Hello and good evening! Something in my house makes me sick and i don't know for sure what it is. So i want to exclude every possibility. Is it possible that an activated carbon filter emits dust particles that pollute the air and if so,do they have to be recognized as black dust at all? And could such kind of dust be unhealthy to produce allergies and dizziness and tiredness? I do more believe it could be the vinyl floor covering emitting plasticizer gas or something but i want to make sure the next flat is clean of everything harmful.
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Are carbon filters emitting unhealthy dust particles
- Thread starter Guy Brush
- Start date
I've wondered this myself, Guy. My system circulates through two large carbon filters, and then back into the cold air return of my central air system.
All I can tell you is, when temp and humidity are just right, I can catch the faintest whiff of carbon in the air.
The filters for my central air unit are not black, just the brown/gray dust you'd expect.
I'd be more suspicious of mold, or, as you said, fumes from new vinyl.
The chemicals used in our carpet, paint, and couch cushions are known to be toxic. You might also look into that. New couch? New paint?
Good luck, hope you find an answer!
Regards
All I can tell you is, when temp and humidity are just right, I can catch the faintest whiff of carbon in the air.
The filters for my central air unit are not black, just the brown/gray dust you'd expect.
I'd be more suspicious of mold, or, as you said, fumes from new vinyl.
The chemicals used in our carpet, paint, and couch cushions are known to be toxic. You might also look into that. New couch? New paint?
Good luck, hope you find an answer!
Regards
A house I lived in for about 5 years plagued me with an ongoing phantom, mysterious illness that would come and go. I was a young, strapping lad. In generally good shape and good health otherwise. Was continuously misdiagnosed and treated for conditions I did not have. Some, serious. From asthma to thyroid to immune system ailments. When I moved, after a few months I realized I felt GREAT. And still do this day, I barely ever get ill, and those symptoms vanished. I suspect some sort of mold was to blamr. Apparently the home had undergoner various bouts of flooding prior to us living there, and shortly before we moved, a plumber told us that a very large portion of the subfloor was inoculated with various molds/fungi. Who knows though, I'm just glad I GTFO.
As for your situation sir, a breached heat exchanger in a gas furnace (or other malfunctioning gas fired appliance) can create black dust/soot as well as CARBON MONOXIDE. And the symptoms you described are spot on. I am a professional in the HVAC industry, btw.
Carbon filters are used to clean air, from clean rooms to surgical applications to grow rooms. Carbon monoxide can and will kill you. Please look into this man....
As for your situation sir, a breached heat exchanger in a gas furnace (or other malfunctioning gas fired appliance) can create black dust/soot as well as CARBON MONOXIDE. And the symptoms you described are spot on. I am a professional in the HVAC industry, btw.
Carbon filters are used to clean air, from clean rooms to surgical applications to grow rooms. Carbon monoxide can and will kill you. Please look into this man....
Are you pulling or pushing through the filter? If pulling through it -- highly unlikely.
I would agree that hidden mold behind a wall or under a floor is FAR more likely to be the culprit. There are residential homes inspectors who specialize in mold detection who can come to your place and have a look -- but that will create a security issue for you.
If you are feeling unwell, lethargic, nauseous and/or headachey - CO is a distinct possibility. That shit is horrible, treatment includes a depressurization tank (like you had the bends while deep sea diving) and the road to recovery is literally YEARS long with some symptoms that may never completely go away. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be debilitating for life. If there is any chance of CO, you get that checked right >>now<<. Do you have a CO detector in the home and how old is it? Just to be sure -- get a new one.
I completely agree with the seriousness of the situation as Holdin' had outlined. In older houses, mortar can fall down the chimney, or otherwise some external event can cause a blockage with total stealth and your CO problem can start easily from there completely undetected. Hell, even if it is a newer home, you can have a failure on a seal or elbow, including a manufacturer's defect and you are in the CO soup.
Do you have a yearly furnace inspection to check on CO?
I would agree that hidden mold behind a wall or under a floor is FAR more likely to be the culprit. There are residential homes inspectors who specialize in mold detection who can come to your place and have a look -- but that will create a security issue for you.
If you are feeling unwell, lethargic, nauseous and/or headachey - CO is a distinct possibility. That shit is horrible, treatment includes a depressurization tank (like you had the bends while deep sea diving) and the road to recovery is literally YEARS long with some symptoms that may never completely go away. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be debilitating for life. If there is any chance of CO, you get that checked right >>now<<. Do you have a CO detector in the home and how old is it? Just to be sure -- get a new one.
I completely agree with the seriousness of the situation as Holdin' had outlined. In older houses, mortar can fall down the chimney, or otherwise some external event can cause a blockage with total stealth and your CO problem can start easily from there completely undetected. Hell, even if it is a newer home, you can have a failure on a seal or elbow, including a manufacturer's defect and you are in the CO soup.
Do you have a yearly furnace inspection to check on CO?
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You probably have mold.
You could also get your house tested for V.O.C's (volatile organic compounds)
Eliminating all chemical cleaners could be help.
You could also get your house tested for V.O.C's (volatile organic compounds)
Eliminating all chemical cleaners could be help.
Euphoriaholic
Member
I used to exhaust the carbon filter in to the TV room where I spent most of my time.
I thought I would be breathing in clean air. But I started having severe breathing problems.
I had to literally force my self to breath. After doing some research, I learned that
breathing in carbon fiber dust can cause C.O.P.D. (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder.)
When I modified the carbon exhaust to by passed the TV room to outdoors,
the breathing problem went away.
Also, I was in a warehouse with constant exhaust to create negative pressure.
The industrial environment surrounding the place was horrible.
The semi tracter trucks, heavy construction machinery, massive cranes parking area.
I was breathing in 2 to 3 hours of carbon monoxide every day. I was always feeling tired,
fatigued and blacking out. Once I moved out of this place I started to feel much better.
And finally, living in a place with black mold will also cause similar symptoms.
I thought I would be breathing in clean air. But I started having severe breathing problems.
I had to literally force my self to breath. After doing some research, I learned that
breathing in carbon fiber dust can cause C.O.P.D. (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder.)
When I modified the carbon exhaust to by passed the TV room to outdoors,
the breathing problem went away.
Also, I was in a warehouse with constant exhaust to create negative pressure.
The industrial environment surrounding the place was horrible.
The semi tracter trucks, heavy construction machinery, massive cranes parking area.
I was breathing in 2 to 3 hours of carbon monoxide every day. I was always feeling tired,
fatigued and blacking out. Once I moved out of this place I started to feel much better.
And finally, living in a place with black mold will also cause similar symptoms.
canna woop!
Member
I live next to a highway in the city right where people gun their engines to make it up the mountain. Don't know where I'd be without my air. Filtration apparatus/ garden cabs. Also changed to natural cleaning products. Makes a difference. Any one see the shit that's in dish soap these days,
I see this tester on amazon
Home Air Check Indoor Air Quality Test for Sick Homes: VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds), Mold, & Formaldehyde Qty. of 1
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Air-Check-Indoor-Quality/dp/B005SV5EIO
Hell i may get one of these i would love to test all kinds of places i go to.. anyone have any of these types of testers?
Edit:
crap this unit still has to be sent off for results.. and the test is either Mold or Formaldehyde or Both...
I was hoping it was an all in one unit and something you could test multiple places and get results right away..
Indoor air quality is almost always several times worse than outdoor air quality...opening windows is a good idea in most places. I tend to keep mine closed because of high humidity, but I let in fresh air after it rains because that's when the air quality is best here in the city.
F
Folate
Now that its winter time in the northern hemispheres our houses will be shut up tighter than in warmer seasons. There are at least a dozen easily acquired house-plants that do a great job at absorbing a normal households V.O.C's and similar.
Watch out about bringing in houseplants though. Small critters may stow-away.
Folate
Watch out about bringing in houseplants though. Small critters may stow-away.
Folate
First i want to thank all the people contributing in this thread. I have moved the house now and the old symptoms are gone, definately. But i am developing other symptoms now and i am in the hospital right now. So i can only write from my mobile phone now where it is difficult to look up english terms while writing. I will come home in the next days and answer more in detail. But i was right with the old flat. Something bad was in there. Cu soon folks and stay healthy!
G.B.
G.B.
I will 99% guarantee it was CO - I'm really glad to hear you got out of there! But most of all hope you are well....
Give us a rundown once you get home and are better - and also, I'm sure you did already, but do your part to make sure the landlord knows something is very wrong in that house so nobody endures further harm.
Best wishes and good vibes to you
Give us a rundown once you get home and are better - and also, I'm sure you did already, but do your part to make sure the landlord knows something is very wrong in that house so nobody endures further harm.
Best wishes and good vibes to you
So I'm here again and feeling much better. Last year was lousy healthwise. It started with the symptoms i described like nausea,speech impairment,panic,tiredness in june....
It went away when i first slept at a friends place. Then i cancelled my hiring contract for the flat because i didn't have the money to test the air there for all possibilities and the landlord didn't move anyway.
So i slept at three different friends places where the friendship was put to the test, really, until i finally had a new flat.
Then, at the day of the move,during the work in the old flat i got a strange taste in my mouth like when you lick on a battery. Like voltage going through my mouth and tasting a little sour. Damn and WTF! This feeling came and went away with no apparent reason but then it stayed longer and longer until i had it all the time and getting stronger from day to day. I suspected the furniture from the old flat that could have transported something into the new flat. I had lots of fear all the time from not knowing where all this comes from.
Then i got a cold! During this infection the battery taste vanished for a few days but came back when i recovered from it. I was researching the whole time on the internet for my symptoms and found that it could be the amalgam fillings in my teeth. So i went to the dentist and let him remove the first filling of two. The battery taste stayed but it got worse with me.
I had additional stress with organizing two parties because i am a DJ and event organizer too and after the second party with a few drinks and two days later eating at Burger King i got a colitis that day.
I had 2 times ulcerative colitis several years ago in the nineties when i was taking ecstasy and cocaine and drinking alcohol all together but never had a serious recurrence all the years since i am only smoking since then. But this time it knocked me down. That was in the beginning of November. So i went to the hospital and stayed there for only 5 days where i had a coloscopy and really bad symptoms. I spare you the details.
For the first 4 days in the hospital the battery taste went away almost completely but turned back on the 5th when i was sent home. I was really exhausted because even in the hospital nobody could tell me where the battery taste was coming from and they didn't even research it and the colitis symptoms were still bad.
Anyways, feeling left alone from the doctors i decided to remove the remaining amalgam filling but the battery taste still remained. After two or three days i felt it was weaker and then it went away.
Every now and then i have a slight battery feeling for seconds still but very shortly and the colitis leveled out too. Still have to take my pills though.
But the whole thing still remains unsolved in terms of what being cause and what effects. All the doctors were really clueless about the combination of my symptoms over the last half year. So i still blame it on the house that had started this thing and thats what i am hoping for.
Glad to let you know i'm smoking again. Not that i am proud of smoking but since june i had to stop toking because of the health issue when i couldn't handle it. The bad thing all the time for me was the cluelessness of the doctors.
The good thing today is now i know my friends that helped me with the overnight stays for 3 months and who visited me in the hospital and that i found out we have too sour water here in the mountains. Ph 5-6, what is not good for plants too. And they found out that my gall bladder polyp has grown to a unhealthy state and the gall bladder has to be removed. Maybe a good thing to know because gall cancer can't be healed in most of the cases. So i will let them remove it in the next weeks.
I want to thank all of you too which tried to help me with their ideas. We can't solve it finally now because i don't have admission to the old flat so it stays a mystery. But keep your friendly attitude and apologize my late reply but i had to avoid any stress. Thank you very much!
It went away when i first slept at a friends place. Then i cancelled my hiring contract for the flat because i didn't have the money to test the air there for all possibilities and the landlord didn't move anyway.
So i slept at three different friends places where the friendship was put to the test, really, until i finally had a new flat.
Then, at the day of the move,during the work in the old flat i got a strange taste in my mouth like when you lick on a battery. Like voltage going through my mouth and tasting a little sour. Damn and WTF! This feeling came and went away with no apparent reason but then it stayed longer and longer until i had it all the time and getting stronger from day to day. I suspected the furniture from the old flat that could have transported something into the new flat. I had lots of fear all the time from not knowing where all this comes from.
Then i got a cold! During this infection the battery taste vanished for a few days but came back when i recovered from it. I was researching the whole time on the internet for my symptoms and found that it could be the amalgam fillings in my teeth. So i went to the dentist and let him remove the first filling of two. The battery taste stayed but it got worse with me.
I had additional stress with organizing two parties because i am a DJ and event organizer too and after the second party with a few drinks and two days later eating at Burger King i got a colitis that day.
I had 2 times ulcerative colitis several years ago in the nineties when i was taking ecstasy and cocaine and drinking alcohol all together but never had a serious recurrence all the years since i am only smoking since then. But this time it knocked me down. That was in the beginning of November. So i went to the hospital and stayed there for only 5 days where i had a coloscopy and really bad symptoms. I spare you the details.
For the first 4 days in the hospital the battery taste went away almost completely but turned back on the 5th when i was sent home. I was really exhausted because even in the hospital nobody could tell me where the battery taste was coming from and they didn't even research it and the colitis symptoms were still bad.
Anyways, feeling left alone from the doctors i decided to remove the remaining amalgam filling but the battery taste still remained. After two or three days i felt it was weaker and then it went away.
Every now and then i have a slight battery feeling for seconds still but very shortly and the colitis leveled out too. Still have to take my pills though.
But the whole thing still remains unsolved in terms of what being cause and what effects. All the doctors were really clueless about the combination of my symptoms over the last half year. So i still blame it on the house that had started this thing and thats what i am hoping for.
Glad to let you know i'm smoking again. Not that i am proud of smoking but since june i had to stop toking because of the health issue when i couldn't handle it. The bad thing all the time for me was the cluelessness of the doctors.
The good thing today is now i know my friends that helped me with the overnight stays for 3 months and who visited me in the hospital and that i found out we have too sour water here in the mountains. Ph 5-6, what is not good for plants too. And they found out that my gall bladder polyp has grown to a unhealthy state and the gall bladder has to be removed. Maybe a good thing to know because gall cancer can't be healed in most of the cases. So i will let them remove it in the next weeks.
I want to thank all of you too which tried to help me with their ideas. We can't solve it finally now because i don't have admission to the old flat so it stays a mystery. But keep your friendly attitude and apologize my late reply but i had to avoid any stress. Thank you very much!
I don't think so. The rooms were pretty dry there but it was no solid floor. It was only shelves and a pvc covering on top. Under the shelves was no insulation i suspect,because i could hear my neighbours talk. So their heating energy could make gases go loose in the wood or the floor covering. Thats my guess,although i couldn't eliminate the possibilitiy of carbon monoxide because the chimney of the gas heating led through my living roome,where the symptoms occurred the most. Seemingly we will never know.
