. It was a long time before I could go in that house again.

-Some people found it useful to shock a room or tent and to “flash” belongings before any mold toxins could take hold.

Fragrance, Smoke and Funky Smells

– Smell removed from funky smelling fabric (towel that had a smell that washing would not remove). 

– BUT: gave some fabrics like wool and cotton a strange smell when doing an intense 24 treatment 

-Ozone can help a lot with fragrance in a car or house as well as smoke smell. Car dealerships use ozone but not super high amounts of for long amounts of time. 

-This is very useful if the fragrance and smoke smell are your big concerns. Go low and slow on fragrance, cleaning product residue and smoke until you start to see a difference. 

-To remove odors the time needed for treatment is much less than the shock treatment for mold. This will reduce a lot of the risks. Car detailers run ozone for 15 min to 2 hours, typically, or until they can remove the smoke or other problematic odour. 

You have to be sure you are using it safely and understand the limitations

How to Use Ozone Safely

– Ozone is a very toxic gas. People and pets should not be in the building when an ozone machine is on. Do not even take one whiff of it. Make sure you have a plan to turn it on and off while holding your breath. Ideally turn it off without entering the room (through the electrical panel). It clings to your clothes even if you hold your breath and walk through – this is not safe.

– Ozone needs to be 5-10 x above safe levels for humans to impact bacteria and mold (Pinto).

– The place should be aired out after using ozone to make sure that the gas is not inhaled. Ozone is unstable and will dissipate, but it does not dissipate as fast in a closed space with no airflow. If other VOCs form (see below) then it is necessary to air out the place for a while. The half-life of ozone is 40 min-25 hours. If byproducts have been created then give it a few days at least. Make sure there are tonnes of open windows for the air out.

– One reason government health sites do not recommend the machines is that the shock treatment used to get rid of mold toxins is a very harmful level if inhaled (deadly if you stay in there). Even the low levels recommended as safe by some manufacturers is probably harmful to anyone sensitive to toxins. So there is a huge risk if someone does not know how to use it safely. It is possible they are also wary because of the negative reactions outlined below. In many conventional houses, it might not be possible to avoid all those secondary reactions with materials.

Limitations of Ozone 

-Ozone cannot remove carbon monoxide or formaldehyde (EPA).

– It cannot get into porous materials to remove mold or chemicals (EPA). My experience suggests that it does denature mold that is near the surface of porous materials. I don’t think it goes very deep.

– It will not help with chlorinated hydrocarbons (vinyl, plastics etc) (EHC)–

– May not work on clothes and shoes (Pinto). My experience is that there is a bad reaction with any fabric in high amounts. But lots of folks have had success remediating clothing and shoes including leather shoes. Though not all types of leather will hold up the same and some rubbers in shoes will eventually break down. 

Negative Reactions and Byproducts of Ozone – What Can go Wrong

Ozone reacts negatively with some compounds creating more VOCs. Some of the substances it reacts to are:

  • New carpets (EPA)
  • Active tobacco smoke (EPA)
  • Terpenes (to form formaldehyde) (CDH)
  • Styrene (EHC)
  • Floor finish that contains pinine (Pinto)
  • Ceiling tiles (from a client of mine) 
  • Old carpet (from a client of mine)
  • Fabrics (from my experience)
  • Wallpaper (from a client) 

I have found there is a negative byproduct left with almost every porous material if you do this in high enough doses for long enough.

High doses of ozone used to really clear out mold toxins will also degrade or harm certain materials such as:

  • Plants
  • Rubber (especially vulnerable is natural latex)
  • Coating of electrical wires
  • Fabric
  • Some artwork
  • Unfinished metal will rust

My experience is you really need to do many many treatments before you start breaking down most rubbers.  I have done many high dose (shock treatment) ozone treatments and not broken down coatings on electrical wires. 

Folks to ozonate electronics with success (just don’t do it too many times and if the rubber parts are already close to breaking down you could have a huge problem). 

I have seen Taylor guitars remediated with success. 

How to do an Ozone Shock Treatment

For a shock treatment, remove everything fabric or wrap them in plastic, this includes mattresses. 

Remove plants, pets, and artwork that is not behind glass. Tape up electrical outlets. Remove all electronics. Make sure you have everything you need before turning the machine on. 

Hold your breath while turning it on and while turning it off. Air out the place with fresh air for 24 hours. This is based on my experiences.

Make sure you research if this is safe for you and worth the risk. Understand why the EPA does not recommend it. It is too easy to do something wrong where you could breathe some in. Treat it like the deadly gas that it is. If you are not sure if it will react with your carpet, walls, ceiling then it is a last resort treatment. You can also test a low dose first to see if any weird smells form.  

Make sure it is dosed correctly for the space and if running it for 24 hours it needs an oxygen source. Overdoing it can make your place intolerable. I recently had a bad experience where I overdid it with the ozone, it took a month to be able to go back in. 

How to Dose Ozone

I generally use 3500 mg/hr in a single medium-sized or large room for a shock treatment. A shock treatment which is what kills and usually denatures the mold is usually 1000 milligrams per hour (mgph) per 100 sq feet (at 70 degrees with relative humidity at or below 20%). The level you are aiming for is 6 to 10 parts per million. Many people shock for 1-3 hours but those of us super sensitive tend to keep going until the substance is denatured. I have gone as high as 5000 and 7000 mg/hr in a very small trailer for 24 – 48 hours. 

The machines I like are the Jenesco Ozone Generator with an output of 100-2100 mg. And the little 5000 mg ones on Amazon that are low cost with a “hold” setting.

Sources:

EPA: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html
CDA: http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/ozone_generator_fact_sheet.pdf
EHC: http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/summer96ozone.html
Michael Pinto: http://www.moldsensitized.com/ozone-generators-and-interior-mold-remediation-a-recipe-for-disaster/

healthy home build consult

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

Mattresses for the Chemically Sensitive | 2020

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Updated December 2019

Sofas and Furniture can now be found here.

This post started out with my journey to find the best mattress for my extreme sensitivities. There are so many more options now, but many I don’t think are good enough.

We are going to look at my top picks for the best healthy spring mattresses (no latex or polyurethane) with price comparison (2020), all wool mattresses and other futons, and why I don’t use natural latex.

We are also going to look at more unusual options for those who don’t do well with any of those three categories or who want something simple.

I recommend all of the products here, some products have affiliate programs and some do not. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you.

First, a quick backgrounder on the Chemicals in our Mattresses

Conventional Mattress Materials

Conventional mattresses are usually made of polyurethane foam or synthetic latex which offgas VOCs. It’s difficult to find out exactly which chemicals were used in a particular mattress. The worst offenders are synthetic memory foam, followed by polyurethane (though almost all polyurethane can meet CertiPUR certification which I discuss here), and then synthetic latex, which usually does not meet any green certifications on its own.

Going with a spring mattress does the amount of foam and therefore chemicals in it.

Flame Retardants Might be Added

Look for mattresses that specify no chemical flame retardants – I list them here in this post. Sometimes boric acid is added but not disclosed.

Natural Latex can be a Problem

Most natural or non-toxic mattresses contain natural latex which I have major concerns about. I discuss that in the article as well as the best alternatives.

Chemical Coatings

You also want to avoid mattresses that are stain-resistant, as they contain harmful perfluorochemicals. Similarly, the chemical that makes sheets (and clothes) wrinkle-free releases formaldehyde.

Some mattresses are also adding an antimicrobial agent which you would generally want to avoid (there are some natural antimicrobials that might be OK).

If you need assistance choosing the best non-toxic mattress for you and your health concerns, please contact me for a one on one consultation. 

1. Non-Toxic Spring Mattresses – Top Picks 

Without: Latex, Polyurethane, Flame Retardants, Wool

 i. My Green Mattress 

my green mattress cheap affordable non toxic flame retardant free

The Echo is made of GOTs certified cotton and Oeko-Tex certified wool with springs. No polyester here. It is $950 for a queen (firm).

For a proper spring mattress, this is the price to beat. They often have sales and I post discount codes for those here when I have them. You can also find them through Amazon, prices fluctuate.

ii. Naturepedic 

top non toxic mattresses no odour flame retardant free no offgassing

The Chorus is the GOTS certified organic cotton, organic wool (with almost no smell), and polyester with springs $2000 for a queen.

This is my top brand, as I like the construction, it’s high quality and it’s a very well-liked and well-tolerated brand among the very sensitive.

Their kids mattresses, which come in queen sizes do not contain wool, for those who cannot tolerate wool (they are firm) for $1600 directly through them. You can also find them through Amazon, prices fluctuate.

iii. Royal-Pedic

all cotton organic cotton luxury non-toxic mattress

A cotton spring mattress (no wool) – the All Cotton line is not organic, the Natural Cotton line is organic but not certified. They also offer options with wool.

This is known to be a high-end and comfortable though like the others they are firm.

It is around $3000. You can find the All Cotton on Amazon, prices fluctuate over time.

iv. Earthsake 

Earthsake is a unique mattress. They make a hemp and spring mattress with no cotton, and no wool.

For those with sensitivities to cotton and wool or in a humid environment, this is a better choice.

A queen is $2600.

v. The Futon Shop

The Futon Shop has a good variety of mattresses, some with springs and coils will be more comfortable than conventional futons. Look for the ones without latex or soy foam (which is polyurethane).

Some of their mattresses use boric acid, and I have heard from a number of really sensitive folks that they have reacted to the flame retardant-free versions as well (possibly to the boric use nearby they think). Their prices are fantastic starting at $575. (US only. They don’t ship to Canada.)

2. Chemical-Free Wool Mattresses

i. Shepards Dream 100% Wool Futon

Image from Shepards Dream

When I was furnishing my tiny house I went with the purest and simplest option I could find which is a 100% eco wool mattress from Shepard’s Dream. It is a (relatively) economical choice at $1585 for a queen. (I have the skinny version pictured).

It does have a wool smell but it is not super strong, and it is firm as it gets compacted with time. If you don’t like firm mattresses I would recommend using a topper with it or using the thicker version.

Shepard’s Dream has offered a 10% discount to my readers, you can mention my name, Corinne Segura for the discount.

ii. Heartfelt Layered Wool Felt 

Image from Heartfelt Collective

For those with extreme sensitivities, a layered option that can be washed can be very functional. Heartfelt Collective sells wool felts that can be layered and washed. To put together what would come to about a conventional queen feel, it would cost about $1900. But you may not need that many layers, or you can combine the woof felt layers with something else.

iii. Savvy Rest Wool Futon (Cotton Cover)

Savvy Rest makes a futon style organic GOTS cotton covered organic wool mattress for $1800.

Is Wool Chemical-Free?

When looking at wool qualifications you may want to know about various factors, depending on your sensitivities, such as the chemicals used to process the wool and if any flame retardants are used.

Certified organic wool is becoming common, this link explains what it means. If a company claims all-natural, pure or eco-wool, you will want to take a look at what they mean by that, it might be totally acceptable even if not certified.

3. Natural Latex Mattresses

There are plenty of options for natural latex mattresses made in US and Canada. In fact, when looking for non-toxic beds, it’s difficult to avoid natural latex.

I have sourced the most affordable natural latex options. Make sure it is 100% natural latex, and test for odors/sensitivities to make sure it is tolerable. These mattresses range from $800 to $5000.

Almost all of the green mattress brands offer natural latex, you can even find this now at Costco and IKEA. They are easy to find.

I’m not a fan of natural latex, so I’m only going to touch on it briefly.

natural latex from Amazon, affordable topper to sleep on

i. The Futon Shop

Some of the most affordable options in the $800 range are by The Futon Shop.

ii. Topper from Amazon

The most economical option is to buy a 3-inch piece of latex. For around $200 (plus tax and shipping) you can get 3″ natural latex from Amazon (queen). I find that 3 inches is very comfortable to sleep on.

Is Natural Latex Mold-Prone?

After one of my pillows became covered in grey mold after two years in low humidity, in a new non-moldy house I started looking into this. Over the years I have seen many many reports like this.

Melting, disintegration and visible mold on pillow, and on mattresses on slats in normal humidity, sometimes when brand new. Including two recent reports of a popular organic latex brand.

There are other cases of this on a forum and many private messages from people writing to me, and reports in Facebook groups. It is not clear if this is a defect (these were all different brands), or whether there is a certain condition that leads to the latex breaking down or going moldy.

I have not seen the companies address the problem I have seen, and they continue to claim that latex is mold resistant and that each of these cases is unusual.

I would not buy it again myself. If you do buy natural latex look closely at the warranty – it’s unlikely it covers mold. If you already have one in your house, please open it up to check on the latex layer.

Does Natural Latex Offgas?

Folks with MCS vary greatly in their ability to tolerate the natural smell of rubber and different brands work for different people. Here is a list of some of the ingredients that can be in natural latex.

Essentia, which makes natural memory foam claims that the VOC levels of their foam 36 μg /m3), about the same as that of natural latex. From my research, this is around the same levels as outdoor air – but it is not 0 VOC or 0 offgassing.

4. Natural Memory Foam

Most memory foam is polyurethane and it’s usually more toxic than your standard polyurethane foam, though they are not all the same. There is a range of chemicals added to produce memory foam for the different brands.

The only non-toxic memory foam out there is Essentia, which is natural latex-based. VOC levels 36 μg /m3.  

I looked up “background VOC levels” and found this to be background levels (though everything ads up) – here is one study and here is another study to confirm this. Background levels of formaldehyde can be found here. 

This mattress also contains essential oils – grapefruit seed, coneflower, and jasmine. I have tested a sample and it has a noticeable scent. Though I would not say it is flowery, it is a bit sweet. 

It contains Kevlar as a flame retardant. 

Alternative Beds for the Chemically Sensitive

1. Buckwheat Hull Beds

Open Your Eyes Bedding sells organic cotton canvases and buckwheat hulls that you twist together yourself!

A mattress topper or pad may be needed for comfort.

Image via Openyoureyesbedding.com

You could fill the canvas with organic cotton batting, wool batt, or even recycled wool sweaters, and use the same twist system to make your own true DIY chemical-free mattress.

What I like about this is it can be taken apart and washed and refilled.

2. Cotton and Kapok Futons

Image via Zafu

Futons are more affordable and often don’t use flame retardants. Look for organic cotton or wool filled. Avoid conventional cotton batting which still retains a lot of pesticide. Look out for antimicrobial and even added pesticide treatments.

i. The Futon Shop is an obvious option for very affordable futons though folks have reported that they sense the non-flame retardant versions might have cross-contamination of boric acid.

ii. Rawganique has 100% cotton futons as well as cotton and wool.

iii. Zafu kapok fiber futons are really cool. They don’t compact as much as cotton and wool batting. It has an organic cotton cover, eco wool and kapok fiber. This one is recommended by sensitive folks.

3. Silk Mattresses

I have seen silk-filled mattresses in the past, though they are hard to locate. They may be good if you cannot tolerate cotton, wool, kapok or latex.

Silk mattress toppers are easier to find and you could build them up to make a mattress.

4. Cotton Sleeping Mat

Image via Dream Designs

This organic cotton mat by Dream Designs in Canada is thin but may be enough for some people who need a simple solution.

5. Camping Beds Used Indoors

i. Camping Cots

For a quick and easy solution, maybe a camping cot will do!

Let it offgas a bit first. The plus side is there is not much to offgas there, so some time in the sun should do it.

ii. Camping Pads/Mats

Camping beds can be used inside regular housing for those wanting a simple solution or for those with trouble tolerating regular beds. Or they can be used in high moisture places like tents, trailers/RVs and shelters.

a. Closed Cell Camping Mat

For sleeping pads, the most basic type is closed-cell foam.

This aluminized Thermarest is considered the most tolerable of the camping mats. They have non aluminized versions as well.

b. Open Cell Polyurethane Self Inflating Mat

I use the most deluxe Thermarest – the 10 cm thick Mondoking (it has polyurethane it in). I find it very comfortable.

It takes a bit of time in the sun to offgas but many MCSers can use these. I used it after two days in the sun. After a week it was ideal for me.

Setting up a camping cot inside

The general consensus for those with sore backs or who need the most comfort is a Thermarest on top of a camping cot.

Though with the MondoKing, you likely don’t need a camping cot under it (though I would raise it or put a waterproof cover on it).

Thermarest claims to be flame retardant free.

For a more permanent set up, the MondoKing fits into this inexpensive Amazon Zinus Daybed.

iii. Polyester Fill Mat

Another kind of simple sleeping mat is a Nufoam polyester fiber mat.

This may be more tolerable than the camping pads that have polyurethane.

Plus polyester does much better with moisture than cotton, wool, and other natural materials.

This is ideal for an RV.

iv. Airbeds

a. TPU Airbed

This phthalate and PVC-free TPU air bed by Lightspeed comes highly recommended by many chemically sensitive folks.

This is the alternative to PVC, and to polyurethane foam (if Thermarest doesn’t work for you).

I found it offgassed in 2 days. Which is faster than many types of beds with more material inside.

b. Polyester Airbed

Another PVC-free airbed is this polyester bed from Intex. Some tolerate the polyester better than TPU.

Mattress Covers to Seal in Toxins

1. Seal in Flame Retardants, Dust Mites, Mold Spores

i. Polyurethane Lined

If you have an old mattress and you want to block flame retardants from migrating out of the mattress, use a cover like Organic Lifestyle’s Bed Bug Cover, which is also waterproof and will protect you from dust mites and bedbugs as well.

Another good use for this cover is when you are moving a mattress into a high humidity environment like a trailer, or you have to put a mattress on a flat surface like the floor for a while.

The polyurethane did have an odor to me but after a lot of offgassing, I found it to be fine.

ii. Polyethylene Covers

Polyethylene covers are the least toxic but do not hold up very well after washing and are not usually marketed as mattress encasements. Some have used the Uhaul mattress encasements for temporary protection or disposable protection.

iii. Polypropylene Covers

There are polypropylene covers as well, they hold up a little longer than plain polyethylene. This All in One cover is a mix of polyethylene and polypropylene and is reported to be very tolerable by someone very sensitive to plastic.

They do not stop the offgassing from foam or scents that a mattress has picked up, unfortunately.

2. Mattress Encasement to Fully Block Offgassing and Other Contaminants

Block Offgassing with Aluminised Tarps

If you do not have a choice but to use a mattress that is offgassing or fragranced and you want to block the odors/chemicals, you can use aluminized tarps and tape.

Discard as soon as aluminum flakes off.

The other option would be thick mylar bags (not the thin sheets).

3. Mattress Cover to Block Dust Mites

Cotton Covers

If you just want a dust mite covers (that is not waterproof, and doesn’t block flame retardants), I use these Allersoft cotton mattress and pillow protectors.

They are not organic but were good for me after one wash. I’m really happy with them as they have reduced my allergies.

Pillows & Sheets for the Chemically Sensitive

1. Pillows

I like Coyuchi Pillows

For pillows, you generally want natural fibers like wool or organic cotton. Fill could be down (I like Coyuchi down), kapok, or  buckwheat are also good options.

I’m not a fan of latex pillows for the reasons outlined in the mattress section.

Never use non-organic cotton batting as the batts retain a lot of the pesticide.

Organic cotton batting sometimes still retains a strong smell from the oils of the cotton plant. Some of them have a zipper, so you can pull out the cotton batting and wash it.

I do like polyester as well, even though it’s not natural, because it’s more moisture-resistant than cotton. I don’t find it very toxic. I use this organic cotton pillow with polyester filling, which needs to be washed or aired out before use.

2. Sheets

Coyuchi also makes organic sheets, pillows and other bedding that is made with the chemically sensitive person in mind.

I highly recommend this company. They use natural dyes but the safest bet is always virgin fabric. If you react to the product you can return it. I’ve been really happy with all their products. (Some of their products are available on Amazon).

Cotton that has been processed into fabric (sheets, pillowcases, etc) no longer contains pesticides, in theory. But stay away from permanent pressed finish (wrinkle-free finish), and make sure the dyes are steadfast or all-natural.

Almost all cotton that is not organic has a chemical added to it smells. Look for GOTS certified fabrics which is the best certification for non-toxic textiles.

I use GOTS certified sheets which usually need one wash to get the smell out (probably the smell of cotton oils). I use these affordable organic pillowcases.

In a high moisture environment like a trailer, I use all polyester sheets and pillowcases instead of cotton.

NB (While we are on the topic of chemical-free fabrics here is a guide to buying chemical-free clothing or removing “sizing” chemicals and other harmful odors.)

Chemical-Free Blankets

1. Wool Blankets

My Bed with Coyuchi Blankets

I use wool blankets from Coyuchi – the natural color with indigo stripes. It does have a wool smell, so if you are sensitive to wool try their cotton blankets. 

I really like wool because it’s hard for me to stay at the right temperature at night without them. The wool blankets were a super good investment in my case, as they stopped me from waking up throughout the night due to being too cold.

The wool blankets were difficult for me to wash, I like these Pendelton  washable wool blankets a lot too.

2. Cotton Blankets

I also tried an organic cotton blanket (this is thick and takes a long time to dry) which I also really liked when I was very chemically sensitive.

3. Polyester Blankets

When less chemically sensitive, I have used polyester blankets for mold avoidance (cheap! from Walmart or Amazon).

Bed Frames for the Chemically Sensitive

all metal bed frame amazon affordable cheap

A metal bed frame that is powder-coated is a great option. This metal bed is inexpensive for a twin (Amazon).

Or, if you can tolerate the natural smell of wood, go with a solid wood bed frame, with solid slats (not laminated slats), finished with a natural finish.

For wood frames check out Organic Grace which has simple frames for $780 (queen, ships from the US).

For cool wooden headboards and frames with zero-VOC finishes check out Coyuchi.

For something really simple and cheap this healthy Nomad Solid Hardwood Platform Bed (around a hundred for a twin) on Amazon is made of low odor poplar with solid slats.

IKEA sells solid wood frames but the slats are laminated. They claim the glues are “non-volatile and non-polluting”.

The post on furniture contains a longer list of companies making solid wood beds (with solid wood slats) and non-toxic finishes.

How to Prevent Mold in Mattresses 

how to avoid mould in and under mattress

In any house or trailer, tiny or big, make sure your mattress can breathe underneath (slats or box springs are used for a reason). Only certain types of beds like an air mattress may be able to go straight on the floor.

When building a tiny house, find a way to incorporate slats under your bed. I see too many tiny houses with the mattress on a solid floor. This is not a good solution if you want your bed to stay mold-free.

The picture above is my loft on the left. The slats are built right into the loft. It works great!

When camping, I do think a waterproof cover is the best idea, in a trailer you may be able to use something simple this Hypervent for airflow, though I have heard that that is not enough airflow in many situations.

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Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 5 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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Emergency Housing for MCS / CIRS

by 9 Comments

Emergency Housing for those with Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) and Mold Sensitivity

Updated in Spring 2019

For help setting up a small structure or tiny house or making a plan for an avoidance sabbatical, you can schedule a one-on-one consult with me. 

This post contains affiliate links. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Here is a list of some housing ideas for those with environmental sensitivities needing immediate or temporary safe housing.

KOA Cabins

koa.com

KOA cabins are located across the US and Canada. The cabins are made from mostly safe materials (mostly wood) and have been reported to be good places to stay for those who are environmentally sensitive.

Ask if the wood has been stained recently. The bathrooms are separate and may or may not be mold-free, depending on the location.

Recently I’m hearing reports of these having gone moldy. If the foundation or roof is not done right there is a high chance these could go moldy. Often newer is better for mold.

Home Made Tents

from: www.miketyka.com/projects/desert-dome/

Regular tents can be difficult because of the chemicals used on the fabrics, the lack of insulation and the tendency for them to go musty very easily and be a lot of work with the airing out and drying out.

I have a preferred tent which is an off the ground tent in my post on camping gear. Here are some alternatives:

Reflectix Tent 

Reflectix provides some R-value and reflects light so that should work in a lot of different climates, though the seams will reduce the insulative value and add more glue and more potential for leaks. There are simpler designs for the structure that will reduce seams.

You can’t buy these – you would have to look online for the metal structure, then buy the Reflectix, foam, aluminum tape, and duct tape and then have someone make it for you. The tape may make this intolerable for some. And this also lacks airflow. 

You would also make at least one triangle out of polyethylene or an EVA Shower Liner so that you have some light. But have a flap of Reflectix over it that you open and close over this “window”.

Plastic Tent

Kim’s tent via Paradigm Chage.org

Kim was severely sensitive to chemicals. She made a tent out of Tyvek which she tolerated well when extremely reactive. She explains how to make it here. Through extreme mold avoidance, Kim made a full recovery.

This is a plastic used as house wrap.

There are so many options here on what you can build an emergency tent out of. It all depends on what you can tolerate.

It may not last forever but it may give you some time to find another option or even bring down your MCS which will open up options. 

Other materials you could use: polyethylene, tarps, even hemp fabric if you are not expecting rain and don’t have high humidity.

Foam Tent

When Sara was an extreme reactor (also now recovered), she made a simple structure out of XPS foam boards. The two-inch boards of XPS (usually Owens Corning brand can be found easily) have a high insulative value.

She arranged them in a tent shape, the groves in the edges holding them together. Rocks at the base pressing them together. Of course, you could use tape if you can tolerate that or put plastic over the whole thing.

Above is my version made of polyiso foam. This is a “foam tent” used inside a non-insulated trailer that was cold and still offgassing.

I hooked up a Panasonic ERV and ran fresh air into the tent at night via a 4-inch aluminum tube. The opposite end of the tent had a 4-inch hole for air to exit.

This is a highly effective way to deal with offgassing – fresh air is pouring through, though it can be difficult to control the temperature and humidity this way. 

Simple Wood and Foam Shelter

Inspired by the idea of a foam shelter, I have made two highly insulated shelters with ridged foam, raised off the ground and covered in a tarp.

A wood structure like mine pictured above, may be needed to protect from wind and snow. 

The frame was covered with a tarp and inside on the plywood platform was a box made out of foam. This shelter worked extremely well though there are things to keep an eye on in the long term.

Here are some video tours and here is a post devoted just to this shelter (the second one had no wood framing above, just a tarp).

The whole thing was completed with some volunteer and some paid labor for 1000 CAD. 

Such a robust frame is not always necessary. You can build the plywood platform, with foam box on top and simply string a tarp over this if you don’t have strong winds or lots of snow. 

This is the same structure with a tarp over it and the XPS foam box secured with tape inside. The design can be improved by fixing the tarp, painting the foam structure and using clear tape. Please contact me for details if you want help setting something like this up.  

Here’s another example of a foam box. Just don’t put it right on the ground like they did here, and you want another cover on it. This is polyethylene foam which is much more unusual. 

Insulated/Aluminum Tents

billionbricks.org

These tents are insulated and the foil on the inside will also block most of the VOCs from the fabric on the outside.

They say you can sleep in them down to 0 degrees Celsius.

They are 600 USD.

They look like they would have problems with airflow and condensation inside. As well as being straight on the ground, but they may work for some people. 

shiftpod

The shift pod for 1300 USD is similar but with the reflective layer on the outside.

This will help reflect the sun and keep cool in sunny weather when there is no shade.

But I don’t know how this will perform well with condensation inside.

The best of the typical tents have an internal mesh layer, then a gap with a rainfly on top. If you don’t use that system you usually end up with condensation. 

There are other similar tents cropping up that were designed for Burning Man festival.

For a lot less you can get a simple aluminum lined small sleeping tent. It’s not insulated but the aluminum on the inside is more tolerable than the usual tent materials and does reflect heat inside. 

Bubble Tent

These cute domes are very photogenic.

They include a fan that circulates fresh air. Though they would still be impractical for hot or cold weather. You could add shade when it’s sunny unless you are somewhere very cold, then the sun might be an advantage. 

The bubbles available in North America are made of PVC which is toxic and needs a good amount of time to offgas. 

Regular Tent

There is no perfectly chemical-free tent, The most tolerable brands include Ozark, Big Agnes, REI, LL Bean, Colman, and Lightspeed. Everyone is different. 

Moonlight makes flame retardant-free tents coated with silicone on the outside and polyurethane on the inside.

Here is my post on safer camping gear which goes through all the major brands that folks do well with.

In the post, I also discuss canvas cotton and hemp for really dry climates (temporary use) which may be where the most sensitive need to start. I would also check out the cuben fiber tents mentioned in the camping post.

Yurts & Huts

image via yurts.com

Yurts are often tricky for a few reasons. They are normally made out of PVC which takes time to offgas.

On top of that they are difficult to insulate, although one could just use them as an uninsulated tent.

The wooden framing can be susceptible to mold if there is a lot of condensation inside or with high humidity inside, which can happen when heating up a small space.

The wood also might be treated and could cause reactions. There are yurts that have metal framing which may be preferable for some people.

You can create your own outer yurt cover by using a more tolerable material, although it will not be as long-lasting as PVC.

If you want to create a short-term yurt, or rather a glorified tent, use materials used to make a tent, or polyethylene sheets that are used for greenhouses, or tarps.

One really positive design feature of yurts is that they are lifted off the ground on a platform. Metal yurts may work for some. I have looked at those in the post on simple shelters. 

sweetwaterbungalows.com

These glamping tents by sweet water bungalows are PVC, with a canvas top (prone to mustiness), but the guide and framing could be used to create a tent with a plastic of your choosing.

Just keep in mind polyethylene is not as durable, but is less toxic. 

I wouldn’t use canvas for anything other than a short and dry camping trip but without the breathable roof these are prone to condensation.

Communitysupportedshelters.org

Conestoga huts have a simple design for a little hut/glorified tent. A simple design that goes up fast is a big benefit.

I have not been able to review these plans for mold preventative building, but it’s an interesting design. If you have the plans for these will do a free review.

If you don’t insulate this it shouldn’t be a problem. If you do want to try these with insulation please reach out to me or an expert in building science. I am not presuming these are a mold-safe design.

Sheds

Steel sheds can be bought from Amazon or hardware stores for 700-1000 dollars.

You will also need to build a foundation (you could also just leave it as gravel), pay for labor to set it up, caulk the whole structure and likely put in some insulation.

For everything you need to know about setting up a shed to live in see this post by EI Wellspring.

Sheds are not as easy to take down as you would expect.

cedarshed.com

There are also wooden and plastic sheds. I have seen some good little wooden shed kits made of solid wood.

Raise them off the ground and cover with a tarp above that is not touching the shed.

I like cedarshed.com for those who can tolerate cedar because it’s a highly rot-resistant wood.

Check out the wood first, see how it was stored and test it for reactions. 

Hard plastic sheds will work for many people. The more flexible the plastic the more it offgasses. PVC should be avoided where possible.

Glass Enclosures 

www.buildahealthyhouse.com

A greenhouse can be used for backup shelter, it gets very hot when the sun hits them in warmer seasons and can dip really low at night in colder temps.

But some people have used them successfully. Margaret (another person who used this strategy to heal and make it back to indoor housing) talks about her experience with them here (her greenhouse pictured above). 

Other glass/metal enclosures brands are Handi Hut and Four Season.

I designed an all-glass on the interior shelter with insulation on the outside. This was designed for a time that I could not have metal or wood inside touching me.

The walls and floor were glass. The ceiling would be easier to make out of metal.

The shelter was raised off the ground on a platform. Outside of the glass was 2 inches of foam insulation. To hold this insulation on, the exterior framing (outside of the foam layer) was attached by drilling through the foam and glass. The foam needs to be airtight to the glass. A tarp should cover the shelter.

Back of a Pick-Up Truck

Try and find an aluminum canopy for the back of the truck, which is the best-tolerated type.

The bed liner may need to be offgassed or can be covered with Reflectix.

If ordering a brand new truck you can request no liner.

Cargo Trailer

Details on converting a cargo trailer safe in this post. 

The company WeRoll can customize these and they have more robust roof lines compared to the standard models. 

Creating a Safe-Room in Your House 

image via EI Welspring.org

To create a non-toxic room in your home you can use Denny Foil, or heavy-duty aluminum foil on the walls/ceiling/floor.

These materials block VOCs (chemicals/toxins including mold).

Heavy-duty aluminum foil is much easier to work with than the type used in cooking. You may need several layers to totally block smells. 

You want to use green Painting Tape for this as it will not damage the walls and is easy to remove – a healthy person could rip off/take down the whole room is probably 20-30 min (small room). The blue tape is toxic so I wouldn’t use that. You could use aluminum tape but it is very sticky and will leave a residue and will be hard to take off. Aluminum tape also smells and offgasses more than green tape.  

I would not do this where you have colder air inside than outside (AC use). 

Cover outlets. As for light fixtures, I would go around them. 

The only thing in the room should be clean bedding i.e. a new non-toxic mattress or camping cot (etc). New non-toxic bedding and pillow.

Be careful that when you open the window or the door that the air coming in might not be good, so this won’t be a long-term solution. 

How airflow works in Isolation Rooms via healthfacilityguidelines.com

If you can’t foil the walls you can make a room within a room and use positive pressure as explained here in this post. The picture above shows how pressurized rooms keep out contaminants.

You can use foam, plastic or any airtight material. Isolate that by using positive pressure which will work to reduce chemicals like offgassing.

That can be a solution for someone extremely sensitive who has trouble with offgassing (when the issue is offgassing rather than mold).

You can find more information by researching isolation rooms. 

Ecovillages

The ecovillage where I did a lot of recovering

Staying in a cob house (or straw bale, adobe, light straw-clay house) can be a really good option 

Ecovillages may rent out rooms in natural homes and there is a possibility of getting in on the communal meal plan as well. Search for some in your area and ask about monthly stays.

I have seen some natural homes listed on AirBnB as well as on lists of intentional communities/ecovillages. 

Always ask about propane, natural gas, cleaning products, and water damage. I have found that is wet/cold climates cob and similar materials do not hold up to mold after a few years.

Slabs and roofs often have mistakes that lead to mold. Green roofs can be very problematic. Amateur built houses are especially prone to mistakes that lead to mold.

This type of building is best when raised off the ground, or with a simple roof, otherwise, don’t bank on this being safe if more than 1-3 years old. 

Ecovillages are also a good place to set up a tent where you might have access to outdoor bathrooms and kitchens that are more MCS safe than campgrounds.

It may also be a safer environment for those traveling solo. I have used the Intentional Communities website, Google for places near you, and the site wwoofing.

If you have physical energy you can work on a wwoofing site in exchange for free rent (camping or small cabin usually) and often food.

Another option for those who have energy to do work is remote cabins that are advertised on Craigslist where you do some house and yard work in exchange for rent. The cabins might not be safe, but this could be a free spot to camp or live in a trailer. 

Other Emergency Housing

We should have emergency and long-term safe housing for people with MCS, but in reality, there is very little.

Check out the  Environmental Health Association of Québec if you are a Quebecer. 

For housing listings in the US and Canada, join EI Safe Housing on Facebook. 

When I come across AirBnBs, hotels and short term rentals that look safe I list them here on my Pinterest page. While many turn to Airbnb or other short term rentals, in the beginning, this can be a difficult and sometimes impossible road if one is super sensitive and/or masked to mold. 

Did you find this post helpful? If so you can buy me a coffee to support the research behind this blog. Thank you!

healthy home build consult

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

I spent two years in tents and small structures in order to heal from extreme chemical sensitivity. 


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The Best Air Purifiers for Mold – A Review of PCO

by 68 Comments

Updated 2020

PCO Air Purifiers – Which Ones Reduce Mold and Which Ones are a Scam.

PCO (photocatalytic oxidation) is a technology that breaks down mold, VOCs as well as some pathogens.

My interest in these air purifiers comes from first-hand accounts of this helping people with mold and VOCs and from the studies showing the eradication of mold and mycotoxins.

This is a technology that is extremely promising for those sensitive to mold and it’s important that we test this out as much as we can. I’m really urging the mold sensitive community to gather more data on this by trying some of these machines.

I am really excited about this technology as something that can safely break down mycotoxins and odors. Some people may be interested in its effects on breaking down viruses and bacteria as well.

What is PCO?

In photocatalytic oxidation, UV light hits a catalyst, usually titanium dioxide, creating hydroxyl radicals (OH). These OH molecules bind with and break apart pollutants into harmless molecules.

My recommendation is based on the most affordable and effective products that I have found. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission through affiliate links at no extra cost to you.

The Best PCO Air Purifiers for Mold

What I’m Using – The Best of Inexpensive PCO Air Purifier – Vornado

I use the Vornado air purifier. The Vornado PCO300 and PCO500 are air purifiers with a great value. It is a PCO air purifier, plus it has true HEPA and activated carbon. Most PCO units are much pricier or don’t include all three air purification methods.

True HEPA and activated carbon capture dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, bacteria, mold spores, dust mites and odors including VOCs.

PCO and carbon are the main technologies used to reduce odors and VOCs. (Ozone can as well, but it is very risky, I have a post all about ozone).

PCO actually breaks down molecules including molds and mycotoxins. I like that it has all three main air purification methods.

Why I chose this machine:

-The PCO component has true UV and titanium dioxide
-Respected brand name
-Noticeably brings down odors in new apartment and new cargo trailer
-Has a 5-year warranty
-Replacement parts are reasonably priced ($25 bulb every year, $35 titanium dioxide screen every 5 years – for the PCO related parts)
-Does not put out ozone

What I don’t like about it is that the unit itself offgasses, though not everyone thinks so. After two weeks I found it to be good.

The difference between the two sizes is that the 500 has a lower low speed and a higher high speed. The 500 has 2x the HEPA and activated carbon of the 300.

They both have the same PCO technology – so if you want to increase the effectiveness of the OH molecules in a large space you would want two of the 300 instead of one 500.

The 500 moves 184 CFM and is advertised for 265 sq ft – which is around 5 air exchanges per hour.

What are Air Exchanges per hour (ACH) – Air exchange per hour is how many times you are “replacing” the air in the room per hour, this is a key area of comparison with air purifiers.

ASHRAE (The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) recommends a minimum of 4 ACH for patient rooms in hospitals, 5 for intensive care units and 25 for operating rooms. For the purposes of those extremely sensitive to mold and VOCs, we want about 5-10 air exchanges per hour.

To maximize how much air in the room the air purifier can process, put it in a central location.

How do you Calculate the ACH from a Unit Specs – You always want to find the CFM of the unit. The CFM is the capacity of the unit to move air – how much air it moves through the machine. CFM stands for Cubic Feet Per Minute. You need the CFM to calculate ACH. I made two calculators to calculate ACH from CFM and CFM needed from the room size and desired ACH.

Some other PCO units are more or less the same unit re-branded: Continental Fan CX1000, Catalytic Pure Air, Field Control Trio / Sun Pure SP-20C. They seem to use a very similar PCO catalyst style to the Vornado with a titanium dioxide plated metal screen.

GermGuardian – Something Smaller

Another brand that is very affordable that also incorporates HEPA, carbon, and PCO is GermGaurdian. I have heard of people using it in trailers and being happy with. At $89 it’s a steal. And it has 5.5 ACH in 171 sq ft.

Top Pick for PCO Air Purifier – Molekule

The Molekule –  If I had to go back and pick one right now, I would choose Molekule. Though I still might want another unit with HEPA.

And if I was dealing with off-gassing, I would add in one of these air purifiers with lots of carbon.

Molekule.com

Molekule (CFM 80, 1 air exchange per hour in 600 sq ft, $1200) is a slightly different technology called PECO. 

Here is a summary of their studies – very promising results on eradicating mold. The data they showed me showed it worked better on mold than PCO.

This company has well respected big names behind the design. The inventor of Molekule is the person who discovered PCO. He has an impressive resume.

I will be trying this machine out as I think it is very promising.

The company started in 2016 and with the momentum they have had since then, I do think they will be around for a while.

The warranty is only 1 year, which is short compared to the others.

If you can afford it, if design is important to you, and you’re using this in a relatively small space like a bedroom, this is my top pick. 

This requires $100 a year in replacement parts.

The new Molekule Mini which is coming out soon provides 1 air exchange per hour in 250 sq feet.

The average-sized bedroom is around 130 sq ft and could be up to 250 sq ft.

I’m aiming for 5 air exchanges per hour. So the regular-sized Molekule would still be insufficient in a 250 sq ft room in terms of what I need.

Even in a 150 sq ft room, the original Molekule cannot provide 5 air exchanges per hour. I would stick with the regular-sized Molekule for almost any sized room.

Here is my calculator that helps you size an air purifier for your room based on how many times you want to overturn the air in an hour.

Brands I Ruled Out

Air Oasis and HiTech, as well as Airocide.

Review of Air Oasis for Mold Reduction 

The Air Oasis 3000G3 model is rated for 3,000 sq ft and only moves 11 CFM of air. 3,000 sq ft at 11 CFM is 0.02 air exchanges an hour. That is very little air movement.  (I am using 8 ft ceilings in my calculations of CFM to ACH). But that’s not important if you are using this as an ionizer.

Air Oasis does more than just filter air that moves through the machine like other PCO air purifiers it also, as the company states, “creates ionized hydroperoxides” (AKA it’s an ionizer) which puts out ions and ozone. tt is now meeting California levels of safe ozone (CARB).

You can have one made without the ozone production component but that seems to be a key component in its air cleaning abilities. I do not consider any level of ozone unless it is minuscule, to be safe to use in occupied spaces.

It has a 3-year warranty and the replacement parts are $80 every 2 years.

I know this brand because it is being promoted by top doctors. I was surprised when I dug into it to see how ineffective it would be at moving air through it, and that it gives off ozone (it was not approved by CARB at the time of writing the original version of this).

There is more of a discussion of this brand and its technology in the comments, as this machine claims to be doing something different than just a PCO or just an ozone machine.

The newer Idapt Air is similar but claims to produce 0 ppm of ozone. This is something I would be more likely to try.

It contains a HEPA filter, a carbon filter, PCO technology and a bipolar ionzier.

Most ionizers give off ozone but it is possible to produce ions with minuscule ozone. They claim 0 here.

Review of HiTech Air Solutions – Is it a Scam?

HiTech Air Solutions, a brand known among some extreme mold avoiders, makes Air Reactors that claim to be PCO machines. And wow, what I found out was very disturbing to me.

To start, the 101 model ($2000) is very expensive relative to the other PCO machines. From looking at the inside of the machine they use basic components that total under $150 for all visible parts: four foam/coarse dust filters, two UVC lights, two computer fans, and a 4U 19″ rack case.

The claim here is that some of these filters are photocatalysts that produce OH molecules – that there is something invisible called “Technosite®” (no evidence of this trademark with USPTO) impregnated onto the filters.

They may be using something similar to PALCCOAT (confirmed not partnering with this brand) which is a clear titanium dioxide catalyst (FYI $13 per square meter). I have found no evidence of a patent held by HiTech or Ray Robison, owner, on anything in the machine.

I have also seen two other odd claims from sales reps of the company – one, that the filters are coated with Sporax (I have seen pictures of their filters with Sporax, though they later denied this.) And that both the filters and the bulbs are also coated with something proprietary – both things that I would want to know are safe to use with UVC light.

HiTech makes some pretty astonishing claims that not only have not been backed up by evidence but feel free to ask a chemist about how this is even possible:

They claim their OH molecules (which are produced by the PCO process) last much longer in the air than the other air purifiers’ OH molecules (~6 weeks instead of ~15 seconds) based on “a study by Texas Tech”, though this study cannot be produced by the company. Dozens of phone calls were made to track down the existence of this study and nothing turned up. Even more, the University claims it does not conduct studies give the results on the phone and then withhold the report for large sums of money (as the reps claim).

I have not found any evidence that this “study” exist or that this produces a totally different kind of OH molecule. Just ask a chemist how you can have a stable but also reactive OH molecule.

I would like the company to disclose what they are using in this machine so we can know if it is safe and effective, or, provide real studies that show which molecules and byproducts this machine produces.

The burning smell is worrisome to me. I have seen photos of users machines showing the filters having being burned through by the UV light. That will produce offgassing. The accounts I have seen of bad reactions are also worrisome.

HiTech claims it produces 99.9% pure air. I have seen no studies to back up this very broad claim. What is the level of contamination in the air to start, and what is “pure air”? Also note, PCO technology does not filter particulate pollutants (EPA).

I have contacted a technical rep, sales rep and the owner for these studies – they responded but were not able to provide them. Others have contacted them as well for this information.

The HiTech 101 is 142 CFM and claims it can be used in 1600 sq ft which is only 0.7 air exchanges per hour. Their bigger units are ~$5000 and ~$6000 dollars!

The HiTech sales reps make 25% commission off each unit and they usually recommend multiple units for houses. The commission for the three sizes is roughly: $500, $1000 and $1500! The cost of the replacement parts are $140, $190 and $295 per year, for the three different sized units.

HiTech has not submitted their Air Reactors to CARB at the time of writing, to confirm they give off a safe level of ozone. However, the bulbs they are using are USHIO brand UV bulbs with a 2G11 / PL-L base which do not give off ozone. They use another brand as well, LSE Lighting UV bulbs, with the same base. From what I can tell this bulb would not be any different from the USHIO brand.

I’m calling on HiTech reps, especially doctors to consider the following:

  • We don’t know what is in the machine – it is invisible, not disclosed, and the company has not backed up the claims of which molecules and byproducts this machine produces
  • The company has made numerous unsubstantiated statements – there is no evidence of any university studies, no evidence of FDA approval, no evidence of a patent, no evidence of a trademark (on Technosite)
  • I have seen people have bad reactions – it is not proven to be safe
  • This machine is an unnecessary financial burden on patients in my opinion when there are well-established brands selling verifiable PCO machines on the market for a fraction of the cost
  • Making $1000+ off each (medium-sized) unit is certainly a nice incentive for sales reps, though ethical concerns must take priority

FDA Approval of PCO Machines

The FDA approvals I have found are one for a PCO machine involving titanium dioxide (it proved to destroy some bacteria, viruses and mold) for specific commercial uses.

The Airocide and Odorox also have FDA approval as type 2 medical devices for use in hospitals. These all use titanium dioxide and UV; The FDA approval cannot be stretched to make safety or health claims on any device that deviates from this technology or has unknown additional technologies.

HiTech claims to be FDA approved, I can find no evidence of that. Anyone can search for FDA approvals here.

HiTech did respond to this article, some of the statements have changed from what I have records of, and the updates are in the comments. They have since put out some “study result photos” with no evidence of a study.

Review of Airocide Air Purifier 

Airocide

Another popular PCO machine that has been around for a while is Airocide (CFM 14 “Cleans any size room” which I suppose is technically true, but is not going to get you 5-10 air exchanges in most rooms).

This doesn’t move a lot of air, but I like that the website has studies confirming that it doesn’t give off ozone, and a short study on breaking down mycotoxins.

It looks cool which is a major plus.

The claims about removing dust, dust mites and allergens are not all that accurate since PCO machines do not filter particulate pollutants (EPA).

It has a 5-year warranty and 60-day money-back guarantee which I like. The main drawback here is how little air it moves.

100 a year in replacement parts.

Most of the PCO machines do not include HEPA and activated carbon like the Vornado, they are more expensive, they don’t move as much air, and their replacement parts are more expensive. (Airocide has a unit that contains a charcoal and MERV filter for $900.)

Adverse Reactions to PCO Hydroxyl Generators

I have heard of people having bad reactions to HiTech. I have heard only one bad reaction to Airocide, and a couple of bad reactions to AirOasis.

I do not know what accounts for these bad reactions. It does not appear that there is an ozone issue (apart from AirOasis). Dr Daniel Cagua Koo has also noted that some patients simply don’t do well around this technology.

Since writing I have heard of some bad reactions to Molekule with about 50% of sensitive folks buying it being happy with it, and the other half not, and one bad reaction to Germ Guardian.

It is possible that PCO is creating harmful byproducts in high VOC buildings.

If you are in high VOCs I would focus on a filter that has a lot of carbon – like these I review here.

My interest here is for a house with extremely low VOC levels and already extremely low levels of mold. And the hope here is to keep the air as low mold as possible.

HiTech reps speculate to buyers that the bad reactions may be helpful (some kind of detox or herx), which is ethically unsound in my opinion. With no data to suggest this is detox, we should take a precautionary approach.

I would love to hear from more people who have tried these other brands. Let me know if you have had good results or a bad reaction to a PCO machine.

Do PCO Machines Give off a Burning Smell

According to Airocide, the UV bulbs themselves emit a bit of a burning smell at first. They burn theirs in for two days, but sensitive people can smell it for up to a week.

The Vornado PCO had a very slight burnt smell at first which seemed like the smell of carbon.

HiTech states that the burning smell is mold/mycotoxins breaking down. I see no evidence for this claim.

Airocide made a statement that mold does not produce a smell when broken down by OH molecules.

A HiTech user also stated that the UV lights have burnt right through the “reactor pads”. This is consistent with a theory that the UVC lights are burning the “reactor pads” and causing a smell.

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Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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This post was written with the technical assistance of an electrical engineer, though the opinions and conclusions are my own.

Composting Toilets & Greywater Recycling for the Chemically Sensitive

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I want to talk about composting toilets and greywater systems from the standpoint of the chemicals (and smells) involved, the feasibility for a disabled person, the costs, and the benefits for someone with MCS to being semi (or totally) off the grid.

Self-Contained Composting Toilets for the Chemically Sensitive

I have the SunMar Spacesaver in my tiny house because it’s the smallest indoor self-contained composting toilet I could find at the time of building in my area, and the only one that will fit in my tiny bathroom.

It was also the best-priced unit at the time. I absolutely do not recommend this toilet as it completely fails at handling liquids. Here are a few of the other challenges followed by some recommended brands.

This post contains affiliate links on some of the products I use and recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Toxic Additives in Composting Toilets?

I had a bad chemical reaction to the additives. I didn’t know that the toilet requires a significant amount of input in terms of additives (and money).

There are three things you need to add regularly: 1) an enzyme spray which smelled fine to me, like a very light non-toxic soap might smell, 2) a bulking material of hemp, peat moss…. and maybe sawdust. This material could be problematic for those extremely sensitive to mold.

You could definitely make/source your own bulking material. All the indoor self-contained composting toilets that I know of require some.)

And 3) the microbes that you add to speed up the compost and keep it “odorless”.

I had such an acute reaction to the microbe mix. It smells somewhat like a urinal cake. Everything online said it was non-toxic and natural… hmm. I called them to ask what is in it and they said citronella.

Citronella contains methyl eugenol which repels bugs and is a possible health concern needing more studies to confirm its safety. There are a few essential oils I consider to be harmful for MCSers and citronella is definitely one of them.

I had to figure out what kinds of microbes were needed for the toilet and I found out that EMBokashi will work just as well and doesn’t have fragrance added.

After using the toilet for a few months, I can say that the enzyme spray is not necessary. You could just use the Bokashi or Bokashi and a bulking material.

However, I am not happy with this model at all. The upkeep is very smelly work and it often overflows with only one person using it. Dealing with the overflow is horrible. Even before it overflows the system is such that liquid accumulates below the tray where it becomes very smelly, and moldy.

One person using this toilet full time requires that it overflows into a septic system or blackwater system. Not very self-contained at all.

Offgassing the Unit

Another chemical issue is with the unit itself. It needed some offgassing outside to get rid of the plastic and glue smells. I left it outside for a week. A month would have been ideal.

Necessary Hook-Ups for the Compost Toilet

There is some installation necessary that ideally would be contemplated before building the bathroom of a new house!

A vent has to go through the wall, outside, and above the roofline. An emergency overflow valve needs to go through the floor and out to…. somewhere (a bucket)… or to the septic or sewage drain if you are on the grid.

You do not need to have water as an input for this type of unit or bolt it down in any way.

There are electric and non-electric self-contained units. The Spacesaver is electric.

There is a need for a special outdoor compost for self-contained indoor composting toilets; they say the humus the toilets produce is totally benign but there is no way it is in there long enough to be benign.

Benefits of Having a Composting Toilet

There is a huge benefit to being off the septic system and that is the freedom to put your tiny house/yurt/dome on any piece of land with some extra amps to spare & a freshwater hose (and of course you could get totally off the grid with solar panels and rainwater collection).

Challenges of Having a Composting Toilet

If you are comparing the initial cost and cost of (ongoing) inputs to just hooking up to a city sewage line, then the self-contained composting toilets are going to seem expensive.

If you are comparing the cost to installing a rural septic tank and the maintenance of that septic tank, then it starts to seem like a really good deal.

If you are extremely sensitive you’re going to want to make sure you can source some tolerable bulking material before you start.

A lot of the maintenance also includes some strong smells of excrement so you have to be able to tolerate that.

I have seen some mold growing in the finishing drawer.

Another challenge for people who are disabled is that there is some work – there is the buying of the additives and maintenance. Maintenance involves turning a crank every second day for a minute.

Unclogging the mesh screen if that ever clogs up, checking to see if the system has overloaded via the emergency drain and other troubleshooting if anything goes wrong.

There is a fair amount of troubleshooting so far for me. The fan will have to be replaced or fixed if and when it stops working.

You also empty out the bottom drawer of benign humus every few weeks.

I’m having trouble with the Spacesaver as I don’t think it has enough capacity for one person let alone two. The tray is filling up too fast, which can be a major problem if you don’t have somewhere safe to dump it and it overflows liquids.

If you are building a new house (that’s not on a trailer bed) on a site without sewage or septic already in place, you are probably going to be subjected to building codes that require more conventional systems.

Recommended Composting Toilets

Those who live in tiny houses recommend two types – either Nature’s Head Dry Composting Toilet or the Separett.

What’s different about these is they separate the urine out. This is crucial. It is the reason the Sunmar is overflowing and going moldy in the tray. I would go with one of these for sure when I replace the Sunmar.

The other type that is popular now and is even more suitable for the chemically sensitive is the dry flush self-contained. A dry flush self-contained uses bags. I have never seen this in action.

The bags are somewhat expensive and you have to carry them out to a trash bin. Some people are really happy with this and it eliminates a lot of problems with smells and mold with the other ones.

Other Types of Composting Toilets

This post deals with indoor self-contained units but other types of composting toilets include: an outdoor bucket system, an outdoor dug out (outhouse), indoor central flush, central dry, and indoor bucket systems. 

Incinerating toilets like the Cinderella are making a bit of a comeback though I don’t have many clients that have chosen this option because of the smell of the burning.

If you live in a simple trailer or van or are camping you may want an even simpler toilet that uses bags. The Cleanwaste one is popular. And I have tried this one with success.

Greywater Recycling

Being off the septic system means you also need to safely recycle your greywater – which is the water that comes out of the kitchen sink, bathroom sink and shower.

These contain more bacteria than you think via raw meat and the bacteria on your body etc.

Eco-Sense has a really good free overview and guide including using a worm bin system to remove food scraps from the water. Here are the instructions for the worm bin filter system.

There are a lot of different types of systems and for more detailed instruction this book is super user-friendly and outlines the simplest options depending on the number of people you have on the system.

You need both some kind of filter and water dispersion. We tried just burying the pipe so that the water would simply drain into the ground but the water could not absorb fast enough and it backed up through the house. Gross, yes.

We dug a small pit and it still backed up. Right now I have a larger pit but it still has no filter on it, it worked fine for years with little upkeep. (Note it’s not technically safe to have the water drain above ground, but this did work fine for me).

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

For individual help on choosing the best products and materials for you and your home, you can schedule a consultation with me here.

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Simplified Mold Testing Overview – Pros and Cons of Different Methods

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First I want to talk about the most reliable test which is how you feel in the house compared to other places. Unfortunately, this is not always as simple as it sounds to execute. There are different ways to undertake this experiment.

Some have to start in a tent, car or trailer outside their house, but you need to be 100-200 ft away from a moldy house, and your outdoor air quality might be a problem as well.

The next option would be to stay somewhere where other people recovering from mold illness (and MCS) have felt better. This could be a campground, KOA cabin, Airbnb or other rental. I have a lot more details on this in my post on the Locations Effect and Mold Sabbatical.

Once you have gotten “clear” and done some recovering you might be wondering how do you test a house to find out if it’s good? Some people can walk into a house and know if it’s good for them. But even the most sensitive people usually need to request to spend 3 nights trialling the house.

This is not always an option, but you should ask. Usually, people sleep better in a house that is mold-free, but me and other CIRS patients have found that there is some mold that puts you into a zombie sleep where you sleep more (and then get sicker). So even a three-night test can be tricky.

This post contains affiliate links to relevant products that I use and recommend. Upon purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure: I was given the Tape Lift test to see if I liked and recommended it.

Mold Testing

It can be a good idea to verify the house is safe with mold testing. The most common test for CIRS (mold patients) is the ERMI. It is highly recommended by Shoemaker certified doctors as the test to use. The range of the ERMI scores goes from minus 10 to positive 20. You need a score or 2 or lower to be treated and recover from mold illness according to Dr. Shoemaker.

Other types of mold tests can also be useful. A tape lift will get you definitive results on visible mold. I look at the options below. This is a very simple overview just to give you the general idea of what is out there in a way that is not overwhelming – you may want to look more into each of these different methods.

Please note that my sources were biased towards mold advocates Lisa Petrison from Paradigm Change, Greg Muske from Biotoxin Journey, Dr. Shoemaker and Cheryl Ciecko, an architect who specializes in mold prevention. I have attempted to cross-check their information. However, going with information from the companies that do house inspections can be biased and contradictory. (All sources at end of post, which you can read for more detail).

Let’s Compare Them:

1. ERMI

Cons

– Doesn’t work well in brand new houses.

– You need dust that has settled for a while (wait 4-6 weeks to re-test an area).

– Having very little dust or a high amount of dust can skew results.

– Having a high amount of outside dirt inside can skew results. Having high or low outdoor spores counts can skew results.

– May not be an even distribution of spores throughout the house if mold is only coming from one place and the house is large.

– It is known to miss major mold problems when people are very sick in their house. Similarly, after a remediation, a CIRS patient can still be sick from the mycotoxins left behind despite a low score.

-“Only the ERMI and HERTSMI have been associated with sequential activation of innate immune responses, not air testing.” Dr. Shoemaker. Meaning it is the only test that he found that is consistently in line with lab results for CIRS, despite its drawbacks.

– Vacuum method can pick of heavy spores like Stachy and the Swifer method can also be used to pick up places with accumulated dust that has been there for 4 months. John Banta always tries to use the vacuum method over swipe method.

– It’s pretty affordable at $300. You do it yourself. The lab recommended is Mycometrics.

HERTSMI-2

Similar to ERMI but tests for a handful of molds most commonly associated with water-damaged buildings. It is cheaper than ERMI. I would go for the full ERMI and you can still calculate your HERTSMI value from that. Shoemaker certified doctors will consider your HERTSMI score as well as ERMI score.

2. Tape Lifts

Cons

– You need to have visible mold.

– It assists you with what type of mold it is and not how widespread the problem is.

Pros

– Tells you what kind of mold you have when you have a visible sample.

– Allows you to know if this is a toxic mold.

– You can do it yourself.

– It’s a cheaper way to test for visible mold.

I used this DIY Tape Lift to test a few areas in a house I go into often. The results came back showing me what type of mold it was. It confirmed that the mold was one that is toxic that comes from water damage. Though you need to get a decent amount of mold on the tape otherwise your results will just show scattered pieces.

3. Spore Traps (Air Test)

Cons

– Needs to be taken near the source, so you have to know where the source is.

– Shoemaker says: “The industry standard of sampling the air for spores is not an acceptable substitute for many reasons. One of the main limitations is that over 99% of the particles that carry the inflammagens from water damaged buildings are smaller than 3 microns. Spore traps can only detect particles that are larger than 3 microns and therefore, miss over 99% of the inflammagens.”

– Spore traps identify round, intact spores. So they will not catch evidence of past problem that have left mycotoxins.

– Can miss/underreport certain heavy species like stachy.

– Expensive.

Pros

– The test is more standardized than tape lifts, swabs, cultures, and mold-dogs, they claim.

– It is the most widely used mold test.

– You can compare inside and outside air.

4. Dishes

Cons

– Hard to know where to place the dish to get capture the mold if you don’t know where the mold is coming from.

– Doesn’t get you an accurate relative reading since some mold is harder to catch and some proliferate faster in the dish than others.

– Stachy is a slow grower compared to other molds in the dish.

Pros

– Can be used in multiple places to compare and for general observation.

– Can give you more details on the exact type of mold than other tests.

– Inexpensive.

– John Banta does a culture of the dust used for ERMI to compare and get more details

Here is one you can do yourself.

5. Mold Dogs

Cons

– Can only detect a handful of molds.

– Hard to know if they are well trained, look for good references for the company.

– They can’t tell you if it’s high amount of mold or a trace from after remediation.

– The dog can only sniff in areas where they can reach.

Pros

– They are good at finding the source if it is within their reach.

– The dog can smell both live and dead mold.

– You can pinpoint the area where you need to do further testing.

6. VOC testing

Cons

– There is controversy around the accuracy of this testing.

– Not widely used.

Pros

– Test the levels of mycotoxins and other VOCs in the air.

Here is a company that does this kind of testing that is recommended. It goes to an AIHA accredited lab.

Sources:

http://biotoxinjourney.com/mold-testing/
http://paradigmchange.me/testing/
https://www.nachi.org/tape-sampling-mold-inspection.htm
http://healthybuildingscience.com/2013/02/14/mold-testing-air-quality/
Public postings by Cheryl Ciecko (Architect)
John Banta interview
Dr Shoemaker Q&A

For individual help undertaking mold avoidance, you can schedule a consultation with me here.

Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist with 6 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.

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