Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1002219)

This wet summer affects physical health as well as your mood.

I rarely go out but rain and temperature outdoors still affect me. I open windows often to let the outdoor air in.

The humidity that warmth and wetness combined create, is like breathing pea soup.

I noticed that when humidity is high it is harder to breathe and saps my energy.

I began watching the weather forcasted humidity levels daily. Recently there has been humidity at over 90% consistently for days on end without a break. Some days it hit 100%.

I began looking up (on the web, of course;)) how this affects health, and was surprised to find how much it can.

If you haven't got black mould anywhere in your home you may think that there is no need to monitor indoor air humidity, but for persons with any respiratory problem, regulating indoor air humidity can improve quality of life.

Interestingly this researching introduced me to the life of dust mites.:D
Like us, their bodies have have high percentage of water. They don't drink - they absorb water from the humidity of the air. Reducing humidity culls (but doesn't eliminate) the dust mite population.

Airborne mould spores are always present too, even if they aren't colonising your walls. They also thrive on high humidity.

Some furniture and carpets 'outgas' chemicals used in their manufacture for quite a while, until the newness wears off. The rate of 'outgassing' increases in high humidity.

So people with asthma and respiratory allergies can be more comfortable if they monitor and control indoor humidity. I bought a hygrometer and have installed two dehumidifiers in the last few days and am surprised by the quantity of water they have collected, and how much easier breathing is.

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1002225)

What a strong constitution you must have to put up with so many ailments and allergies, you must bless your parents for giving you an extremely powerful survival gene.
http://planetsmilies.net/ill-violate...miley-9437.gif

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1002228)

Nowt to do with genes - just 69 years of pollution (and before you say it - yes -smoking has been a factor)

I recall the days before the Clean Air Act when mum wiped soot smuts off my face with spit on a hanky.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1002228)

I recall the days before the Clean Air Act when mum wiped soot smuts off my face with spit on a hanky.

Originally Posted by Less (Post 1002232)

Ah yes, the wonderous immunity passed on from generation to generation, just by a Mother spitting onto a hanky.

:D

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 1010044)

I have been having a battle with air quality for over a week now.
I got myself a couple of dehumidifiers.

They have both been extracting 2 litres of water a day,
but as they do, they generate heat, so I have needed to get my big mobile air con machine out of my storeroom to struggle to get temperature below 25C.

The aircon machine needs to have an outside vent (a flexible pipe similar to a clothes dryer pipe), so I have to open a window to position that pipe so it protrudes outside.

The opening of a window lets the humidity back in, so it is just a choice between heat and humidity, neither is comfortable.

The noise of these machines running is driving me scatty.

I long for a cool low humidity autumn.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1010094)

I) it down have get warm in bed at night

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany (Post 1010149)

Ahray ! Are we back with your acrobatic budgies again ? ;)